Haul the Decks.

An orang-utan goes into a bar and says to the barman:

“May I have a gin…………and tonic, please?”

The barman says: “Why the long paws?”

We are well into fitting out the boat and the list of tasks to be completed is really quite short. It’s more interesting, now, as we are fabricating parts where there’s plenty of room for creativity (it’s not an exact science). The big item left will be the application of multiple coats of epoxy, varnish and (for the gunwales and thwarts) oil.

We tackled making the decking in the last month. A series of joists were fitted across the bottom planks to support the removable deck. This will allow us to walk the length of the boat in order to get to the drinks cabinet (design not finalised), or to enable the rowers to have a stand up fight over some fine point of technique.

Simple: three planks (Fijian Kauri), shaped to match the curve of the hull, braced with ply battens, which we made from the scrap from the original kit:

What was very exciting was the result of applying several coats of Danish oil,which gives a soft, durable sheen. We shall have to remember to refresh it every couple of years, but it’s what the yacht builders use, so it should be good.

Joe after applying the oil: the shine wears off leaving a smooth satin finish. This will happen to the deck, too.

In the meantime, we have also been working on knees, breasthook, thwarts and cleats. Cue for a song? Joe will probably tell you about our new toy, too. With a week to go before we stop for Christmas, the aim is to have all the bits made and ready for fitting...here's hoping.