Well, we've had the sailboat pulled out and up on blocks at the marina for a week and a half now. We got the rusted, stuck centerboard out after a few work sessions using a handsaw to loosen the rust between the trunk sides and the CB. Then we put a concrete stake through the hole in the trunk (it's rough and wide - it had been sealed up) in the cabin. We braced it on the CB top, and pounded it down with a 10 lb sledge hammer and it finally the CB let loose. It's been sandblasted and coated, and it looks so much better. No where near the artwork that was done one the "Dauntless", whose work I so enjoyed reading about, but it is fine for us. I just received Brian Gilbert's book in the mail, and it has a lot of great info. I'm going to be re-painting the bottom, and have been trying to figure out the best way to do it. The old coat is thin and worn, so I guess I'll sand it and just paint right over what's left. The info I've found in books is sort of confusing - should I put a primer on, then fresh bottom paint, or just the new paint right over the top of the sa nded old paint? I talked with the guy who'd painted it, and all the remembers is that it was Interlux anti-fouling. So, I guess we'll try for the same thing, not knowing more. Thanks, Danelle in Ketchikan __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com