Stormy

With bouys off the west and south west coasts registering 10.8mtr wave height
and swell charts off the west coast showing top of there scale we thought a family
spin to the Mizen head was warranted.
Took a few pics but they don't do it justice. The car was covered in salt spray
in the Mizen head car park which is a good height above the sea, unfortunetly
you have to pay to go across the bridge out to the point and that wasn't in the
budget this week so thats as far as we went, It must have been pretty spectacular
out on the point.

The Fastnet under assault 

Mizen head car park

Deck off

After a very casual start, a chat, some coffee and cake down at the yard we actually
managed to get a nice few bits and pieces done.
We finished removing the deck and then decided we had best rid Teal of fiberglass
and stripped it off the coach roof. We have yet to decide on our course of action with
that, It may just be canvas covered or we may replank it also. It is still solid but as you
can see its mixed and matched were the old doghouse was removed, nothing wrong with
that but it wouldn't be a big deal now just to replank it.
We also removed the rubbing strip and the cockpit coamings. The coamings were broken
and split and its just simpler to replace them.
We finally tightened up the remaining two keelbolts and gave the others another squeeze as
well, The gap between the ballast and keel actually closed up perfectly, I didn't think it would
squeeze up as far as it did so that was a pleasant surprise.
The weather is probably going to put a hold on things now for a few days as it seems its
going to be pretty nasty and the tent won't be the nicest place to be. I'm going to pick up some
Iroko and get on with planking asap.

Teal striped of all beauty, It can only get better now

There is a pocket of rot on either side were the original chainplates went through on the inside of the hull.
Thankfully the rot has only affected the knees which I will change and the old chainplate mounting blocks.

Look Ken holding heavy stuff above his head, thanks Ken

Shipshape

Update

Not a lot to report this week, I spent Tuesday working on the stealer for the port side
and have it almost ready but I got stuck into another little project for the rest of the week.
I'm out of Iroko for planking at the moment but hopefully I
can pick some up over the next few days and try and get back on track with it.
Ken and I are going down on Saturday so hopefully the side decks will be off and
and perhaps some of the steamed frames will be out.
Actually I need to get the garboards cleaned up tomorrow and stick them on the trailer
so they can be taken down as well.
I've had no luck getting hold of Btswales whom I had hoped to buy all my copper fastenings
and the ready made green oak ribs, they provide a handy service of shipping out ribs
prepared to size and ready to be steamed in, I will try them again tomorrow.

Stealer

Today I finally finish the starboard side stealer I've been working on . That one nearly broke me.
I was working on it for nearly three days, unfortunately there is still the other side to do.
It worked out nicely in the end anyway.

Buttoning up

I spent today putting in various screws and nuts and bolts in place as bit of a break
from planking. I countersunk the stem bolts and swapped out the temporary treaded
bar and fitted the new galvanised bolts with a little cotton around the heads to seal them
up. I also fastened all the sawn frames to the keel with 12g x 3 1/2 inch silicone bronze
screws and put in a few missing nuts and bolts here and there.
I also glued on a small repair piece on the corner of a plank and gave all the nuts on all
the doubling pieces on the frames bit of a tighten up as I guess the green oak had shrunk
slightly.
Then I sorely set about removing two more planks, I didn't want to be stepping
backwards but there was no way they could be left in.

That hole looks huge in the pic but its only around an inch wide

I guessing they were damaged by burning engine oil etc when she caught fire or else they were scraped clean year after year

Flashback

With it now being the new year I suddenly feel my deadline impending.  Although self imposed and
compounded perhaps by our short, almost nonexistent Summer it never the less irritates me.
I guess a lot of thought and effort goes in to everything thats involved and I could now do with having
the end in sight.
What I want for this year is to finish the major work on Teal and get her afloat and sailing. I know well
that there will be a million and one things left to do next Winter but I hope by then to be able to slow down
and take my time and enjoy all the little jobs.
I can imagine there are plenty of people who would be content to sit in that tent for years until every little detail is impeccable but thats not for me. I think I need stages to work in, make her solid, make her float, make her sail and next year, make it better.
Ken thinks I'm mad but he is abnormally laid back. I don't think he'd argue if I said I'll finish it there in 4 or 5 years.
This is what happens on days when no progress is made for a day and there is little else to do but think about it, I will be back at the boatyard tomorrow.

For now I can take some relief in how far she as come since these pictures and the first new pieces went in just 8 months ago.

Deck coming off

We've decided to eliminate the rear hatch when we replace the aft deck

The deck under the ply  was surprisingly solid. It seems strange it was ever plyed  over.

All our hard work, Good view of bad steamed ribs

Stealers

Yesterday I finished preparing a plank for the port side but I'm waiting for fastenings
so I just put it aside until they arrive.
Then I went about removing a damaged plank edge which is next to a stealer.
I'm going to make the stealer slightly wider to make up for it. I also had to do some
messing about where the transom, sternpost and stealer meet to enable the plank to
sit in properly and be caulked. This area was so decayed and broken up when I
removed it making the replacement match perfectly before fitting proved tricky.
Anyway it worked out fine and I made a mould of the plank end shape to make life
easier when I'm preparing the actual plank.
I've also discovered a plank which has become very thin beneath where the engine
use to sit. I had changed the same one on the opposite side and when I saw the thin
plank lying on the ground I checked this one and realised it was just as bad. It wasn't
that obvious before it was removed as its thinned between the frames. When I say
thinned I mean from 25mm to perhaps 15mm or less so it definitely needs changing.

I also need to scarf in a little piece to save the plank below

Port side

I opened the back of the tent as it was a nice day and was able to stand back and have a look

Port planks

I've been working away at planking on the port side, I spent the last day shaping
the last long plank that I needed to do. It was a pain as it was a shutter plank and
took quite a bit of effort. I steamed it in to place last thing in the evening but it
still needed quite a bit more work. I finished it off today and it went back in
without steaming which was handy.
I only have enough Iroko for one more plank and I've run out of silicone bronze
screws although I'm expecting a delivery of more of those this week. I'll have to
try and scrape some funds together to buy the rest of the planking.

My plan is to finish planking this month, Change the steamed timbers and refasten
in February ready for re-caulking. It think that is quite achievable as long as I can
afford everything when I need it.
When Ken gets back he will finish removing the deck. The new deck will be
red deal which I will tongue and groove and will be canvas covered.
With all that done she will once again be something that can be referred to as a
BOAT.

My camera was dead today so I didn't get any pics.

The whole fore deck and old mast step are now gone, Just the side decks and aft deck to go. Deck beams etc look good so far. I think will will change the front half of the sheer strake while the deck is off.

More planking

Well happy new year to all.
Bit more planking done. Starboard side is starting to look good, just one small shutter and the full
length plank above the garboard to go. I need to take the garboards back down shortly.

After years of joinery work which was mostly square, angles or arches, its very satisfying to  see the results of  steaming  and bending timber is to this lovely 3D form.