CHOOSING LARCH PLANKS FOR HELEN II FROM THE VERY START.....
Today we went to choose suitable planks from the saw mill..

First Adrian the saw mill owner visited the standing (growing ) larch forest at Bodnant Gardens with shipwright Dave. They chose individual trees which were to be felled soon .They tried to select trees which would have only a few knots and looked strong.

These were then felled, trimmed and cut into 26 or 20 foot lengths and delivered to Adrian's saw yard.

Each tree trunk was then checked for signs of rot or damage during growth and the best specimen chosen for action.








The trunk is then lifted from the pile to the saw bench mechanically as most weigh over two tons!

Adrian then takes a first slice to see what  is below the bark and the potential quality of the wood






Once all are satisfied with the quality, the planks can be cut to the required thickness and set aside for delivery to the Helen II compound.
Even with the best experienced eye, some of the trunks prove not suitable for boat planking and have to be rejected due to knots or shakes (splits ) in the wood.Adrian then has to find another use for this wood as it has already been paid for by him.
And finally ,today was shipwright Dave's birthday and apprentice Dave brought him a cake which was shared by all ! 
I love a happy ending................................................................................. and cake