Working

OHBS has acquired an old lifting frame which we are in the process of cleaning up and preparing for own use. 

Inside Waterwitch is nearly ready for an attempt to start her engine. We now just need some fine weather so that we can pull her outside as we will need to run a a hose to provide cooling water and we don't want to flood the inside working area.

Doris is getting her deck cleaned. This is actually a new deck fitted by Ian Richardson many years ago but has never seen use as the boat has been in storage since being re-decked.

Saga is nearly ready for varnish. Her new deck still has a little cleaning up to be done but she should be ready to take varnish in a week or two.

A Journey Through The Northwest Passage

On Thursday 25th April 2024 OHBS hosted an illustrated talk by Captain Maiwenn Beadle who in 2022 was master of a 36m ice breaking super yacht which transited the Northwest Passage from East to West.

Fine weather

The weather being fine for a change we used the opportunity to inspect Lagertha which is still outside in the compound. She had gathered a bit of water over the winter so this was pumped out and the cover left off to allow her to air.

Inside work continued on cleaning up Saga's new deck. 

A plan was discussed for what work should be undertaken on Doris.

and the painting of Shamrock continued.

Infrastructure & Paint

The table saw now has an extraction adapter so that we can extract using either a 100mm pipe or a smaller 50mm shop vac hose. A 2-gang power socket which supply the tools had broken so a replacement was obtained and fitted.

Elsewhere Nellie was getting her underside painted. We used ordinary domestic paint rather than anti-fouling paint as Nellie won't be going anywhere near water any time soon.

Work continued on Saga's new deck with the centreline covers being glued down.

Tooling & Water Line

The table saw which arrived without any chip extraction fitting has now had a 4" extraction hood fitted. We do not have a 4" extractor at present but it is on the shopping list. In the meantime we will use a vac with a smaller diameter hose via an adapter plate.

Nellie is having her waterline marked out ready for the painting of her below the water line anti-fouling.

Setting the waterline with masking tape

Setting the waterline with masking tape

Roving

White Wings is getting some of her planking re-roved; that is copper boat nails are hammer from the outside through over lapping planks and timmers (ribs) and small copper roves (cupped disks) are then places on the inside of the nail, the nail is cut back to leave a few millimetres exposed which is then peened over the rove to fix the nail in position. This task usually requires at least two people as one has to work on the outside of the boat and the other on the inside.

Working on White Wings

What's going on here?

Waterwitch Engine Service

Now that Waterwitch has been moved inside we have been able to start servicing the engine which hasn't been started for around 5 years. The first stage has been to remove the engine box to allow proper access to the engine from all sides.