Sunday 13 April 2014

Smoke and smiles, planks very much...

Another great week of projects pushing along to major milestones..

The 16' Shepherd team has completed the creation of the inner bottom panel using more or less the Dwight method. Funny but once you get going with this fiddly job it really does fly along. We added little "joint leveller" scraps screwed through from the front to improve the match of most of the plank edges to each other. Next step is the remove the panels, improve the epoxy planks joints, fair things out a bit with thickened epoxy, three coats of epoxy to the inside surfaces in one day then final installation on the hull with SikaFlex and bronze boatnails.

tracing curve of stem.

first side all fitted ready for epoxy











fitting second side planks

first side panel done.













George shapes the planks
all done!













In the engine shop, Joseph decided to see if the 15 horse early 50's Evinrude dropped off by the Carthews a couple of weeks ago is a runner...turns out it is but needs a water impeller and carburetor cleanout!

Joseph is happy!

On the Mini-Hopper front the amazing Bernie has closed the hull of Mini-Hopper #1! The inside surfaces of the flotation compartments have all been painted with epoxy to seal them and the inside of the bow curve has been filleted with epoxy on the inside. Now we just have to see if it all sticks together when the clamps come off!


checking the final dry fit of deck.

epoxyed and screwed down.

Troy looking for gaps from inside.

first completed hull!



















And the TNT team fairs very well too...

The fussy business of filling dips and shaving off lumps
The skiff team of Wayne and Jim got the new keel ready to be fastened to the skiff.

Jim and Wayne debate details
ready!












So that's how it went this week! Great turnouts and lots of action.



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