Bulkheads

The new bulkheads have now been completed replacing the ones that were damage by the fire.
The biggest mess/damage maker in the fire was the smoke.
The toxic smoke produced by the vinyl, coated everything with a thick black stinky sticky mess.
Being a production boat the woodwork in most cases was only screwed so by clearing this, it was a fairly simple job of ripping out the linings, exposing the glass hull, which was only dirty and cleaned up well with detergent and water.
The transformation from black to nice clean new timber and glass has been quite dramatic.
All the bulkheads are now Maple which will make it look a bit lighter, I will be fitting insulation throughout which will help extend our cruising, so together with the heating system (Wallas 2400) that was in the boat we should be able to use it all year round.
I was surprised that the hull was solid glass and not a cored foam and glass, when working at night with the light showing through the hull it look quite spooky.

Spring - It's Official

Winter ended yesterday and today it's officially 'spring' so I thought I would show you a picture of our blossom lined drive.

Quick Update

A short post to let my many 'followers' of the boats journey.
It's starting to look a little less like a coal-mine with the new bulkheads being installed.
The next big thing will be to get the engine out of the boat, which is sitting in the companionway taking the place of the steps inside, the crane should be here this week so it can be serviced - I hope there are no nasty expensive surprises!

Fibreglass Itch

The boat stripping still seems to be an endless task, now with the added enjoyment of having bits of fibreglass finding ways into ones underclothing making life a little itchy!

Although I wear a full disposable coverall, still enough of the fibres get to places... already a number of clothing items have been consigned to the rubbish as being too uncomfortable to wear.

This week the engine will be removed for a full service/overhaul as the aged Volvo probably hasn't had anything done to it for 24 years..

As I go through the boat deciding what needs doing, I have come to the conclusion that the past owners were very lucky people making it from Trinidad through Panama and across the Pacific to NZ.

The front hatch was only a simple day sale type with 2 small catches not suitable for ocean sailing in it's new home of the Wellington Cook Strait area.
Glass boats can flex quite a bit in heavy weather and it's easy to pop the wrong sort of hatch, plus the boat had only one very small electric bilge pump which in test moved a cup of water every 2 seconds!, which could make entertaining sailing.

These of course are going to be fixed as I tend to be a bit of a belt and braces person.

Although the boat has been built to Lloyd's specs I will be glassing in some extra beams under the deck as we can get some big seas around this part of the island.

The new panelling for the bulkheads has arrived, so fitting of that should start by early next week.

I will post some pics as soon as this stage is reached, maybe next week.