The varied projects I have in the workshop at J-Star Marine Services at the present time

This 8 ft pram dinghy was on its way to landfill when I saved it from being broken up and destroyed with a few bits of wood and time I am breathing new life into this pram dinghy so it can be used once more and give its new owner years of faithful service 

I am starting to give its mahogany gunwales and inwales and seats a fresh coat of marine varnish while I source some more mahogany for its centre thwart . Also got to make a new set of oars and rowlock blocks.

The other dinghy in the workshop is a new 8ft GRP dinghy /tender which is having its woodwork varnished and having is bow and stern seats/ buoyancy tanks fibreglassed in position 

The woodwork is going to have ten coats of marine varnish before the hull is painted either cream or blue i have yet to decide on which colour. 

These two next photos are of the two back faces of the seats out of the Pearly Miss which I am restoring in the workshop and which will be coming out of the workshop in a couple of months time.

The first photo is of the drivers seat back, once it is finished it will be upholstered with foam and vinyl as it was originally made up.

This second photo is of the aft seat and will be done in the same manner as the forward seat.

The next two photos are of the inside gunwale trims on the Pearly Miss which set off the edges of the cockpit well and when the seats are refitted will make it look much like it did when she was first build back in the 1960's

 

Time to get a coat of varnish on the gunwales and inwales to seal the surface before carrying on with the other paint work on the inside and outside

It is always a sense of achievement when you get to the stage when you start to coat up the woodwork . 

We have to make up the two inside pieces for the transom and the pram bow section which have to be made out of plywood and glassed over. 

There are two more pieces to be made, one is the transom pad for the small outboard motor on the transom and the small pad for under the front gunwale piece where the bow eye ring goes through the pram bow.

 

The Pram dinghy getting its new mahogany gunwales and inwales, as normal at J-Star Marine Services the gunwales and inwales are fixed in position with copper nails and roves.

As best practice the gunwales and inwales are fixed in position with copper nails and roves and not just screw in position. 

Plenty of clamps in use to keep the gunwales and inwales in position while we clinch the nails over the roves.

The nailing completed and the inwale tight fitting up against the transom so to keep the tension through its length to stop the hull flexing 

The starboard finished, just the port side to finish off. the the end to have their trims made and fitted.

Just got to get the centre thwart made up.

 

Gunwales machined up and now steamed around the pram dinghy's gunwales.

Having routered the top and bottom edges of the gunwales it was time to get the steamer out and steam the new gunwales and inwales around the dinghy's gunwales

As always you need a lot of clamps on hand and speed to get the steamed wood round the gunwales before they go to cold to bend round the gunwales.

As always have the gunwales and inwales about face when steaming them round the gunwales so when it comes to fitting the gunwales and inwales the bend is already steamed into the pieces of wood making it easier to fit when they have cooled off overnight.

 

Work coming along on the Little Mai dinghy/Tender and the pram dinghy/Tender

Dry fitting the quarter knees in the back of the Little Mai dinghy after the transom trim has been fitted with copper nails and roves

Once both these knees are fixed in position the gunwales and inwales and other trim will be varnished.

The breasthook will be fitted and then a bow eyebolt will be fitted.

The Little Mai Dinghy centre thwart seat blocks being glued in position with thickened epoxy before being glassed in position.

The pram dinghy centre thwart pattern being made up and made to fit so it can be used to make the centre thwart to the finished size.

The gunwales and inwales machined up ready to steamed and nailed in position with copper nails and roves as are all our restoration dinghies.