Further updates on the progress of the Mai-class of dinghy

Now that the plank had been cut out of the mahogany board it was time to plane the plank down to its witness pencil marks 

The apprentice hard at work getting his first taste of doing this job.

After he had planed the edges down to the witness marks, it was time for him to start to plane the faces of the planks to get rid of the saw mills cutting marks.

About half way done on the first side just about 6 feet left to do on this side before turning it over to do the other side.

Almost done on the first side

Making a start on the other side. So next week we will be able to start to fit the plank on the dinghy

The re-launching of Mai-Star II

A useful To Do It List to get you through the Refit period and beyond.

Boat maintenance tip #1

Get refit list checked and order your antifouling this week in time for getting the boat in the water for Easter

Boat maintenance tip # 2

Check your sails are in good condition and if in need of repair get them to the sail maker this week before the rush for Easter starts

Boat maintenance tip # 3

Remember to book your launch date now as time is running out to get your boat on the date you want to be afloat

Boat Maintenance tip # 4

When the weather is gets better it is time to start getting the boat ready for the new season, so make sure you have all the necessary gear to do the jobs, if not order them now through our mail order service

Boat Maintenance tip # 5

Get your charts send to the chart agents to be checked & corrected if needed, also next life raft checked and or ordered from hirer for new season

Boat Maintenance tip # 6

Check your standing & running rigging before the start of the season better to be sailing than sitting on the hard all season waiting for a new rig

Boat Maintenance Tip # 7

Do not forget your tender & outboard they need TLC as well if they are to give you good service during the season. So take your outboard to the service agent to get it checked over and give yourself peace of mind

Boat Maintenance Tip # 8

If you have a wooden boat start rubbing down the paint work where it is damaged & put primer on the bare wood

Boat maintenance Tip #9

 Get your ropes & ground Tackle check over to make sure their ready for the new Season & get rid of any damage rope. You do not want to end up on the local RNLI list.

Boat maintenance Tip #10

Above all enjoy your refit period and the friends you find along the way.

Mai-Star II's Refit coming along well with the new cockpit seats getting fitted into position.

The first of the cockpit seats to go back in position and it is making the cockpit look very small now.

The port side is getting the manual bilge pump pipe run sorted before the seat can go into position.

The port side seat now in position, now that is done the bilge pump run can be clipped back and tried up and sorted.

Finally the cockpit seats in position, now got to get the Samson Posts fitted through the seats and fixed to the Cockpit coamings. 

Getting some of the major and minor jobs done on the Mai-Star II over the past week.

Setting up the cockpit seats to the correct height so the the aft beams can be fitted in position.

All the trims now fitted round the hatchway and it more looking like a yacht again.

Glued and screwed the deck beam back into position and just got to clear it up and repaint the area and fit a brace to the area until i can fit a new deck beam next winter,

The navigation area finally finished and ready for use.

Starting to fit trims to tops of bulkheads

First of the under bunk floors fitted just another four to make, then they will be finished and then ready to paint.

Mai-Star II cockpit seats made and being fitted to the cockpit and then primer ready for the next stage in the cockpit refit

The cockpit seats blanks planed and ready to be glued together

The blanks all cramped up and waiting for the glue to go off and harden so that they can be sanded down

The seats getting fitted in position 

The fitted seats back in the workshop having their edges shaped and sanded ready for their first coat of primer

First coat of primer applied and once this is dry the areas for the non slip paint areas can be masked up and the paint applied to these areas

Mai-Star II new cockpit coaming blocks and new cockpit seats and the never ending varnish of trims to do.

The never ending varnishing to be done on the cabin trims 

The front end blocks for the cabin side to coamings joint

Finished planing down and now needs trimming to size and fitting in place when next down at the boatyard

The cockpit seat blanks planned down to thickness 

Now being glued up and the trimmed and fitted to cockpit when next down the boatyard