THE MARINE GRADE PLY FINALLY ARRIVED
Shipwright Dave immediately pirked up and got all excited.

The sheets were stowed and the first sheet swiftly marked out and cut to form the initial cabin roof section.

Once cut out, it was placed in position and tried for size .The sheet was a couple of millimeters out and Dave faired it in with a plane.







Dave then drilled the screw holes to make sure they would meet with the cabin roof beams.

The first fit was perfect and was screwed in temporary position .
The cabin suddenly seemed not so tall when we stood inside !

 Apprentice Dave now had to play catch up on the starboard side (right) to prepare for his roof sheet by fairing in a roof half beam and a full beam, which had changed shape after it was cut and fitted.
(sometimes due to stresses in the wood, when they are cut ,they can spring open)



Meanwhile Wednesday Phil prepared, planed and cut various lengths of larch and continued caulking all alone     aaah!

But having seen the price of second hand caulking hammers, Wednesday Phil decided to make one for himself with the help of one friend ,as he doesn't have many friends or hammers.
I will inform on its progress........later.

CABIN POSTS LOOK LIKE 3D JIGSAW PUZZLES ! 
A lot of work goes into some key pieces of the boat.

The two Daves set to work on completing the beams to the cabin hatch.

 

These prove quite complicated in design and it became a matter of measure fit and amend until both were satisfied with the cabin posts.

If you click on the photo it will expand to show the detail shipwright Dave has created in this post.




Meanwhile Wednesday Phil instructed Sally in LIMBO dancing whilst holding a caulking hammer. This is a required skill as our caulking runs are now going lower down the hull  and we have to manoeuvre ourselves under the planking around the keel.
Modesty prevents these photos being shown especially the one of Phil displaying his dexterity......

Duncan also caught the mood of the occasion and joined  the caulking crew.Shipwright Dave gave him a crash course and let him rip.

Duncan is now a remedial caulker showing potential ! He just needs to learn how to work and talk at the same time. Luckily his tea making skills are legend.

Sally then helped Dave to epoxy and varnish cabin pillars before final fixing.
Each Wednesday evening Sally then drives  home to Cheshire.
Helen II has a strange hold on us all.

THINGS MOVE ON APACE .11th May

This was the view as we began the day.

 The epoxy resin arrived via the harbour master's office.
So the two Daves set to with a will ! Gluing everything in sight, as we have been waiting for its arrival for some time.




A new volunteer arrived to swell the ranks.
Sally Fishlock arrived bearing gifts !
She is to begin a marine design course at Llandrillo College in September.

Wednesday Phil offered her a cup of tea after her journey, but she declined

stating she preferred a healthy option which she had brought with her.(You can't please some people!)

After a brief training session, she began caulking and took to it like a duck to water.We now hopefully have two caulkers on Wednesdays.She worked all day without complaint.....

Shipwright Dave glued all the port cabin sides together and clamped them to set

While apprentice Dave tackled the starboard (right). Note the plastic inserts to stop glue attaching to the clamps.

West epoxy is a great invention.

At dinner time we decided to re-enact the epic journey of Shackleton who hauled his boat across the ice floes of the antarctic to save his colleagues .We used a boat which was now in the way within the compound to what we thought would be a trailer outside the gate.Alas no way!

 But we continued on until we were halted by a parking barrier ( not normally found in antarctica)

Finally we ended our expedition leaving the boat in the parking area with generous contributions to the swear box.

This was the view as we left today.

ITV WALES FEATURES HELEN II ON TV TODAY

It was another exciting day in the life of Helen II.

Last week cameraman Malcolm Barron was on the quay filming an election article for ITV Wales.
 Afterwards Wednesday Phil invited him to view our boat and he was so fascinated he said it might  make an interesting piece for TV.

He must be a big cog in the TV world.... because six days later Rob Shelley, another big cog, rang to ask if they could come to film today.

The rush to the mirror was unseemly .Hair laquer expenses soared and the team all grabbed their elocution C D's
Murray and shipwright Dave explained the history of the vessel prior to filming, to Malcolm and Rob  while a group of students from Llandrillo College came to  assist in caulking the boat.

Cas Kenworthy and Lee Edwards set to with a will and impressed us all with how quickly they learned the technique.

 
They said they might come again if college allows! 


Shipwright Dave was filmed teaching them the skills of caulking.

Murray Taylor did a piece to camera to highlight the work inside the hull.

Wednesday Phil was interviewed up a ladder showing work done and featuring a disproportionate rear end.
I could sue for that shot!!!





Duncan discussed the lines of Helen II and her naked beauty .I'm sure he's on something!

And by dinner time all was done and elation gave way to calm resolve to continue the task.

Shipwright Dave prepared the supports for the cabin skylight.
Apprentice Dave came out from his hiding place to create the starboard (right)skylight half beam.
Phil continued caulking... alone.
And all the other starlets disappeared.
That's life .

 And the final view at the end of an exciting day.
Thanks to Malcolm Barron and Rob Shelley for being such nice
 BIG COGS !

WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID ?

Today began with a brief progress meeting between Ron Lovelady and shipwright Dave. 
After discussions, Dave went off to finish some outstanding work on Conwy One boats due to be launched on Friday for the new season. 
This left Wednesday Phil home alone to continue caulking the port (left) side of the hull.
It was very lonely !!
Luckily, volunteer Duncan came in with a mock up design of  the table he is making as part of his course work at Llandrillo College.
This he assembled to see how it will fit in the cabin space but it kept falling over. So he employed the shipwrights answer to most things .
If it moves clamp it.






And then SURPRISE SURPRISE apprentice Dave came back from walkabout in Australia.

His return was a little later than had been expected due, I think, to a navigational error, but as Dave said "anyone can mistake north for south on a compass ".
So Duncan decided to hold a little tea party on the table to celebrate his return.

 Notice! We gave him a clean cup instead of his billycan,as we want him to reintegrate as soon as possible. It's nice to have him back.

We had a brief interlude in caulking, as a nice lady called Alex from I.T.V. asked me to stop banging  (caulking) as it was spoiling her" piece to camera"about the welsh elections in Conwy.
Later she asked if I might like to give my views for the telly .
I declined ,
but Duncan volunteered and gave his opinions with gusto.
Not seen it on the telly yet.
We had several offers of help from possible volunteers today but there is a difference in talking and doing-  we shall see what occurs.
Wednesday Phil managed two full caulking runs today which is twice as fast as last week and he went home content in the knowledge that he had done a good job and his massage lady managed to fit him in this evening!!!!!

SPRING'S HERE AND POTTING BEGINS AGAIN 13th April

 
The potting boats are back in action as the weather improves.
A healthy smell of rotting bait perfumes the quay !
The wind does have its value.

.
Shipwright Dave first fitted the cabin skylight  made by apprentice Dave who remains "lost" in Australia.
Having marked the correct position against the cabin beams it was removed and the excess hand sawn off.

 This left the correct sized skylight  and a rather nice coffee table base ready for E bay !





Meanwhile, Wednesday Phil ,with guidance from Dave, began caulking for the first time..This involves filling the gap between the planks  with caulking cotton.

The cotton string is first looped to increase the volume for filling the gap and then rammed into the space with a sort of chisle and a caulking hammer.


I managed to do about one and a half planks worth in about four hours.Now I know why a lot of giggling went on whenever the subject was mentioned.

The good news is that I got better with practice and the muscle spasms decreased after three days.

Shipwright Dave Working 2 Days A Week At Present.

Due to financial constraints and Shipwright Dave's commitments, he is at present working two days a week. 
Apprentice Dave has gone walkabout in Australia but is due back shortly  if his navigation is up to scratch.
Wednesday Phil is still enthusiastic each Wednesday and the days are getting longer ! 

 This was the view as we started this morning. Dave had continued fairing in the cabin beams 
.The aim is to leave no air space between the beams and the cabin roof when fitted.
Any gap would allow water from condensation / leaks to collect, thus beginning rot !

 The next cabin beam is awkward as each beam is shorter and angled slightly differently so Dave uses a wooden batten to work out the angles and beam height.



Meanwhile Phil finished putting  the first coat of paint on the hull .He is now wearing a colour coordinated bib and brace set in dappled battleship grey.

 

The view from inside the hull looking towards the stern (back) today.