BIG SEASON AHEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 229, 27 September 1929, Page 15

BIG SEASON AHEAD.

SANDERS AND CORNWELL CUPS. PRACTICAL TIPS ON PAINTING GRAINING THE COCKPIT. At all the beaches and hauling-out areas fitting out is proceeding merrily during "the week-ends. The boats at St. Mary's beach appear to be the most advanced, but with a fine spell, the majority will be ready for the water by the first week in November, and many will be down by Labour Day. New boats are continually being built at the various yards, mostly power-driven craft certainly. The one exception is the firstclass yacht which Col. Wild, of Stanley Point, is building. Already her keel, stem and stern posts have been shaped and will be set up shortly. By the end of this month all clubs will have held their annual meetings and the new executive will be keen to get to work. With the Sanders and Cornwell Cups held on the Waitemata, in addition to the usual racing programme, matters in the yachting world should be very brisk this season. The proposed amalgamation of the Ponsonby and Richmond Cruising Clubs is now definitely off, each club deciding to carry on as usual. The annual meeting of the Richmond Club will be held next Tuesday evening. The painting of the main cabin of a yacht or motor boat should receive the owner's best attention. All mirror frames, panels, etc, can be picked out in light tones of ivory, relieved with faint tints of green, ceilings look best in white enamel, of which there are several good brands on the market specially suited for marine work. Flat white looks well, but dirties readily, and cannot be cleaned as easily as enamel. New work requires at least two coats. If white now, one coat will be sufficient if it is well cleaned beforehand. Any moulds, deck beams, or panels can be relieved by adding a very little emerald or Brunswick green. The slightest pinch, well mixed before using, will give a pleasing effect and can be used as a border. Side panels, framing etc., can be done in old ivory. To get this shade mix the slightest amount of raw sienna in the white, which will give the faintest yellow in the panelling. Add more for the framing to make the contrast, but not too decided. Any moulds between the

light and dark Ivories can be cut in with! the faintest suspicion of green, as in the ceiling, but do not use blue, it is too suggestive of the novice. If your ceilings are in pressed material of any sort, do it all over in a very pale ivory.. Then pick our your figurings in white, leaving the ground in ivory. The bordering can be darkened with a little burnt sienna. Don't put decided colours on a ceiling, as they bring it closer, while delicate colours throw it higher up. Graining is a popular finish for coambings, inside of the cockpit, and many other places on a boat. It is better to employ a professional hand to do this, but where the owner or one of the crew is handy with the brush the following hintß- will be found very_ useful, and pleasing results are certain if closely followed, as "Speedwell" has often proved. First, sandpaper or pumice down the framing, panels, doors, etc, you wish to do, until you have the work thoroughly smooth. Then take two pounds of best white lead, add yellow ochre in oil the size of a hen s egg, also burnt sienna, half the amount of ochre. Mix well together into a thick paste with raw oil. Add one eggcupful of terebine for driers, patent driers is preferable, about the size of the ochre. Reduce the whole in turps to a working consistency and give the work one coat. When dry give it a light rub over with No. 0 glasspaper and give it another coat. You can add a little varnish to this coat to give it a slight gloss as well as a firm surface. To make graining colour get burnt sienna in "oil, also lib of drop black, ground in goldsize or turps. Mix a little of each together until you get the colour of the wood you prefer. This combination makes a perfect mahogany or teak. Oak is lighter. Thin with raw oil, a little driers, also varnish, but not much, and the rest turps. .This mixture must be as thin as water, as it is not a paint, but a stain. If too dark, thin it down to lighten it, if too light thicken it. a little to darken it. Rub on with an old short-haired brush, getting it even all over, not blotchy. Then proceed to grain. A piece of old coarse sacking rolled into a flat pad and pulled down the panel will surprise you with the results that can be got from it. An old corn broom is another good tool. If you have an old, dry, paint brush you can get all the effect you require. Pulling it flat over the work with a few variations gives a very effective imitation of graining. A good effect can be got by the panel being done a lighter colour, by putting less on, and the framing darker by putting more one. To get a better result the panels in the first place can be painted a light yellow by adding more white lead, and the framing can be darkened by adding more yellow ochre and sienna in your ground coats. Cockpits can be grained in this way to good effect. After the paint is tlioroue' V dry it must receive one or two coats of good varnish