IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I LAST POSTED.

Due to financial constraints work on HelenII became almost dormant with Wednesday Phil keeping things ticking along by doing none shipwright jobs like painting and making simple wooden parts in preparation for start up again.

After a meeting of trustees it was agreed that "those who could " would come on agreed Wednesdays to help speed up the work.

So trustees Jane ,Ron, Alan and Wednesday Phil set to with a will to make a difference !!
Ron began work on the engine supports while the rest gave a first grey undercoat to the hull.

Ron slipped smoothly into the role of project manager giving encouragement to all while tea tasting.


With a first coat on and basic engine supports roughed out Wednesday Phil and Murray looked towards fund raising to assist the work...
An ideal opportunity arose with the advent of PIRATES WEEKEND...

Murray set to, to draw in the visitors with his wealth of Knot making knowledge and having got them in the compound, Wednesday Phil would take the visitors to view the ship from deck level.
Upon alighting to exit the compound ,Murray's persuasive nature and dogged determination ensured all made an enthusiastic  donation  to our funds .
The two day event proved financially rewarding and we both enjoyed showing off  Helen II.

After several weeks and a further undercoat added ,three  trustees returned  to continue the glossing   the hull.

Jane Alan and Phil worked on one of the hottest days this year- with the paint touch dry on one side before the other was completed.

Alan prepares for the morning's work with his designer suit and his one and only glove !

Painting on planks can be a dangerous thing when one trustee likes bananas !!!










At the finish, all left for home having made a difference.

HOLIDAY TIME IS UPON US

Shipwright Dave is taking some time to go sailing and climbing for a few weeks so Helen II will be on hold. 

Recently, Dave cut and welded the front piece of metal called  "the gammon iron".This is heavily bolted to the bow and will hold the bowsprit.This is the round piece of wood just to the right of it in the right hand picture.The bowsprit is slid out about 12 feet and will hold the forward sails.


 

This shows the bowsprit hoisted out in a picture of Helen II taken thirty years ago when she was working. 


Thanks to the effort  of Barry our fabricator from Penmaenmawr ,Dave has set the chain plates in position ready for fixing after drilling.
These will hold up  rigging to steady the mast.

Wednesday Phil has been varnishing the cabin using this stuff. I have to say it is really easy to

apply" any fool can do it" as Dave keeps telling me !

Once D1 is brushed on and has dried , D2 is then used to give the lovely finish.












So as we close for a break,
Wednesday Phil has left his trusty guard dog  FANG to keep watch and hopefully continue to encourage donations in our absence.

There is nothing like emotional blackmail to swell the coffers !!!!
Happy hols Dave.

THE INSIDE IS TIDIED

 Our new crew member  busied himself filling voids (spaces between frames and planks) with red lead putty.

Wednesday Phil rubbed down the cabin in the morning and as Shipwright Dave fitted the final keel bolt ,we then had a BIG CLEAN and replaced  the floors .

The following photos  show the finished views as displayed for the public on the notice boards.

 


















 
 There were then  many shouts of " I've just cleaned that !"
 We now have a door mat for use before entry !
 

HELEN II STARTS TO SHINE .

Over the past two weeks we have been working on preparing the topside for weather sealing with the first of many coats of varnish.


It proved inexplicably exciting to see Dave start the first coat.
( I don't get out very much )
 
 We were soon both painting  with  pleasure .The effect is superb.
 The weather proved excellent -dry and calm and the passers by commented on the transformation immediately.

 Once completed ,Dave set about the keel band as discussed last blog.
The metal tabs I pre-drilled  were temporarily  bolted to the wooden keel and spot welded to the metal band.

 
The band was then lowered away from the keel and Dave then fully welded the tabs in position.
The band was then re sited to check for refitting.

As it fitted perfectly, it will now be sent away for galvanizing,( this will protect it from corrosion )

We are sorry we were unable to open Helen II for Pirates Weekend .
It was very enjoyable.... especially when Wednesday Phil discovered the pirate ship VILMA at secret anchor on the river.

The motley crew were busy below drinking lots of grog  and practicing "OOOH ARRRGHING " prior to attacking Conwy quay.
(Unless it was something they ate !)

Another beautiful wooden vessel .

DAVE CONTINUES TOPSIDE SEALING THE DECK.

While Wednesday was away checking out spanish trawler designs ,Dave continued "home alone" on sealing the decks by gluing and screwing "thingies" along the cabin/ deck sides.

We couldn't decide the name for these seals so we settled for thingies.
Notice the precision at every stage. 
(click on the picture to see the detail)






Avid followers would also have noticed the completed grab rails.

 

The 47 foot  tree trunk which is destined to become our mast arrived.
It is 12 inches thick and needs to be shaved down to approx. 8 inches.
The nice delivery driver said "that's a big job ! Why didn't the lady who ordered it, have that done in the factory ?"
Dave said,"OOPS !  (he remembered we may have younger readers).






Meanwhile Wednesday Phil drilled lots of 4 inch tabs which will be welded to the metal  keel band  to hold it in place.

 Then back to sanding and priming of the starboard side.for the rest of the day.
Dave said it is better to do it now than later..... as a snorkel won't suit you !
See. He does care!

It's a pity that all this work will be hidden once launched.Still if it was clearly visible we would have a problem !







On the 28th--29th May it will be PIRATES WEEKEND on the quay.I hope we may be able to have an open day when devotees and visitors will be able to view our doings . I will let you know after the next trustees meeting.

HELEN II LOOKING GOOD.

Today Shipwright Dave worked on the cabin top grab rails.Each one is made from a length of teak.
The supports are measured and placed over the cabin beams . They can then be bolted through the beams to give extra strength.
(click on the picture to view the detail )

He also finished off the corners of the cabin from blocks of teak (left) glued and screwed into place before being sanded down .(right)
 It looks beautiful !

Wednesday Phil , ignoring the agony of tennis elbow and no sugar for the tea, continued sanding down the hull below the water line to remove excess red lead putty.This created a smooth hull fit to glide through the water.

This was painted with aluminium primer thinned as a first coat.
"Next time," said Dave ,"you can give it another good layer of undercoat !"
"Oh goodie !"said Wednesday Phil as he chewed on another paracetamol........

Phil then emptied the donations buoy .
Shipwright Dave and Phil are always surprised at the generosity of the visitors to our compound.
Thanks to all who donate to Helen II.

 And finally..... the oak beams to create the rudder were delivered by Adrian from his Elwy Wood saw mill.He is a great supporter of the project .

An update of progress...........

In the last month quite a bit has happened.
The lads had a week off and Apprentice Dave left the project to take up a job up the Conwy valley  leaving shipwright Dave home alone ! 
Dave has patterned the keel band which is a strip of metal bolted on to the underside of the  keel.This will protect the wooden keel from damage if it should ever sit on nasty rocks or uneven ground.Once welded and " first fitted " it will be sent away for galvanizing before being  permanently fixed on.

Dave then fitted the stem head  .This is a large chunk of wood bolted to the bow in which the anchor chain sits when anchored up .
To the front of this is bolted a metal plate for protection and strength.






A local engineer is making the chain plates for the side of the hull. These are metal strips that will hold up the rigging.
As Wednesday Phil is still on light duties, lifting heavy objects is not allowed, which  makes Dave short handed at times.

 So Phil continues sanding down the hull to smooth out the caulking putty and then painting the planking with aluminium primer.

 Within the hull, the floors (planks) were removed  so that Dave could fit a final keel bolt and so Phil gave the bilges (the space below the floors) another coat of red oxide for extra protection.
Notice the artistic finish below !

 






Dave is now finishing the entry hatch and cabin rubbing band.
The jobs presently  are more detailed and time consuming, especially when Dave is working alone.