ALBACORA 177 



"Sure," Lou said, "but that isn't how it works. They 

 bake the paint on with heat lamps. Infrared lamps, I 

 think they use. Can you get hold of some infrared 

 bulbs?" 



"Easy," Wheeler said, "but do you have any idea of 

 how many lamps it would take? Do you have any idea 

 of what it's gonna cost you?" 



"I don't care how many men and I don't care how 

 much," Lou said. "Get all the lamps you need and put 

 the men on all night if you have to. I'll be over later 

 on." 



When we arrived, the boatyard was a startling thing 

 to see. Infrared bulbs covered almost every inch of 

 floor beneath the hull of the Explorer, "More than a 

 thousand bulbs down there," Wheeler said. "I think 

 we've got a chance to coat it now." 



"We'd better have," Lou said. 



The lamps were placed underneath the Explorer so 

 that warm air currents would rise against the hull. That 

 night the fiberglass coating stuck smoothly and evenly. 

 A thousand bulbs had dried the three coats Lou had 

 wanted, and after that I knew the Explorer was going 

 to be a gallant lady. I remembered how we had allowed 

 Wheeler to cart the Explorer in her unfinished state up 

 to the motorboat show for display. 



"The beds are up too high," one man said. "It'll be 

 no luxury rolling that far above the water." 



"We need storage space underneath the beds," I 



