Alice stands on the swim step to apply a third coat of varnish to Phoenix’s stern cap rail.

Today we got a “final” coat of varnish on the aft part of the cap rail and on the eyebrow trim…despite the weather. It was dry and partly sunny when we got started this morning, but after we wiped down everything and started taping, the wind started to increase. We debated whether to go ahead, as the wind tends to blow all sorts of dust and dirt around…which ends up in the wet varnish and ruins the finish. But we wanted to get this project done, and everything was prepped and ready, so we decided to go ahead.

The wind continued all day, and even intensified as we applied the varnish. And it was cold! Even though it was mostly sunny, the wind chill made for cold hands. It was so windy that we had to put on the chin straps of our Tilley hats so they wouldn’t blow off! Never figured we’d be varnishing in July/August and worry about being too cold…in years past, it’s usually been too hot.

Just after this photo was taken, my hat almost blew off and I had to attach the chin strap of my Tilley hat so that it wouldn’t blow away! It wasn’t the best weather day for varnishing.

So our varnish project for this year is just about done. There is a bit of touch up to do, and the deck hardware needs to be re-attached, but the lion’s share of the 2012 varnishing is now behind us. Just in time too, since tomorrow’s weather forecast calls for a 30% chance of rain.