Clearly, We Didn’t Think This Through

And It Was Toxic

Wandering Spirit was a beautiful vintage sailboat—all 36’ of her. But she had much to be desired in the way of maintenance. We tackled jobs one by one, from replacing the lines (not called “ropes” on a boat) to recovering the seat cushions. Some projects were necessary for safe, smooth sailing; others were cosmetic.

In the cosmetic category, we decided one job was definitely DIY: bottom painting. Roger has professional experience painting, and we weren’t rich, so buying the cheapest paint and applying it ourselves made sense—or so we thought.

Color Coordination Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be

Our boat (as you can see in the picture) was originally trimmed in green. So the bottom paint was also green. But the cheap paint was blue—guess which color we invested in? So much for a coordinated color scheme.

Painting with friends isn’t a job, it’s a party. So we enlisted willing friends—they had to be willing to drive two hours to the boat yard where Wandering Spirit had been hauled out, paint all day, then drive back. That’s good friends!

Good Job, Everyone!

The day was great for the work—I mean, party—nice and cool, plus plenty of sunshine to dry the primer coat while we enjoyed lunch at a seafood restaurant overlooking the harbor. We couldn’t stop talking about how well everything was going.

Back at the yard, we carefully applied the blue paint. The color wasn’t so bad. Bottom paint doesn’t show that much, anyway—you just paint up to the waterline. It’s done that way on purpose. That line can reveal whether your boat is sitting too low in the water, otherwise known as “Do we have a leak?!”

Then Came the Reality Check

Just as we were finishing up the last touches, one of the yard workers strolled up to chat.

Roger: Hey, we were wondering why everyone else who’s painting is wearing a haz-mat suit.

Worker: Because boat paint is toxic. It’s full of lead. I wouldn’t want that stuff on my skin.

Stricken, we stared at each other—and frantically began scrubbing each other with paint remover. I ended up with scratched glasses—it really does have lead in it!

Why didn’t it occur to us to ask about that paint or those haz-mat suits earlier? Why didn’t we get a clue from the other painters in the yard? Lead poisoning is no joke.

Did We Escape the Consequences?

It’s been 13 years. Maybe our exposure wasn’t prolonged enough. None of us has noticed any symptoms. I guess the lesson stuck with us longer than the paint. You haven’t noticed anything, have you?

The Smarter Way to DIY

There’s something to be said for DIY: think of the education, experience, and personal satisfaction you get. Sometimes the colors don’t match and it doesn’t matter. And sometimes you’re just trying to get the job done so you can stand back and feel proud.

But as much as we try, we don’t always think of everything. And sometimes our errors are glaringly obvious to everyone except our willing friends. After that paint episode—even if we “got away with it”—here’s our takeaways.

DIY is commendable, but we’ve learned to check with experienced experts—before opening a can of worms. If we see someone doing it differently, we’re more likely to ask a few questions. And if it works, don’t sweat the color—function matters more than appearance.

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. Proverbs 15:22

Whether we’re painting a boat or building a relationship, we can all benefit from seeking advice from wise people. And we’ll definitely regret ignoring it.

Ever had a DIY project go differently or teach you more than expected? Do tell!