Mai Star class dinghy coming along well

Time to get the plans out to check the position of the seat rails and the centreboard case and the mast step and thwarts

Now it is all primered ready to start the fitting out of the inside

Starting to glass in the aft bulkhead and transom pad

The first layers of glass fibre matting to hold in position.

Once it as cured then can glass up to the top of the bulkhead.

Glassing the  edges to the hull when this is cured then glass over the whole of the pad 

Covering the foredeck with epoxy and matting

Just got to glass over the whole of the pad and glass over the top edge to seal the pad from the weather.

 Glassed In the aft bulkhead

Another of the Little Mai type dinghies in for restoration

Another of the Little Mai type dinghies in for restoration after a hard life

Checking and taking stock of the job ahead.

Making a check list of jobs to do to get the boat back on the water ASAP  

Checking the underneath to look for signs of damage to the under side

The major problem with all small dinghies the back end of the keel where they all get damaged through being launched and recovered with out keel protection -

Taking off the old outboard pad which is rotten and is the wrong size for the dinghy

Works dinghy restoration update

Foredeck now glued and screwed down and ready to be covered with epoxy and matting

Forward end now sorted ready for painting apart from fixing the thwart knees in position

The thwart knees in position with nails through the rubbing strake and gunwale and screwed up through the thwart to tie it all together

Gluing the transom pad to the outer skin of the hull and when cured will be glassed over with matting and resin

Fitting the aft seat bulkhead in position ready to glass in at the same time as the transom pad

The bulkhead cut down to the correct height for the aft seat to rest on when all the glassing is done 

The Mai-Star Class dinghy getting a coat of primer on the inside and the centre thwart is back in the works dinghy

The Mai-Star Class is cleared out ready for a coat of primer before the coating system is applied 

First complete coat of primer on all the bare wood on the inside now it is ready

Looking forward over the transom, just one small job in the bow a few short ribs to steam into position

The centre thwart back in the works dinghy, this as stiffened up the hull of the dinghy, just got to get the transom pad and back seat glassed into position 

Gunwales, foredeck work and glassing in the seat supports

The new gunwales are now nailed and clenched in position and the dinghy is now looking more like her old self.

The dinghy is starting to be more like a dinghy than a jelly mould

Marking out the new fore deck panel before dry fitting it and marking the underneath so it can be painted before fitting it down

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Dry fitting with the aid of a few clamps, soon be back on the water doing its work again 

Glassing in the seat supports with their first few layers of matting before starting to work on the transom pad and the aft seat locker bulkhead

Gunwales finally in place just need nailing in position and the get the knees and breasthook made

Dry fitting the gunwales 

At last the dinghy is coming on a pace and with time and patience will come together for the winter when I will be able to take it for a trip on the local rivers. 

At the moment a open space, however, not for long.

Productive Monday with the Mai-Star Class Dinghy

Starting to fit the second Replacement plank after planning it down to the correct thickness with the thicknesser / Planner

The Plank getting its first dry fitting after planning on the rebates at each end 

Using a mixture of old fashion peg clamps and modern G Clamps 

The young apprentice watching his father fit a plank so he can help fit the next plank on the dinghy 

The top strake being refitted, so the gunwales can be fitted next and the then the rest of the fitting out can being 

Finally the top strake is nailed into position and the rest of the fitting out can go ahead.

Busy Thursday under at the boatyard

Having cut to shape it was time to plane the rebates on the top and bottom edge front and rear  before dry fitting the plaqnk  

Steaming the gunwales on the opposite side top plank while working on the replacement plank 

Fitting the new replacement plank using traditional clamps  

final positioning of the plank before nailing and clinching in position  

Mai-Star I dinghy ready to get its new gunwales and rubbing strakes

Starboard side done 

 Then the port side is done 

Looking a lot better and the top edge of the dinghy is a lot less flexible

Jasmine back from the riggers and now ready to go to its new home on a lake near London.