OK, got the spray bottle, did the CPES in the shaft log hole. Let it dry Thursday. In theory, it will help keep the wood from rotting. In practice, makes me “feel” better about it. Then on Friday, after the CPES should be dry, sprayed linseed oil into shaft onto the wood, buttered up the whole thing with Dolphinite bedding compound and helped David pound the 3 ft long 2-5/8″ diameter hollow shaft log into place. Argh, lots of work pounding (on David’s part). I was just the “chunk of wood holder” so he wouldn’t be using the sledge on the bronze directly. When David ran out of steam (with about 6″ to go), we enlisted John’s help in pounding the rest of the way. Then, David and John futzed around with the stuffing box on the inside and the stern bearing on the outside….

Other excitement–well, I did yet another coating of Metacrylic on the foredeck. John did the final prep sand and started cutting the canvas for it today. The bronze staples only fit a certain stapler and it was being finicky, so will wait ’til Monday to stretch and paint.

David and I are off to work on Stargazer this weekend. She’s in a slip instead of her mooring for the weekend. We’ll be repairing and refinishing her caprails. Some extra sapele from Mahdee will be used on her mahogany rails as part of the repairs.

Gotta go, get onto Stargazer, move her off the mooring and start that work. So, more on Mahdee Monday!