The Haulout "Third Quarter" | Ep. 356

Working through the demanding middle stretch of an extensive haulout at the boatyard, Kevin Boothby tackled the final structural and finishing details on the wooden spars and hull of the Gilmer 31 cutter Ruth Avery. Documented on How to Sail Oceans, the haulout had reached the stage where steady progress demanded methodically completing one refit task after another before stepping the rig.

With intermittent rain showers passing through the yard, work required dodging the wet spells while shaping the new solid wooden spars. Between rounds of rain, Kevin focused on refining the octagonal jackyard and topsail yard before sealing and protecting the masthead.

Spar Shaping and Masthead Sealing

Having previously roughed out the timber blanks for the new jackyard and topsail yard, Kevin took advantage of dry weather windows to refine their profiles using a hand bevel plane. Working carefully down each facet, he converted the octagonal cross section into a 16-sided figure, smoothing the transitions prior to final sanding and varnishing.

Before paint could be applied to the main mast, the exposed top of the spar required permanent moisture protection. Kevin installed a custom wooden mast truck cap over the top of the mast, bedding the component in generous amounts of epoxy to ensure the end grain remained completely sealed against freshwater intrusion:

“This little bit doesn’t just look cool. It performs the very important function of preventing rainwater from getting onto the end grains and wicking into the wood, which is what causes wooden masts to rot.”

Barrier Coating and Polyurethane Mast Finish

Protecting the upper wooden mast called for a durable coating schedule capable of resisting prolonged UV exposure. Over the existing base paint, Kevin rolled on West System epoxy thickened with 422 barrier coat additive, establishing a tough binding barrier layer across the wood.

Over the cured epoxy base, he applied three coats of Epifanes two-part polyurethane paint in Hatteras off-white. The two-part formulation delivered significantly higher durability than traditional single-part enamels, preventing the chalking and white pigment oxidation that rubs off on clothing during trips aloft. Managing the paint volume required precision, as the 750 ml container left no room for waste:

“You don’t quite get a quart. You get 750 ml.”

Rigging Reassembly and Dinghy Refit

With mast coatings cured, standing rigging hardware went back into place. Having disassembled the hardware without marking the orientation of the lower hounds band, Kevin analyzed the fitting layout and matched the port forward lower position by its extra toggle before securing the assembly and reinstalling the bowsprit.

Attention then shifted to the tender dinghy, Baby Ruth. Kevin replaced the dinghy perimeter rub rail, crafting and shaping new leather chafe ends where the rail terminates at the transom, as well as installing a new leather bow protector:

“Getting those end pieces on, that is a bear when they’re new. Now, after a while they mold into shape.”

Topsides Preparation and Stepping the Rig

Under warm skies on May 18, Kevin prepared the topsides of Ruth Avery for the water. He washed the two-part polyurethane hull using an Awlwash solution diluted at 1 oz per gallon of water, moving gear out from under the boat before applying an Awlcare polymer protective sealer with a buffing pad to restore gloss without traditional wax buildup.

The refit milestone culminated as the boatyard crew positioned heavy machinery to step the tall wooden spar:

“The day has come to put the mast back up.”

Guided by yard crew and lined up overhead to protect fresh varnish, the mast settled smoothly onto its step, leaving the cutter ready for final rig tuning and re-launch.

Frequently Asked Questions