In a normal great lakes sailing season this would be the time in which to commission and launch a sailing craft, here in Eleanor’s backyard boatyard it’s the time of year where winter doors are removed from the shop, the 220v power is re connected, the welder carts wheels are inflated and hull work begins.

This May saw the final remnants of tar removed with close to 100 hrs total, the final two thirds of which was done with a small pick and propane torch. The tar is gone 99.5% of it anyhow.

Later in May i plasma cut 4″ holes in the hull plating for the speedlog, and depth sounder. In  these holes Dikin-Shinas designed damage limitation pots which provide physical insurance against through-hull failure. A little vauge yes, sorry it’s and idea from Jill Dikin Shinas’ lastest book how not to build a boat, a marvelous book in which i don’t wish to give away the plot.

It’s now the middle of June, this month i removed the mahogany cockpit comings. The coamings were fixed to the cabin sides, re-enforced by the winch stands and the fixed the the aft coaming which is of steel. The coaming was then screwed through the deck from beneath into the end grain. The wood had rotted around the screws and of course rust followed the screws into the deck. The plan is to remove rust, weld holes over, weld stainless flat bar along the length of the cockpit with bolt holes for a new mahogany coaming.