Getting on with the Enterprise restoration after a day restoring the Mai-Star II

A photo before starting on varnishing the decks 

Now after the first three coats of thinned down varnish and the grain is starting to fill up and the coats are starting to build up

It now getting there, Now it will be time to fit the rubbing strakes 

Setting out the thwarts so that I can fit the thwart stringers.

Getting Mai-Star II closer to getting in the water, or at least trying my best to see this happen

This week has been a good week in the progress of the restoration of Mai-Star II with the last of the main ribs steamed into place. Just got to get some more copper nails over the weekend to finish off the job. Now it will be time to turn the teams attention to getting the hull sorted and watertight as well as the cabin roof and fitting the trims to the cabin sides top and bottom.

After that is done then I might tackle the forehatch that needs replacing and make one that is watertight when I get a green one over the bow when going to windward in a blow. 

Another job I have got is to let in a piece of plank on the plank above the garboard which my last apprentice broke off the plank and did not think it a problem. He is no longer with me as he find out boat building was not for him and he walked away. Thats in the past, now on to the future, So now that the ribs are in and all the planks that were going to be replaced this time round, it is on to the more enjoyable parts of the restoration which after you do a few of them, the boat starts to come more back to life and look more like a vessel than a wreck with bits hanging off it in different places.

So next week it is out with the paint brushes and get some paint on the hull and get the boat a bit wet as this dry weather is playing hell on the planking as being larch it is drying out a great deal. So it a race to get her back in the water so she can take up.

New project update 2

Starting to fit the cross beams to the hulls

With limited space it is a tight job.

Finally outside and able to move around the job

Finally all together ready to be painted and launched to work out the floating level of the hull to fit the drive unit.

The last of the main ribs fitted today

Today saw the last of the main ribs fitted in the boat with the ones in the cockpit steamed in place. All that is left to do is clench them up and that will be one of the major jobs completed. then will be the small ribs in the bow and the lower ribs in the stern to finish off.

In the cabin the bunk tops have been refitted and the water tank and the battery box and battery have been refitted and the electrics have been tested to make sure they are up and running, with these jobs done it is really looking like the boat is starting to come back together again and get one step closer to being re-launched.

The next job on the come after the ribs are finished off will be the couple of plank repairs that need doing, where old seacocks have been removed and pieces of wood are being let in to cover where these fittings have been and to sort out a split plank which was damage when old of the old ribs was being removed.

The apprentice is at present rubbing down the hull and cabin sides have to start painting and varnish the boat early next week.

So the work on the boat is coming on a pace and the boat is finally showing signs of getting finished.

One of the jobs the apprentice is going to be doing is re-varnishing the mast  after it has been redress of its standing rigging, so he can get to all the parts of the mast to remove the old varnish and sand it down ready to re-varnish over the next couple of weeks.

Just got one rib to finish clinching up to finish the cabin ribs and on to the next ob on the refit list

Just got one rib to finish clinching up and then the cabin furniture can start to go back in place and the inside can start to look more like a boat again. Then the water tank and battery boxes can be put back in place after the whole of the bilge area is repainted with grey bilge paint and the cabin sides are primed and undercoated and glossed and then the cabin side battens can be refitted. The battens will be fitted after they have been varnished and the cabin hull sids have been glossed. The the locker have to have their new bases fitted where they are missing, so that the lockers can be used for storage while the boat is underway on passage.

Once the main cabin is finished the forepeak will get sorted out with the remaining nails that need clinching up. Then whole of the forward end of the boat can get primed and undercoated where necessary and glossed whole over to finish it off.

Then the team will turn its attention to the galley and cooking areas to get these up to spec and sort out the lockers underneath these areas to make best use of them.    

Next week, it will be time to get the cabin ribs finished, then start on the cockpit ribs.

Next week, it will be time to get the cabin ribs cliched up and start to make getting the rest of the cabin refit underway with getting the under berth lockers sorted and the area sorted so that it can be use for storage while underway sailing. Because at the moment there no bases in the locker under the bunks apart from the areas where the battery box is located and the base for the flexible water tank.

So there is a bit of work to do in this area, There is also a fair bit of varnishing and painting to be done in the area as especially the cabin sides and also the front portholes have to be fitted.

While one of the team is sorting out the cabin the other team member will sorting out the cockpit, getting the cockpit sides sorted out with making new cockpit coamings and well as the new cockpit seats and lockers and making a new cockpit sole.

Today saw the final coat of varnish on the inside of the Enterprise, now the rest of the work on the dinghy can start.

Today saw the final coat of varnish put on the inside of the hull before the inside gets refitted with the thwarts and seats and the front watertight bulkhead gets its inspection hatch fitted along with the drainage bungs at the base of the bulkhead.

Now it is a matter of turning over the dinghy and doing the deck, that is to say sand it down to bring back its colour and to fit the front spray rails, the mast step and the missing infill on the top of the transom, before making a start on the varnishing of the deck.

At the same time the inside will be refitted with all the newly restored seats and thwarts and the thart rails that are screwed in place through the hull.

However before any of this happens the keel bands and the centreboard slot gasket as to be sourced and fitted and the two lower panels of the hull will be painted with white gloss so that this job can be done before the dinghy is put back on its keel. Once that is done the boat will not have to be move off its trailer until it is re-launched and sailed.

So next week is going to be busy doing this around the other jobs planned for this week.

One step closer to the end of the refit.

At the the portholes are sealed in place, so now the cabin is getting more watertight by the day, so it is just the deckhead to cover with epoxy resin and matting to finish it off now to complete the job.

Good to get that job out of the way and get on with other jobs around the cabin and get the boat a step closer to the water.

The final port side rib in the cabin, just got to get some more copper nails and this job will be finished and another milestone will have been reached.

One job that will be needed to be sorted, a broken frame, one of the jobs I am not looking forward to doing as it could be a little headache, but we will see how it turns out.

The last three ribs in the starboard side in the cabin now fitted in place, just need cliching up and that will be a milestone met and can move on to the next job on the refit list.

These three ribs now cliched up and fixed in place, just need painting from top to bottom with primer and then grey bilge paint

These three ribs now cliched up and fixed in place, just need painting from top to bottom with primer and then grey bilge paint

 Good to start getting the ribs finished off and so the refit work can start again.

Need to dampen the inside of the boat to get the planking to swell up and close the gaps that have appeared over the two years the boat has been out of the water.

Rubbing down the inside of the hull for the sixth time, just a few more coats and then turn it over on to its keel on to the trailer and start to refit the inside.

Rubbing down the inside of the hull for the sixth time, just a few more coats and then turn it over on to its keel on to the trailer and start to refit the inside.

Its been a long job ,but very rewarding to see its looking better than it has for years.

New bow bulkhead/ buoyant tank, a lot better than a leaking plastic bag. 

Because of increase in forward workload the company is taking on a new apprentice boat builder

Because of increase in forward workload the company is taking on a new apprentice boat builder to help the master boat builder with the new projects coming through the company as well as the growing number of restoration projects. So watch this space for updates on the up and coming new projects and the other restorations projects.

New project update

The first hull having the patterns fitted to fit the cross beams supports blocks into the hull.

The first hull having had the cross beams fitted and then the deck glued and screwed in place and hung out of the way while working on the second hull getting it ready to have its cross beam support blocks fitted.

Once all the cross beam support blocks are fitted and the decks are glued and screwed in place the deck will be epoxyed to make them watertight ready for the next stage in the project.