Update on Tremlett/ Stately speedboat restoration

Having put in a set of temporary floor beams to give us the height of the top of the new longitudinal bulkheads to be fitted along the two lower longitudinal stringers it was time to bilge paint out the space under the floor which will be fitted once the new longitudinal bulkheads are bonded and glassed in position.

A photo of the inside of the hull before it was painted.

Then the same space painted with its first coat of grey bilge paint.

The aft section of the inside of the bilge space after it was cleaned and made ready to be painted.

The same space painted 

Usually for boats like this type of boat to to have cross over layers of veneers  when the rest of the hull is double diagonal layers of mahogany veneers.above the floor space.

The layers in the bottom are cross over layers which are stepped along the hull. It is possible this was done to strengthen the bottom of the hull when it was used as a water skiing boat and the fact this as a 2 litre power unit on a a sterndrive.

 

Restoration of a 1960's Tremlett speedboat

 The latest work on the Tremlett speedboat is the rebuilding of the dashroad before the deck is re-veneered with a 2 mm veneer of African mahogany 

We also have to reinstall the floor bearers which once we removed the floor were rotten and broken.

This deck beam is also the last top section of bulkhead to brace the end of the fore deck and stop any movement in the hull where it could twist 

The top section of the aft bulkhead and it also acts as a deck beam as well

Sometime in the past the speed boat was in the yard to have its hull repaired with a number of sections of the bottom being removed and then re-skinned 

Now the inside and the deck are being rebuilded so the boat can be used after a number of years being in storage.

Rubbing down the patch areas on the bottom of the Morgan Giles 30 and then giving the patches the first coats of Gelshield epoxy primer to build the protection up to the rest of the bottom

Having coated the patches with the first coat of Gelshield epoxy primer and then applied the epoxy filler it was time to go around the patches and sand back the filler 

This was done to each of the patches until they were smooth.

Some of the patches were largr than others because of the size of the pad on the cradle which the boat was on during its refit.

Once the patches were flatted back and wiped down they were given their second coat Gelshield epoxy primer.

Just got to have four more coats to be the same level of protection as the rest of the bottom.

 

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