New project update 2

Starting to fit the cross beams to the hulls

With limited space it is a tight job.

Finally outside and able to move around the job

Finally all together ready to be painted and launched to work out the floating level of the hull to fit the drive unit.

The last of the main ribs fitted today

Today saw the last of the main ribs fitted in the boat with the ones in the cockpit steamed in place. All that is left to do is clench them up and that will be one of the major jobs completed. then will be the small ribs in the bow and the lower ribs in the stern to finish off.

In the cabin the bunk tops have been refitted and the water tank and the battery box and battery have been refitted and the electrics have been tested to make sure they are up and running, with these jobs done it is really looking like the boat is starting to come back together again and get one step closer to being re-launched.

The next job on the come after the ribs are finished off will be the couple of plank repairs that need doing, where old seacocks have been removed and pieces of wood are being let in to cover where these fittings have been and to sort out a split plank which was damage when old of the old ribs was being removed.

The apprentice is at present rubbing down the hull and cabin sides have to start painting and varnish the boat early next week.

So the work on the boat is coming on a pace and the boat is finally showing signs of getting finished.

One of the jobs the apprentice is going to be doing is re-varnishing the mast  after it has been redress of its standing rigging, so he can get to all the parts of the mast to remove the old varnish and sand it down ready to re-varnish over the next couple of weeks.

Just got one rib to finish clinching up to finish the cabin ribs and on to the next ob on the refit list

Just got one rib to finish clinching up and then the cabin furniture can start to go back in place and the inside can start to look more like a boat again. Then the water tank and battery boxes can be put back in place after the whole of the bilge area is repainted with grey bilge paint and the cabin sides are primed and undercoated and glossed and then the cabin side battens can be refitted. The battens will be fitted after they have been varnished and the cabin hull sids have been glossed. The the locker have to have their new bases fitted where they are missing, so that the lockers can be used for storage while the boat is underway on passage.

Once the main cabin is finished the forepeak will get sorted out with the remaining nails that need clinching up. Then whole of the forward end of the boat can get primed and undercoated where necessary and glossed whole over to finish it off.

Then the team will turn its attention to the galley and cooking areas to get these up to spec and sort out the lockers underneath these areas to make best use of them.    

Next week, it will be time to get the cabin ribs finished, then start on the cockpit ribs.

Next week, it will be time to get the cabin ribs cliched up and start to make getting the rest of the cabin refit underway with getting the under berth lockers sorted and the area sorted so that it can be use for storage while underway sailing. Because at the moment there no bases in the locker under the bunks apart from the areas where the battery box is located and the base for the flexible water tank.

So there is a bit of work to do in this area, There is also a fair bit of varnishing and painting to be done in the area as especially the cabin sides and also the front portholes have to be fitted.

While one of the team is sorting out the cabin the other team member will sorting out the cockpit, getting the cockpit sides sorted out with making new cockpit coamings and well as the new cockpit seats and lockers and making a new cockpit sole.

Today saw the final coat of varnish on the inside of the Enterprise, now the rest of the work on the dinghy can start.

Today saw the final coat of varnish put on the inside of the hull before the inside gets refitted with the thwarts and seats and the front watertight bulkhead gets its inspection hatch fitted along with the drainage bungs at the base of the bulkhead.

Now it is a matter of turning over the dinghy and doing the deck, that is to say sand it down to bring back its colour and to fit the front spray rails, the mast step and the missing infill on the top of the transom, before making a start on the varnishing of the deck.

At the same time the inside will be refitted with all the newly restored seats and thwarts and the thart rails that are screwed in place through the hull.

However before any of this happens the keel bands and the centreboard slot gasket as to be sourced and fitted and the two lower panels of the hull will be painted with white gloss so that this job can be done before the dinghy is put back on its keel. Once that is done the boat will not have to be move off its trailer until it is re-launched and sailed.

So next week is going to be busy doing this around the other jobs planned for this week.