Getting the boat back together

I have now started going down the list of essential item to get her ready for launch which is in a week or so! I decided that cleats might be nice. So renewed Burma teak needed to be carved to fit the cleat upstands. I thought it would take an hour or so each, but in the end in was two and a half hours per cleat! So that is a days work then!

Cabin Front Leak - repair in action

The leak on the cabin front is now fixed by being consolidated in epoxy and glass tape. Only a decorative beading required now.There was also a leak by the cabin ports which was wrecking the interior shellacked mahogany. We have been trying to strip the shellack but sanding is not an option as it turns into a very gooey mess.

Survey - refitted floor under the engine beds

Pictures showing the replacing of the bolts for the last galvanised floor. We have had not enough time on the tight launch schedule to send the strap floor off to be re-galvanised so therefore it was blasted and covered in epoxy. This is the last major structural point on the survey from three years ago that needed to be tackled. I am pleased it is now done.

New Wilmex Bronze Winches

A pair of handed Wimex bronze winches have gone in to replace the old bottom action Leyton winches. The Port was seized and the when trying to service some of the parts needed to be drilled out. Sadly, even solid bronze constructions on boats eventually fail. They did last 51 years!

New Graving Pieces

These have been added where the wood was soft around the old anode bolts. You can see how close the old anode bolts were to the seacock. Not a great idea. The seacocks for the self-draining cockpit are now new as well with a slow rolling programme of replacing all the seacocks.

Where are we now?

Quite a lot has been happening.

• New port in the bridgedeck that will house the compass (part of an ISAF requirement that clipped on compasses cant come loose in a knock down)
• The tank inspection hatches are now in complete with senders for fuel. This is important as dipping the fuel required access to a rigmarole of hatches - something I don't think one would do in a seaway.
• New winches now purchased and getting ready to be fitted.
• Bilges danbolined and ready to take the sumps and engine when ready.
• New cockpit sole and teak grating being currently made. The new cockpit sole will have a much larger access hatch.

Pumps

Whilst engine is out I have added an extra electric bilge pump  and strum box and one way valve to the new whale gusher pump. This is important as bits always get in the bilge - especially when refurbishing a wooden boat.