A BIT OF A TUMBLE

e all understand how a good paint job can bring a yacht’s appearance to life, but it can also hide many a dark deed. This poses a conundrum for sellers of wooden boats and the result depends on the quality of the buyer. If he or she is an old hand who knows what they’re about, they won’t be impressed by a lovely smooth finish. They understand what can be achieved with trowel cement, undercoat, a hard rub-down followed by brushing cement, the same again, then two coats of enamel. They’d be far happier to see the topsides in end-of-season condition. If the boat’s sound she will still look respectable, but any shifty hood ends, loose seams, patches of softness or a rusty fastening or two will be revealed to the discerning eye. Nobody expects a boat