Mast up and sorting out the rigging

Today we finally got the mast up on the yacht and over the next few days will get it set up up ready to go for a trial sail after Christmas. The rigging will have to be tensioned up for a while so that the rigging wire and the fittings get sorted and the adjustments to the tension can be made once the rig as settled down.

So over the next few days the sails will be bend on to the spars and adjustments will be made where necessary and any modifications made to the sails. So that next year when the yacht get recommissioned it will be ready to go sailing and racing for the first time in a long time in the Old Gaffers Races that she used to race in many years ago.

One of the many things that is going to be done over the winter on the better days is to go sailing and train up new racing crew for the new racing season.

But first we have to get the yacht sorted out and get on with has many of the jobs remaining on the To do List.

doing a few of the smaller jobs that take time and patience.

The main hatch getting a fresh coat of gloss and getting a fresh coat of non slip deck paint

The main cabin washboards getting a fresh coat of gloss 

The navigation area finally finished and ready for use.

Fits well in the space set aside for it, Now just got to find some space to fit the extra charts for the cruising next year.

Another Busy day on a Classic East coast Gaffer

The navigation station all but finished off, just a couple more items to put in this area and the job will be finished off.

The varnishing is coming along well as the coats start to build up and the depth of colour from the Mahogany coming through with its rich colour. 

 The cockpit coaming starting to go in for the final fitting and also the fitting of the aft Samson posts in their final position and they tire the aft ends of the coamings together. 

 A photo of the port side Samson post being fitted in position.

 The front end being measured up to fit the forward blocks to tire the coamings to the cabin sides.

 Photo showing the two Samson post in position as well as the new position for the manual bilge pump so it can be used at any time it is needed.

Getting on the refit of a classic East Coast Gaffer.

The navigation station now looking like it is also ready to see action with all the necessary bits of equipment in place, The VHF and LW/FM radio the GPS and the Log/echo sounder and the handheld VHF. All that is missing is the Chart Table which is being varnished and when finished will be put into position.

The GPS outside position as well as the log/ echo sounder bracket so that both bits of equipment can be used in both positions when needed.

The cockpit coamings looking good now they are in position.

They will look good when they are all in position and the cockpit just needs its seats to finish of the area.

The wash boards getting their first coat of undercoat and once finished will get their trims refitted and put back on the yacht.

A good day out on the river

The first time in three years that this yacht as been under this bridge.

First of many times to come over the next few months

New horizons to come over the winter as yacht gets ready for being ready for next spring

Good view of a empty river 

Time to go back to home and back to work 

Varnishing just keeps coming and making new oak cleats for a client's yacht

Finished varnish work put in to storage for the winter so that the varnish can get a chance to harden off over the winter before getting their final coats in the spring when they are refitted to their various boats. 

More varnishing to bits that are going to get refitted to various boats next spring

Two new storage items for equipment for a client's yacht so that it will make it easier to use the equipment at sea

New oak cleats made from a pattern of an old cleat that a client had on his yacht and that he needed replacement cleats made from to match the ones on the yacht.

The first of five cut out of seasoned oak 

Five new oak cleat blanks cut and now ready to shape to size.

Making new chart table.

The basic table and its leg set up.

 The basic table set up in position to check if any modifications needed to be made. 

 The fiddle rails made to stop the chart coming off when at sea

First thinned coat of varnish going on the new chart table.

The fiddle rails getting their first coat of varnish.

Work's dinghy update

The first coats of thinned varnish, just many more coats of varnish to go.

Now with a few coats of thinned varnish on the thwarts the rich mahogany colour is showing through the varnish.

Some small jobs and some not so small jobs got underway.

The finished binocular box, now ready to get varnished before its fitted to the yacht when it is finished

The first part of the cockpit coamings to be dry fitted to the cockpit carlins, just two more sides to go.

The second cockpit coaming started to be fitted.

The second cockpit coaming fitted, now just needs to be cramped and screwed in place after the back coaming has its joints made and the front blocks are made to connect it to the cabin sides.

The apprentice favour job during the winter month, varnishing bits of wood.

As with all classic yachts there is an amount of varnished wood trim to do and this yacht is no different.  

They come in all different shapes and sizes.

Stages of making a binocular box to store the bins in when not in use. 

Work for the coming week

Now with a what is looking like a settled weather week ahead, we should be able to get some of the outside jobs done.One job especially on Mai-Star II, its cockpit coamings are ready to make to fit.

Also the cooker area needed to be sorted, so that over the winter months, we will be able to cook up some hot meals while working on the yacht. As you can see the cooker is there, it needed to be connected up to a gas bottle and tested.

Here is the mast before the rigging was put back on earlier on in the year, All that has to be done now is put the last of the running rigging and it can go back up on the yacht.

The mast will get the rest of its running rigging fitted this week, so that it can be fitted shortly and the standing rigging can be set up. 

Another job will be to sort the electrics for the engine charging and also to fit the second GPS station wiring so that the GPS can be used in two positions while on passage.

If it is possible finish off painting the decks and sorting the corners of the cabin sides to be able to finish them off. 

Essex's only Wooden, GRP & Narrow boat Mobile Boat Repair & Maintenance Service" We travel nationwide to keep your boat on the water wherever it may be. so we are only a call away & we can keep you afloat

Essex's only Wooden, GRP & Narrow boat Mobile Boat Repair & Maintenance Service" We travel nationwide to keep your boat on the water wherever it may be. so we are only a call away & we can keep you afloat.http://ow.ly/q2lG8

Work undertaken around the country as far a field as North Yorkshire to Southern Ireland