Steaming new Gunwales/Rubbing strakes to the restored 8Ft dinghy

Got the old steam box that as served me well for over forty years is now back in operation for this latest set of Gunwales/rubbing strakes on the 8Ft dinghy.

As with all previous sets of gunwales/rubbing strakes they are clamped round the outside of the top edge of the dinghy and left to go cold then cut to length and then copper nailed through the gunwale area of the dinghy to make a strong area ofthe dinghy.

You can never have too many clamps for doing this job.

 

Making a new keel floor bearer and getting ready to steam new mahogany rubbing strake/ gunwales round the 8ft dinghy in the workshop

Making up the pieces that will make up the new forward keel floor bearer in Mai Star II 

The first piece planed down to thickness  and the other bits getting the same treatment.

 

When they are all made up they will be glued together with West Epoxy and then the final fitting will take place.

The rubbing strakes/gunwales now machined up and ready to be steamed in place 

Just checking the grain direction is the correct way round so it will make is easier to steam round the top edge of the dinghy hull

 

All change at the workshop and in the Yard

The restored dinghy is now in its final stages of its restoration to once more a dinghy that its owner can use.

Just got to under cover the mould and start to lay up a new 8ft GRP dinghy.

Just getting ready to put the final coat of varnish on this enterprise dinghy and then be able to refit the deck fittings and get it ready for sale.

The Fairline 24 as now got to the nearby marina to get commissioned  and use thi summer

The Mai Star Class dinghy now ready to be relaunched and used by her owner to explore the local rivers and the Walton Backwaters

 

Back at work in the J-Star Marine Services workshop working on the two dinghy restorations

Sanding down the deck of the Enterprise dinghy then will be able to refit the deck fittings 

Hand sanding to ensure a flat surface and a good next coat of original Full gloss varnish.

Having sanded the Hi Build primer it is now time to do the next level fine filling with epoxy filler

Once the fine filling ois done and sanded back it will be time for a further coat of Hi Build epoxy primer, the a final check on the surface and if needed a final run over with the fine filler and then sand back and then paint thefirst of the top coats.

We will then decide which colour the hull going to be painted

 

The refit of the Hardy Pilot is now starting to put the linings back on the cabin side and the hull and the bulkheads going in position

The new chain locker bulkhead is now glassed back in position and  is ready to be flow coated before being covered in boat carpets

The cabin sides have been relined with vinyl  and the hull as been relined with boat carpets close to the original colour as was possible to source.

The vinyl is a better colour and easier to keep clean than the original which got mildewed.

The creases in the vinyl are where the windows are and the vinyl on the cabin sides are flat.

The area under the galley unit relined as before.

The first bulkhead which makes up the toilet compartment the other bulkhead/ door is going to go back in shortly and then the headlining panels will go back up in place.