Tuesday 25th October

I made an early start on the thwarts today as I wanted to get all four to fit so that their supports could be glued into place. I was joined by Lesley and then Adrian and Stuart and we had a bit of a chat about the planned regatta in Augusta which it turns out is on Saturday 28th January.

Cutting into the Sheoak thwarts to fit around the frames.

Adrian and Lesley finished preparing the footrest for resin coating while Stuart sanded around the beams in the boat and was later joined by Paul who also sanded along the gunwale.

Boatbuilding is 90% sanding 10% woodwork apparently.

Lesley had brought in a date and ginger loaf with lashings of butter for morning tea which went in a flash.

Lesley’s excellent date and ginger bread.

After morning tea Lesley and then Harry took on the job of shaping the rowlock blocks.

Lesley going up a pay scale to the spindle sander.
Harry brought in a special stone that cleaned the detritus on the spindle sandpaper.
Two at a time.
Adrian working on the thwart supports.
Veronica popped in to sand a ridge out of the stern breasthook that she had detected after my work with the orbital sander.

JD reappeared and I was able to thank him for his work on the towing eye fitting on the front of boat 2 which had appeared on Monday morning. He was determined to sort out the rudder fitting on boat 1 and went off with both the rudders. When he returned he was very pleased with his win in bending the top pintle into alignment with the bottom one.

A happy man, JD had a win with the rudder pintle.

He is now going to attach the pintles to the next rudder in the privacy of his workshop so I know they will be perfectly aligned.

At the end of the day all the thwart supports are glued in.
As are the floorboard supports.
I have again installed packing pieces to support the rudder fittings.
All the thwarts are fitted and holes filled. They just need sanding.

I’ll be in tomorrow.

Cheers Dave