WEEK TWENTY SEVEN

Current view of the whole boat.

The TORTURE has begun. The torture boards (long pieces of backing wood with sanding paper attached) alongside the hull, and Chris putting the larger of the two to work sanding back the hull side.

The cabin side. Note the sketches for an alternative front window and the inner chainplate.

Aft bunk area with access hatch for the through hull transducer instruments.

Additional furniture added to one of the en suites.

The start of a very long job – fitting the hinges to furniture doors.

WEEK TWENTY SIX

The latest shot of the port side

A busy week – the joins between the hull sides and the hulls and shoulders, which had been glassed with 50mm glass last week, were sanded, filled with medium density mix, glassed with 100mm glass, covered with fairing mix and sanded back. Whew, that’s a mouthful!         

 The photos below show the stages, which may make it easier to understand.

Medium density mix applied over the three layers of 50mm glass ready for the 100mm glass to be applied.

Wet 100mm glass rolled, applied and the finished product.

Applying the fairing mix.

And what it looks like when it is sanded back.

Whatever it is, it’s still with us. Interesting, isn’t it? All will be revealed soon!

Things are happening in the hulls and the tanks.

This is the floor for the aft cabin bunk, upside down with the supports for the hatch covers glued in place.

WEEK TWENTY FIVE

What the………..

Even the experts aren’t sure……..

Puzzling isn’t it? So, methinks some kindly of a competition is in order. If you think you know what it is, leave me an answer in the comment section. No prize, just a bit of fun. The funnier, the better. (Professionals barred!!)

This week the 30mm areas on the hull sides were cut with the diamond disk, glass removed, balsa routered out, sanded and glassed with three layers of 50mm wide DB ( double bias ) glass. Well over a hundred metres were wet out, placed and rolled.

   

Ready to glass.

           

Wetting out the glass and rolling it up for ease of application.

Rolling the wet glass onto the prepared space.

Rolling out the air bubbles.

Looking aft in port hull with furniture being checked in position.

Life wasn’t meant to be easy. Chris glassing one of those tighter places now that the sides are on.

Web in place in the port aft bunk area.

Port side sullage tank installed.

Miss seen here recycling a sheet of Featherlight to make a new bulkhead.

The geriatric apprentice made this schematic diagram of the hydraulic system for the boat. Clever!

WEEK TWENTY FOUR

Externally little difference to see this week, but internally lots happened. This picture shows port side looking forward to the en suite. All the joins between the hull, hull side, shoulder and the bulkheads have been coved and glassed.

       

     

       

These pictures show the detail of the “Glassing Fest” which went on most of the week.

As promised, “Twiggy” was returned to “higher/taller” duties when modifications to the steps leading to the bridge deck were completed.

Also, the hull sides  were marked to 30mm top and bottom ready for cutting, peeling off the glass layer and routering out of the balsa in preparation for glassing. See next week.

    

WEEK TWENTY THREE

Think you’ve seen all this last week? Think again.

This week the shoulders and hull sides are in place

                            PERMANENTLY!!!

Glue was applied to all the surfaces the shoulders and hull sides would contact.

         

Battens were screwed in place to support the hull sides when lifted into place.

       

Lifting the port hull side into place.

 Great effort with a huge panel like this.

Work was ongoing in the ensuites and toilets.

 Ensuite floor.

  

Fittings internal and external.

Floor glassed in.

View of the starboard hull side and shoulder in place.

Our “Rogues Gallery” – Paul and Sean.

With the sides in place there are things which become more difficult to do, like……

1. ….. working in the smallest enclosed area between bulkheads zero and one. To the rescue, “Diver Ben”

            

Contemplating            Diving                  Diving again   

and

2. ….. getting into or onto the boat. You just can’t step into the hull and up onto the deck any more. Enter the “Nanni” steps in association with “Twiggy”

  Up, up and onto the bridge deck rear platform.

Note: “Nanni” steps created from Nanni motor cases. “Twiggy” appears courtesy of the Vertically Endowed Foundation.

Note 2: Modification on the way. Watch this space.