Month: August 2021

It’s been a slog; and not all of it’s going on here.

But. We’ve made the deadline to get her back in before I’m off to Scotland, and before others need the space in the yard. Much assistance has been received from the guys in the yard, and it’s been appreciated.

What’s been done?

Stopcocks replaced (incl the section of fibreglass around them), anode replaced, prop taken back to bare metal, rudder bottom rebuilt and shaft straightened, keels taken back to a good surface and primed (many coats) and the whole boat anti-fouled, and a lot of tidying inside and out. Hopefully the sources of the leaks will have been found and fixed, and she’s ship-shape to go back in.

Now will be a bit of a drop in the work rate: I’m away for 3 weeks (first “leave” this year – though I’ll be doing some work most days even whilst away) and then have major deadlines on the “proper” (i.e. paid) work.

Getting the bottom half ship-shape really does put that crappy topsides paint into perspective, though…

August, she’s out of the water now. It’s all a bit backwards season-wise, being out in summer and in the drink for the winter, but … needs must. And suits my availability better, too.

Time for all those jobs needing access to the undersides.

First of all, yes, the rudder was bent. Not too much, but fouling on the hull at the centre. And was fairly mashed at the bottom. Prop … has seen better days. Anti-fouling … it’s been a while since it’s been done. Anode? Well, there’s a stub left, will still have been doing something, but not for much longer… But mercifully no sign of major osmosis problems, and the keels look in good shape (well attached and no significant rust). Some damage to a rubbing strake, but the rest of the hull looks generally OK.

Mixed blessings…

But plenty to do… And that’s before starting work on the conversion – first priority is making her watertight and possible to stay on…