Irene Rebuild                                          

Page Eleven

4th January 2007

The covering board of a wooden vessel is at the outer edge of the deck. As its name implies it covers, in this case, the top of the frames and the beam ends – both with exposed end grain – open to water & rot. The covering board is there to protect.
 

Ted fitting the inner half of the covering board.

Irene’s original covering boards were made of sweet chestnut – ‘poor man’s oak’. Over the sixty years of her commercial life, the Chestnut rotted – rain entered and futtock top and beam end softened.

Covering board inner half on the port side. Further astern the outer board is in position.

The rebuild of 1980 was the consequence. This time we are using Opepe– a tropical hard wood that should do better than the chestnut.

Covering board at the stern.

Before the hanging knees can be positioned, the inner ceiling had to be fared.
The fairing bug has infected the team – they are now caulking, paying and fairing her external planking to make her carressable.
 

Fairing starboard hull

Work on the first log is nearing completion, but add-ons await – hounds, crane, mast cap, peak halyard fittings, cross trees and trestle trees, all to come later.
 

Shaping complete.

The Gardners have been delivered. Clean, smart, well painted – an external image which I am sure represents the same careful attention to detail within. Gear boxes to be delivered and installation once off the grid.

Impressive finish

Props & prop shafts are out for servicing, the old engine mounts removed, Port A frame (to hold the outer end of the prop shaft) reseated. Garth, our new engineer and John are busy measuring and debating on the new engine mounts.

Steve, the iron man, has finished the hanging knees – now galvanised and in process of installation. He is now working on repairs of other iron – mast fittings, dolly winch, mast bands – and where appropriate, rebuilding in steel.

A hanging knee in the process of of reshaping.

The deck planks have been delivered and await the thicknesser and the decision on caulking wedge. Mast partners and quarter inserts are built.

Mast partners from below. Plywood covers to protect the unwary.

Meanwhile Syd has been toiling away in his back garden remaking the ironwork for the windlass – to 2006 accuracy standards plus Syd’s additional accuracy factor.

The rocker box to drive the windlass.

The recent 90 mph gale plus a few million litres of rain water, plus a high tide helped by the Atlantic surge caused a minor devastation. Clearing the mess has left the site neater and tidier than anytime since the work started.
 

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