With much of the below-waterline welding complete, my attention has turned to the deck and bulwark  work in the first week of holidays.

Stainless steel stanchion bases i constructed in the shop were welded to the deck and bulwark cap using 1/8″ 309l rod. Half way in between each stanchion base i welded an upright stainless bracket to attach the timber toerail/bulwark, th top of each bracket is strong point attachment for blocks, running gear, fenders or whatever else.

In the cockpit numerous deck fills were above what is to be the quarter berth, patches were cut and the holes were filled. I removed the ill placed deck fills with a 5 second blast from a propane torch, this heated the steel and the 5200 let go. On the on the aft of the deck numerous holes had been cut for various wire-way arrangements, all failures, these too had to be patched.

The top of the bulwarks (3-5″) are met with a boundary bar, a piece of 3/8 by 1 flat bar tacked every 6″ or so the length of the boat. Water had of course penetrated between tacks and caused rusting and rust streaking. I chipped out the two 36 ft crevices and proceeded to weld solid ( 1/8″ 6011). I burned up a whole box by the time this job was done.. hot. smoky. It was then to ground down, and flap wheeled, painted with a cheap primer (to be blasted and epoxy coated.)

Two new chainplates were  constructed including two compound bends or 5/16 x 1 1/2 steel, then welded 1/2″ aft of existing main chainplates. We may/probably will end up with a double spreader rig, now was the time to add them if ever. I used a 3×8 from my brother and law to correct on slight overbend (see pictures)