ONE WEEK TO LAUNCH , SO A QUICK UPDATE 

Wednesday Phil re sanded the cockpit and gave it another coat of varnish 

It is now finally finished and sealed for launch.

Phil then had to make the jaws (don't know their proper names)to hold the sail  up the mast. As he had no idea how to do it or what they look like so  ,he looked at similar examples on other boats.

As we had no wood of that shape, Phil had to use three different pieces of wood  glued together with epoxy resin and then cut and shape them to the desired shapes.

These then were drilled on to the boom ready for bolting and epoxying .

The mast had then to be moved out of the compound to be worked on and it took eight people and a fork lift truck (and a short road closure). Oh what fun was to be all had.

The mast foot had to be recut as apparently it would have been unremovable once it had swelled .

Phil then had to cut a forty foot groove up the mast to house a VHF and electric cable. this will protect them from chaffing from the sail. to do this, guides were fixed along the mast and a router run along the guides.

That's another procedure he has learnt ! 

Walley's wagon is now complete and Helen II has been lowered into the cradle and previous supports removed.

She was then moved about three feet  to prove the cradle worked !

Wally was happy with that.

IT'S STILL A  3 DAYS  WEEK  TO MAKE LAUNCH DAY. 

Students came from  Llandrillo College with Frazer  to antifoul the hull. Mixing the antifoul proved difficult as it is thick and takes quite some time.

Then all the students set to work painting one side of the hull in the morning and the other side after lunch. They returned the next day to give a second coat.

Wednesday Phil was tasked with  trying to make hoops to go round the mast to hold the sail. He tried steaming various thicknesses of oak  and bending them round  a template disc but this continually failed.

And took a full morning of frustration !

So Phil completed the pin rails to fit either side of the mast.

Wally continued designing and welding the "Wally Wagon" to bring Helen II out of the enclosure.

Each support is given extra  strength just to be safe !

The cockpit drain tubes were finally fitted with great difficulty as the plastic pipe proved unyielding and had to be streamed to make them bendable.

Wednesday Phil then lowered the  cockpit  into place and although it is to be removable, it was sealed with a rubber band and sikoflex.

The purple heart frame was then screwed over the band to create a ,hopefully ,water tight  seal.