DAVE DRILLS THE RUDDER TUBE HOLE

and the blog goes international !

 Shipwright Dave has been drilling the hole for the rudder tube to fit into.

1..First Dave drilled a thin pilot hole through the trunking to get  the approximate angle of the large hole 

2. Then he fitted a set of bearings on the deck side.

3.Then he placed a second set( in line below ) the hull.

4. He then put a rod down the hole with a cutting tool at the top .
5. He then drilled down thus widening the hole as needed to create the correct size.

The rudder tube can now be inserted and clamped tight by tightening the bolts around the tube (Hope you can follow this.)

Wednesday Phil heard that the blog was being read in many countries (8,500 hits) including Australia.
This, he concluded, must be down to Apprentice Dave's family in Oz, so he had an international idea.

The Daves set me up for this one.
Shipwright Dave was giggling above me as he lowered the light.
 ( I'll get him back )

 We decided as a tribute to Oz , Apprentice Dave would teach Shipwright Dave how to play the didgerydoo on the rudder tube.

.But he didn't show him how to blow it.

No comment !

Wednesday Phil continued painting the underneath sections of deck floor .

by giving them a roller coat of gloss and when that went tacky -a second coat.This creates a really shiny finish.I didn,t know that.

Apprentice Dave glossed the forward section into the heads (toilet).

 Can you spot the problem?

Dave couldn't until he tried to get out -  much to the glee of the  "unconfined".

And finally Ron, a Helen II friend  ,came to help us find a grub screw lost in the debris during drilling the rudder tube hole.The rod contained a magnet.

We were all pleased to see him deploy this device as we thought Shipwright Dave was going to receive  an unexpected invasive operation .Thanks for your help Ron.

THE DECKING CONTINUES AND THE MACKEREL VISIT THE QUAY.
For the past two weeks the conwy quay  has been alive with shoals of mackerel and with them come the gulls.(click on the photo to enlarge)

The sea continually "boils" with shoals of 6 inch mackerel

guzzling whitebait.Tourists stop and point in wonder ! I've never seen such a long run ,now into week 3.


 Any way back to the plot..............

On Wednesday 7th  Sept. only Apprentice Dave and Wednesday Phil were present .
Dave continued laying the deck and Phil painted and painted and......



On Friday, Sally returned as a volunteer and she painted and painted and......We now have sympathy for painters of the Forth Bridge !

THE MARINE PLY FOR THE DECK ARRIVES
Today we had three volunteers on hand so the painting inside proceeded at a pace.Sandy ,Sally and Wednesday Phil painted as follows...If its bare wood-red lead /if its red lead- grey primer/ if its grey primer-white undercoat/if white undercoat- white gloss. If its any other colour you're on a different boat !

The first sheet of marine ply is measured and cut to size as shipwright Dave looks on,  Apprentice Dave does the work.....

It is first fitted (roughly fitted) and holes drilled to match with the deck beams.(click on the picture to see the detail)

Shipwright Dave begins fitting the cockpit seating area .









The deck beams are painted ready for the ply deck to cover them.





Work is slow but precise and the volunteers all came away with matching grey speckled clothes and designer face paint.
The two Daves came away grinning.