UPDATE MARCH 2023

Since the last update things seemed to have moved slowly. Having  fitted the gaff we had great difficulty in raising it as the ropes kept jamming in the top block so Francis from YWAM  climbed the mast and added an extra shackle to the top block to turn it through 90 degrees.

Still the gaff could not be raised so Wally created an extension bar to hold the pulley away from the mast and a week later Francis was was back up the mast installing it.

Still the gaff would not rise .

Wednesday Phil was convinced the problem was with the pulleys he had made and so it was decided to BUY two metal ones.

Francis once again volunteered to head for the heights and replaced the suspect pulleys while grinning continuously !

AND finally this did the trick.

The gaff can now be raised with little effort .Using strong students.

The main sail has now been brought from the compound and with student help fastened (bent) on to the gaff. 

Ron  nervously measured the full  sail to check that his  design  would fit correctly and all was well. He's a happy man !

Due to an increasing easterly wind this  morning it was decided not to raise the sail as the boat would have keeled over on the shoreline.

And we didn't want that !

So the sail was lashed down to be raised another day.

Update January 20023, We Are Nearly There !

Having filled the bilges with chain, further weight was added with cement .Jeremy's van brought the raw materials and Garonwy ,Dave, and our students mixed and handballed it to he bilges.

Ron and Jack poured and levelled it .This then serves to hold the chain in place and create extra stability.

Wednesday Phil lowered the gas holder as it was catching on the ropes. As he was almost upside down he asked the students to tell him when it was level for fixing.

Unfortunately the boat was tilted as the tide was out and it was levelled to the horizon not the deck.

Oh what fun !

While waiting for the boom fitting it was decided to hoist the gaff.

With help from "Youth With A Mission" helpers it was hauled aloft but jammed on the block at the top of the mast .

The block twisted and jammed the rope against the mast.

So Francis from YWAM volunteered to go up the mast to fix an extra shackle to the block to stop it twisting.

Great relief was had when Francis descended still beaming with enjoyment !

BUT it did not fix the problem and plan B was necessary.

Meanwhile Walley , having finally received the milled  metal bits, began welding the gooseneck to hold the boom to the mast.

This has now been fitted and looks a real work of art to Wednesday Phil.

Now the boom could finally be fitted.

With obvious curiosity from visitors, the boom was ceremoniously brought along the quay from the shed by Walley ,Jeremy and press ganged YWAM muscle men for final fitting.

 

There is great satisfaction that this has finally been achieved !

MINOR WORK CONTINUES AS WE WAIT FOR BOOM FITTING 

Wednesday Phil made a waterproof seal for the base of the mast to stop ingress of water at home and first fitted it.

Ron showed our three keen students how to tighten the rigging using a pulley device called a Handy Billy. The lads then tightened all the rigging on their own and Ron and Phil sat back !

They certainly are learning a lot about the boat ,as is Phil.

We finally brought the GAFF to the boat and fastened it on the mast .

Then Ron showed us how to haul it into position up the mast. We lifted it half way and were satisfied it was a success but then it stuck as the pulley at the top was facing the mast and the rope jammed between the mast and the pulley.

It has been decided that an extra shackle is needed up top to turn the pulley away from the mast.

To do this we needed a bosun's chair which Phil was to make but upon reflection bottled out and decided to buy one for safety sake.

All we now need is a volunteer .

Our students were interested in the device so we let them have a go each . Trust you can see where this is leading ?

Wally has been busying himself creating a jointed ring to go round the mast to hold the boom . Due to his creative nature he devised a gismo to bend the ring to the required  roundness .He always delivers !

All now rests on the awaited "goose neck" which is holding up the progress. Hopefully it will arrive soon !

PROGRESS HAS SLOWED DUE TO HOLDUPS AND COVID.

The three students from Llandrillo College ,Aled, Mike and Leo have continued coming to help on a regular basis.

They have now loaded the chain to be used as ballast under the floors. A very dirty job.

This has improved the trim .

The sail were finally unboxed and checked for the first time.

The mainsail took up the whole width of the quay to spread out.

The jib was hoisted and fits beautifully !

Ron then instructed Aled,Mike and Leo on how to tighten the rigging using a Handy Billy and then left them to it. We were impressed with their results.

Further work on the gaff and mainsail were halted as Phil could not find suitable leather to line the gaff jaws 

But, with advice from Darren Naggs ,Phil finally purchased a large piece on stiffened belly flap from J &FJ Baker and Company of Colyton. This has been prepared for fitting but a wait of two weeks ensued waiting for brass tacks to arrive from China as any other type, apparently , will rot the leather.

The brass tacks finally arrived last week just as Phil caught the dreaded Covid. Job stopped again !

Work on the boom holding the mainsail is still on hold as we continue to wait for one of the YWAM team to make the  "goose neck" which allows the boom to swing and rise against the mast.

Once this is, made the sails can be fully fitted and sailing time approaches !

Whilst off with the Covid ,Phil has spent time making  parrel beads from scratch. These go round the mast to help the sail rise up the mast unhindered.

 

 AN UPDATE SINCE LAUNCH 

Helen II is now berthed next to the Liverpool arms on the quay.

Wednesday Phil and Wally have been busy creating the rigging parts

       

These were then fixed in position on the boat and connected to the rigging wires. This proved difficult and a two person task.

.

Aled ,Mike  and Leo came from Llandrillo College to help load the anchor ropes and chain into the boat with Ron guiding the coiling.

This was followed by half a ton of chain ballast to trim out the boat.

Since the launch ,Helen II's planks have started to swell in the sea water and as they expand ,the vessel becomes more water tight . At first when the pumps were turned on each day by Phil , a continuous run of water lasted 15 seconds. Two weeks later the flow lasts about 8 seconds .Those in the know think this is very good

Two of students returned the following week and swabbed the decks of seagull pooh , tweaked the skylight closing fittings and reorganised the ballast chain. and they were still smiling !

LAUNCH  DAY 1st OF APRIL 2022

Tensions rose as launch time approached. Rehearsals had ironed out small problems and harbourmaster Matt's men began the move of Helen II from the compound using the Wally trolley towed by a forklift truck.

We all breathed a sigh of relief to see the Wally trolley performed so beautifully !!

The harbour staff then took over the lift.

The trolley was then rolled back into the compound.

The lift then raised the boat over the top of the lamp posts and quay lights and into the Conwy river.

All the watchers then began clapping as she settled in the water.

The mast was then prepared for lifting into position.

Once the mast had been  lifted into position , Helen II was secured to the quay and we all breathed a sigh of relief .

Later she was moved to the quay wall opposite the Liverpool Arms.

So it's a big thank you to all who were involved in the launch , A professional job by  harbourmaster Matt  and his team and Wally for  his  trolley !

Later there will be a celebration and formal ceremony which will be an opportunity for the trustees to thank all those who have contributed to the project.

For now work will continue to rig the boat and complete her fitting out.

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.