BROTHERS OF THE COAST

We Brothers had a Mid-winter feast last weekend and had 3 of our 1/5 scale short 12 pounders in attendance. We fired them in the dark and here is a short video by way of a diversion!

WATER TANKS

Drilled and installed the outlets and valves for trhe two rotomoulded 400lit water tanks. Working out a water collection system from the roof of the saloon and wheelhouse. Installing a pump to 60lit ss headertank on wheelhouse roof so gravity to galley-no pressure pumps.

DECKWASH PUMP

Installed the pump for the deckwash and also is the emergency super-duper bilge pump by closing one valve and opening the other I can pump the bilge at a great rate of knots.Had to heat and soften the reinforced hose to get it on-a bit of a struggle. Still have to install the hose after the pump, but have to wait till the wheelhouse is back in position.

CLAMP

Friday afternoon and the final layer (of 3) was glued in place. Still have one to go on the starboard side.
Next the 2 laminations for the beam shelf and then the copper thru fastenings...

RED LEAD

The back of the first layer of the laminated clamp is fitted on to the tops of the ribs- hard up under the covering board. It has to be backed out in some places to fit snug, then red leaded.Two more 20mm layers will be glued on top. Then copper bolts right thru from ouside rubrail to clamp and shelf.

SNAKE !

No not really a snake but the water inlet for the cooling system for the motor. Copper with afew bends.The flange bolts to the big skin fitting-go back to see when I re-installed them and it was some weeks ago....

COOLING WATER

Finally finished the cooling water outlet skin fitting, valve and horrendously expensive copper tube. The existing one had a few pin holes, and there may be others,so replaced it.
The start of fitting the plumbing for the fuel supplyis just showing to the left at the rear end of the Starboard tank.

TOPS PRIMED

Over the weekend managed to prime the new tops to the ribs, port and starboard. So now ready for the first layer of the laminated clamp. Will be scarffed in to existing-lower left corner in pic.

WOODEN PLUGS

I learnt this little trick the other day from a mate that works with us one day a week, and works on another workboat conversion at other times. It was passed on to them by a retired boatbuilder from the bay of Islands. The boat he is working on is a retired Pilot boat and was copper sheathed. This has been ripped off as it was badly carroded. So thousands of small holes to fill and the owner wants Kauri plugs glued in! This is the way to mass produce them on a small bandsaw. You make 2 slightly angled cuts up the grain of a stick of wood. Then slice off the 'prickles' with just enough wood to hold them together.He does it on a bigger pice with 10 each way ie 100 small tapered square plugs to be glued and tapped in.---tricky!!!

COOLING WATER

Refitting the cooling water skin fitting. Dry exhaust means the cooling water discharges overboard amidships-one can walk out of the wheelhouse and check the water.
Diubler for the skin fitting. It was glued and rivetted, but had to grind off the roves to let the fitting lie flat. Its all glued and the large nut will hold it all together anyway.

BEAM TOPS

Ribs actually! Scarfed ready for additions, like before red lead under.

EXHAUST

Started work on fitting the start of the exhaust sytem. This is the Bellows so that vibration does not fracture the pipe.It will be a dry stack system exiting up the steel mizzen mast. All that will be done later...

MOVING FORWARD..

After breaking out all the old, ratty deck beams and carlins work is starting on fixing the tops of the ribs-just like we did in the engineroom-so we know what we are doing this time!
This area forward of the engineroom we call the EVENING SALOON and also has the double berth. This is our private space and will have a bogey stove MIRO for you in NZ hearth and mantle piece,bookshelves, 2 full length sofas,and sound system.
Where you see the remains of a bulkhead will be replace with a partial one with the athwartships bert forward of that, hopefully at the same level as the sofas.There will be a new full B.H. forward separating the workshop in the forepeak, it will be on the second floor forward of the partial B.H.

I have always liked this one- small just under 40ft Gardner I was told..
Bit tired so taking the easy way out-forgive me -back up to speed tomorrow!

ENGINEROOM DECK ON

The pre installation of the deck and ceiling over the engineroom proved its worth with all installed by Sat night! Deck beams Friday,ceiling and sound insulation Saturday and ply laid by the evening...
The small hatch showing is the air intake duct...
All sound insullation in place.At the rear is the engineroom access hatch ,with the exhaust duct alongside and on the centre line...

Ply,18mm and scarffed on the joins laid..
Soon slide the wheelhouse back forward to original location...

ENGINEROOM DECKBEAMS...FINAL

The final installation of the deckbeams over the engineroom done today,with the bolting in of fuel tanks. These are bolted to not only the beds but also to the deck beams-they weigh a ton when full! They are also held down by the beams.
The 2 strongbacks were clamped over the top of the beams to 'even out' any irregularities as they are bolted to the tanks.so really the tanks are structural and take the load of the deck (and wheelhouse above) down to the stringers.

CRANE DAY !

The two new fuel tanks and the ISUZU were craned in in 1.5hrs. Big step forward to us. Peeled the roof back and loaded the two tanks first with the motor following. I like the amount of room around the motor-it was very crowded before. Still have the same fuel capacity but no hydraulic tank. Range is 1500miles on 1500 litres at 6-6.5 kts. 1600rpm.

so now on goes the deck....

ER FLOOR

Had a serios thought it would be much easir to install the floor each side of the motor WITHOUT the motor in place! So as the day was grotty we did a quick install and paint of the panels for the 'lower'floor beside the motor . I plan on a 'highr' seat to sit on working on the ISUZU.

ANCHOR WINCH...

Got the basics of the anchor handling gear back from the engineer. The bronze shaft has been machined and keyed for the gypsy and warping drum and the hydraulic motor -on the left-will drive it at 12 m per minute with a pull of 1.5 tonne..

Getting ready today for the big crane day tommorrow to load tanks and motor aboard.
we spent the day laying a sole alongside the motor beds, as much easier now without the motor in- foto later...

ENGINEROOM READY

Yes, finished painting the engine beds today and second coat on beams and ceiling panels.
Ready for motoe and tanks as soon as I can get a crane...

PAINTING!

Well we did paint the full engineroom today-Beryl and I-and got the first topcoat on the beams, trimming beams etc. Looks blindingly white. Actually 1/4 Spanish White- as sort of vintage cream. Will go tomorrow to 2nd coat beams and ceiling panels a small job compared to today....

Will the engineroom ever be this sparkling again?!!Deck beams painted with first topcoat...

ENGINE BEDS

Had a bit of a battle last week on and off cutting some tabs off the engine beds as want to lower the sole alongside the beds. Actually will be 2 levels , one to sit on and one for the feet. Anyway had to bring some old carpet to try to collect all the grinding dust and goy thru a few discsb but all done now so no more ankle dings...
More painting today, Sunday the final coat in the engineroom ready for motor and tanks next week....

DECK

Dry laid the engineroom deck today----Then pulled it all up ready for final paint below in the engineroom. !And then next week crane in the motor and fuel tanks Priming the undersides of the plywood where they are not on deck beams. The ceiling panels got their first topcoat today.

DEMOLITION

Demolishedthe last bulkhead up forward. Left the moulded timbers to the hull as they are all OK except for the steel through bolts which will replaced with copper.




Will have a big bonfire in the yard when we take all those deck beams out...

BUTT STRAPS

8.30 and I have just got back from doing the butt straps on the ceiling to the engineroom.Using 22oz double bias cloth on the butts- this will enable the sound insulation to flow right across without being compressed.There is not much epoxy on this job, mainly because it is built traditionally-single skin on bent ribs, but also because Marcus is sensitised-I am not too bad but dont want to get any worse!
Tomorrow we will lift out these panels and they will get grey primed on the back and undercoated and 2 top coats.They will then be ready for installation after the motor is lifted in. Went to see the crane guy today-maybe next week?