Finished with ribs

The dry weather has come to an end so I was able to go ahead and steam the last few ribs
in. I soaked the Oak for a few days first as it was seasoned oak and then boiled them in water
in the steam pipe for two hours before bending them in. They actually bent easier than the
green oak ones we put in before but that could be down to the fact I used a gas torch to
heat the pipe this time and it was easy to keep it regulated.
That is the first three went in easily, the last one nearly killed me. I could have called for help
but the first three had led me on. The last one had only been steamed for an hour and a bit and
it took me awhile to get the bottom of it wedged down beside the stern knee by which time it
had cooled and I should have given up.
I didn't, and it wasn't showing any signs of cracking so I kept going and got it eventually. I
literally had steam coming out of my wellingtons when I took them off after. It wasn't pretty.
I also got the lodging knees ready to fit and the sole board bearers made and fitted over the last
few days. So now I just need rivets and I can get the last seams caulked and puttied.
My camera battery died just as I went to take pics so heres some of Glandore instead.
Teal will be kept in Union Hall across the harbour.

Glandore bay

Union Hall from Glandore side

Adam & Eve Islands at the harbour mouth

Its all coming together

I've been busy puttying with the last few days. I've gone as far as I can now until I get the
ribs and rivets sorted. She has swallowed up 12kgs of putty so far and will probably need
another 3 by the time I'm finished. Its a bit tiring on the hands but a reasonably pleasant job.
I got hold of some Oak for the rest of the ribs today as well so I have just finished preparing
that.
It is seasoned timber and will be hard to bend so I have put them inside of some gutter pipes
(that thankfully I've been too lazy to put on the house) for a few days to soak before I steam
them. I will probably break some but I'll get there eventually.
I really have the end in sight now, unfortunately I think money will be the only reason to miss
Glandore. If I could afford the decking and the rivets I could start on that next week while I
wait for the putty to dry but as it happens I can not.
I could order the rivets tomorrow but I am going to do the sensible thing and get the glue for
the mast this week instead.
I have a various other jobs I can get on with while I'm broke anyway such as new backing
blocks for the chain plates and beaching legs, concrete for around the deadwoods, sole board
bearers and refit the mizen mast step and rudder skeg, the list goes on !!
Although I probably won't make Glandore I think it will only be because she has to go to sea
to get there and I won't risk her out if I don't think shes ready, I do however have every intention
of getting her afloat in early July so I am going to keep the pressure on.

The corner that pains me, I have to take 5 steps backwards to finish it

Some late evening planing shows the pressure is on

Red lead

Well I've caulked everything except where I'm missing the ribs on the starboard rear quarter
and around the transom so until I get ribs I've started putting in red lead putty.
White lead putty is usually used above the water line so red doesn't bleed through the paint
but I'm just going to use what I've got and hope it doesn't.

I really can't depict the curvature of the hull in a photo. Sitting where I took the picture it looks so much nicer in the flesh

Masts and scarf joints

I have been getting the scarfs ready for gluing on the other mast I have to make while
I try and find the funds for the glue. That one is now ready so I will cut the scarfs on
Teals mast next.
Teals mast is about 34ft to the keel and the other one is 30ft deck stepped, both are
solid and being made up of 5 pieces each and are 5 inch diameter.
Teals is ex 1x20ft 1x16ft with 1 scarf and the opposite side is ex 1x20ft 1x18ft, the 20ft
is split with half being scarfed on to either end of the 18ft, this gives me a minimum of 9ft ]=
between scarfs on either side of the masts.
The scarfs are 10:1 so over the width of the mast a scarf would measure 4ft if they were
aligned (they are not)
These are the largest scarf joints that I've made so I was dreading it a bit, They were in fact
quite easy. The skill saw just about cuts through from either side and then I cleaned them up
with the electric planer which got them very near perfect and then finished them off with the
smoothing plane and a straight edge ready for glue.
The glue I've been told to use is Aerodux which cures as low as 10 degrees, this is now
known as Prefere 40/50 so thats what I'm going for. Its not that expensive I'm just very broke.

Day 2 Baltimore wooden boat festival

Well I've had a great weekend, finished off by a few pints of Guinness in Jacobs bar
to top it off.
A big thanks to Brendan for the sailing on Ann Again on Saturday and to Leo for having
my friend Grainne and I out on Sile a do today, she is a beautiful boat.
Its all great inspiration to keep up the work on Teal and get her out sailing.

An Suire getting under way http://ilur.tumblr.com/

Phils folkboat, A good buy for someone, lots of work been done and shes for sale

Brendans "Ann Again" 1937 McGruers auxiliary sloop  

Day 1 Baltimore wooden boat festival

The Lobster boats rafted up

Cornish lugger "Peel Castle" 

Lobster boat "Fionn"

Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter "Edith Gray"

Edith Gray & Jeremy Iron's "Willing Lass"

Leo's Ketch "Sile a do"

Willing Lass is a blue moon yawl, Apparently they a loosely based on falmouth quay punts but the rig is very similar to Teals except Teal has a pole mast and a bermudan mizen

Galway hooker "An Faoilean"

Worlds apart by design but looks like they had some close racing.

Shannon Hooker "Sally O Keefe" 

Mass exodus.

I just caulked a few starboard seams today, I just stopped short of the missing ribs aft as

I still didn't get hold of any, I priced some American white oak this morning and it was 

extortionate so I need a new plan. 

The yard was a hive of activity today with everyone preparing to head down river 

on this evenings tide for the festival tomorrow. I'm crewing on Ann Again tomorrow and

Sunday so I will try and get some pics of the goings on. I'm looking forward to some 

relaxation.

This arrived as I was leaving, I assume shes here for the festival, Looks brand new and the craftsmanship looks  impeccable. A quick google of her and it turns out she was project  built in 2012 in Co. Clare and is a Shannon Hooker, the first one to sail in over a century.  So she fits in well with the Currach and Galway hooker to her right.