Irene Rebuild                                          

Page Seven

23 February 2006

Planking up has continued and there remains but one strake Port and one Starboard to complete the outer planking.

We have now taken our last delivery of large planking.  The creek at Bagmill is a beautiful site in which to work but the disadvantage is the tiny Cornish lane leading down to it.  Lorries delivering timber have to offload at the top of the hill and from there with a combination of digger and trailer wheels the timber is moved down to where it will be worked on.

 
The last of the large planking being delivered

Inner ceiling has been stopped until we get the stanchions in position.  All the patterns have been made for this and patterns will simply have to be translated into suitable pieces of oak.

One strake to go. The stanchion patterns are there in place.
In the foreground is the stern with a very pretty fishing vessel "Minnie Maclean" 
She is for sale for less than £30K (if you are interested give us a call).

The other major step is the Knightheads which fill the gap at the bow between inner and outer planking with solid oak that extends up to the height of the t’gallant rail. 

         
    The first Knighthead is being shaped                        Knightheads going into position    

At the other end, we have designed some metal work to help hold the stern post in position so that we can hang the stern planking to substantial metal pads at the top of the stern post.  With bottle screws to take up any shrinkage, I think our stern is now safe from sagging. 

We have also visited the woodlands at Gunislake and picked two suitable trees for main and mizzen. The trees, presently over 100ft will be cut at about 60ft ensuring heart wood right up to the top of the mast.  

A magnificent fir coming to the end of its career in the Gunislake woodlands
to start a new one as an Irene mast

The four logs will then be trailed down to the river below the Gunislake weirs and we in turn will take a couple of vessels and a dinghy up to the launch site and tow them from there back to Bagmill.  The approaching high spring tides should do the rest of the work for us to get them in position to shape them. 

The old main has been cut and shaping has started with the horizontal band saw to make the new bowsprit.

45ft of the charred main mast being fed into the horizontal bandsaw 
to emerge as a bowsprit. A rare view of the arch "Lens avoider" John Habgood.

We are also gearing up to get much metal galvanised and we must start soon straightening and shaping the bent knees and elbows that hold the beams in position.

Thank you to all of you who have bought planks and joined Friends of Irene.  At this end we have come to the conclusion that a resurrection of the Irene Sailing Society is a better name.

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