Handrails: Day 6

A couple of boats left this morning, and as I wanted to do another top coat on the handrails, I moved forward a couple of boat lengths to where there were no overhanging trees to drop bits onto them.  Because of yesterday’s rain, I had to dry them off before I could give them a light sand (it seems weird taking sand paper to newly shiny paintwork), and then start painting.  I had much less paint left than I would have liked, so decided I would prioritise the tops and outsides of the handrails, and leave the insides to another time.  It was just as well, because by the time I got to the end, I have virtually no paint left at all; at least the most visible bits, and those which had suffered worst, have two coats.  I left the paint to dry for a few hours, and then began the task of removing all the masking tape.  To my relief, it came off very easily and left a nice crisp line.

The handrails are by no means perfect — we’d have had to have done a lot more work to make them that good.  But I’m pleased with the overall look, which is much improved.  Hopefully the rust has been stopped and won’t come through again too quickly.  I do think I’ve been quite fortunate in having a week where the weather has been pretty conducive for painting, generally sunny, reasonably warm without being hot, and not to windy.