STOP WATER PEGS ,STUDENTS AND GARBOARD PLANKS...14th January 2015
When two pieces of wood are joined together, the joint can slowly open over the years and water seep in the gap. To stop the water getting in ,a wooden peg can be placed across the joint via a drilled hole.

As the water seeps in , it meets the peg which absorbs the water and swells up and this stops the water in its tracks !
Today students from Llandrillo College came to see the progress and see how stop water plugs are fitted and used.Students rarely get an opportunity to see these being inserted and the problems involved in doing so.

Apprentice Dave showed the students previous pegs inserted and both Daves showed how this is done.



As some joints meet at different angles , Dave has made a jig which allows the peg to sit across joints at irregular angles.

Once the jig is lined up across the joint ,small pilot holes are drilled from both sides and if the two drills meet, then the hole runs straight through the joint at the correct angle.

This hole is then re-drilled with a larger drill ready to take the stop water peg.

This is then hammered home and the ends cut off.
 Both Daves were really chuffed the demonstration for the students went well
 and were almost unbearable for the rest of the morning !!!!




Garboard plank fitting.....
Once the  stop water pegs were all in place ,the garboard planks can now be fitted.Dave the shipright finalised the port pattern and we 
"first fitted" the starboard plank by clamping it in place to see what needs tweeking.

Notice that Dave is still grinning from his successful demonstration this morning.

I wrongly told him I had noted this .This was a mistake !

I was rewarded for my observations by being given a large tin of tar paint which I had to slap on the keel where the garboard plank was to fit.This horrible stuff will fill any gaps behind the plank sealing it water tight!
Once suitably gunged up (not a technical term ) the plank was finally fitted and duly nailed home.

 

We then all celebrated a successful day by looking at some beautiful cake given to us by volunteer Pat .

Which apprentice Dave ate....

Thanks PAT

AND Wednesday Phil showed everyone his latest war wound but no one seemed impressed!!!!!!





Wednesday Phil