Irene Rebuild                                          

Page Six

16th November 2005 

Planking has continued over the summer. The work unfortunately was slowed because the production of revenue couldn’t keep pace with the expenditure on labour and materials but that hiccough seems now to be past, the team is in full flow and Irene begins to look more like a ship every day. Up until recently the planking was into old frames, which often meant old fastenings being in the way of the trunnel (Click for an Exercise in trunnelling) holes – not good for drill bits or shipwright language. We are now however all on new wood and drilling goes on with confidence.

Spiling for the next ceiling planks

Off cuts go to heat the steamer

Mountains of shavings from the plank thicknesser

The decision was made to put the sheer strake on and work to the gap in between. It also means the first greenheart planking is going on giving a further test to the shipwrights endeavours. Greenheart is notoriously difficult to cut and heavy to carry. The decision about the sheer plank also involves the stern presently held up by exterior metal framing so work will have to commence on the internal metal supports. 

Ceiling plank oiled and creosoted

Ceiling planks forward

Stern planking

We have decided we are going to “salt her” again. Salting a wooden ship was standard practice at the time when Irene was built. It involved having wooden stops between the frames at water level when the ship was in ballast. The space above was then filled with rock salt and topped up from time to time. The purpose was to prevent any rot from fresh water that leaked through the deck or the washboards. Any leakage would be turned to brine by the rock salt and there was obviously no need for similar precaution to be taken below water level because the sea water would take care of that. The disadvantage is that iron does not like sea water and especially with modern gear, generators, batteries and electronics there is ever greater likelihood of electrolysis. However, as almost all the fastenings above sea level will be by wooden trunnels, we think we can avoid to a large extent problems with iron and salt.

HOW CAN I HELP?

It is clear that her rebuild is going to be a very expensive enterprise and we are therefore on the scrounge for help, financial or otherwise.  In addition because of the tax situation at this end, we have to demonstrate that Irene has an income, however small despite the disablement.  All ideas are welcome - one, which I think has mileage is the idea of purchasing “futures” in sailing time. 
We propose a price of £60 for day sailing to include food and a modicum of booze.  Or £100 for 24hr berth.
These can then be used separately or together, wherever and whenever Irene is sailing.  We plan to be mobile before her 99^th birthday, though my guess is that we will still be primitive at that stage.

First sail after rebuild and 100^th anniversary sail should be very special and we plan to deal with those on first come first serve.

yachtcharter@ireness.com

23rd November 2005 (Update) 

You can join “Friends of Irene”.

This is an august body founded in November 2005 and wishing to include all those many friends of Irene scattered across the globe. You join by “owning” a bit of Irene. You buy a plank at the cost of £10 (more if you feel generous) and for that you get your initials discreetly carved into the fabric of Irene. There will inevitably be initials hidden by construction but we propose to replicate the initials on the beam above. You will also have your full name in the beautiful leather bound book with a reference to which plank you have sponsored and where your initials are carved. For the keen to be involved you are welcome to come and carve your own but if you do, bring your working clothes because you wont be allowed off the ship until you have contributed some labour or expertise in the drive to restore the old girl.

As a “Friend of Irene” you will have priority in booking a berth. You will also receive an invitation to have a birthday dinner on board on the 29th May each year – location wherever Irene is. “Friends of Irene” too will get preferential treatment should they want a shore side event, party, conference, exhibition, promotion for your firm, wedding anniversary to prove to your wife that you hadn’t forgotten. You can arrange photographs up in the rigging or dangling from a bosun’s chair. Any other ideas are welcome. But don’t be selfish about the plank it is a perfect Christmas present – buy one for your Mrs, another for your children and don’t forget the mother-in-law. We undertake to attach a piece of holly this Christmas to every plank bought as a Christmas present – photograph to follow.

We propose to have sweatshirts and t-shirts with the Irene logo plus FOI but I suspect there is a better name than “Friends of Irene”. In Latin it would be, I think, Amici Irenae, much too pompous. Or, you could be honorary mates in an organisation called “Mates of Irene” and HMI on your logo. I am sure there are better ideas out there somewhere. 

yachtcharter@ireness.com

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“I want sincerely to thank so many who have wished us well. So many who have contributed time, labour, money, discount. Perhaps the most important message that I have personally experienced from Irene’s rebuild is that there are so many good people around. People who are generous in thought and in deed and who simply restore for me the rather battered image of mankind that we receive from the media. 

Thank you all.”

Leslie Morrish