Week Fourteen

Rivets and more Rivets

Monday 3rd April 2006.
This is a week of rivets and more rivets, so many so that Steve 2 is now dreaming about them LOL. On the port and starboard side 440 rivets have so far been welded on the hull, and they look fabulous. The ring and rails were made by Steve 1, and will be welded to the outsie wall of the galley bulkhead. The propshaft, and propeller were married up, but there was a problem with the alignment, so the shaft had to be changed.

Tuesday 4th April.
Bow fender brackets were welded on the bow. Steve 1 fitted the propshaft and propeller.The fixing plates for the false front cratch were welded into place. More rivets were welded on by Steve 2, infact in all between Steve and Roger they have welded on 781 rivets. There are still quite a few to go as well. The Anode beackets were welded on, and the Anodes were fitted.

Wednesday 5th April.
Today it was the day when Hadar was jacked up, ready for welding underneath. They used hand held jacks at each end, whilst using wooden blocks to hold her up. Jacking one end at a time they found the pivot point so they could block her up little by little. It was a bit like trying to find the centre point of a slide. But gradually they got her a few feet off the ground, and set about welding the base plate underneath, and the lowest rubbing strake.The timber arrived from Jewson for the framing out.

Thursday 6th April.
Both Steve's spent the day welding and grinding back, on the base plate and hull.

Friday 7th April.
Both Steve's again were welding and grinding back, they also did some work on the stem post, ready for the false rivets to go on.

Both Keith and I can now see how Hadar will look, now that the hull is almost complete. For us seeing Hadar come this far, means that soon she will be launched. The next phase will be the fitting out, that's when the fun will start for me in particular. It is always a woman's dream isn't it girl's to have thing's fitted the way we would like them. Keith and I have pretty much decided on the detail's for the fit out, but like with most thing's there is always room for change or improvement. So keep watching this space, because it is an exciting time.

Week Thirteen

Monday 27th March 2006
Steve 2 cuts out the positions for the 7 portholes. Steve 1 finished the sliders for the boatmans cabin hatch. Roger began marking out and welding on the dummy rivets along the port side starting at the bow. Each rivet is place 41/2 inches apart. The rivets Roger uses are his own design, so if I tell you his secret design he may have to shoot me LOL. Steve 1 did the planking on the rear bulkhead of the boatmans cabin, to give it the effect of wooden planks. By the end of the day Roger had made and welded into place 198 rivets. I dare say he will be seeing them in his sleep. Steve 2 welded on the weather strip over the window in the galley on the Port side. Steve 1 cut out and tacked on the hinges for the rear boatmans cabin doors.

Tuesday 28th March.
Steve 1 welded on the rear doors for the boatmans cabin, he also cut out the hole in the engine room roof for the pigeon box, which has already been made. After checking with keith and I about mushroom vent positions and bulls eye position Steve 1 then set about cutting the holes in the roof. Steve 2 spent the day welding up and grinding back along the length of the boat. Roger continued welding on the dummy rivets, and had added another 85 by the end of the day. The pate we will stand on for steering was also welded on by the end of the day.

Wednesday 29th March.
The hole for the engine exhaust was cut out in the roof of the engine room, and the fitting put in place.The handrail for the starboard side of the roof was made and welded into place. The Port side weather strip over the galley windown was welded on. Steve 1 set to adding all the steel frame work for the boatmans cabin floor. The Saloon stove flue hole was cut out.

Thursday 30th March.
Fender brackets were welded onto the stern of the boat. Steps for the inside the open hold, were being made. Today the Tiller arm, propeller, anodes, propshaft, stern tubing gland, and navigation lights arrived. Framing out was taking place inside the boat for the woodwork.

Friday 31st March.
The steps for both sides of the open hold were welded into place. Steve 2 started welding on the dummy rivets on the starboard side he did 221 by the end of the day. Two chimney collars were bolted into place in the boatmans cabin and saloon. Door securing nuts were welded onto all doors and windows. One of the two ring and rails was made for the saloon bulkhead.
Another exciting week for us, having sat and watched it all going on. Hadar looks like a real boat now and she has her own personality.

Week Twelve

Monday 20th March 2006.

The bulkhead between the engine room and our galley was tacked into place ready for the final welding. The strip of steel drilled for wood and screws, that will hold the canvas in place was welded along the gunwale, where our under the canvas saloon will be. Roger had begun to cut out the beginnings of the handrails that will run along the roof top, port and starboard.

Tuesday 21st March.
Steve 1 was busy cutting out the hatchways on the engine room. Roger was scoring a line 2 inches below the gunwale, to make it look like wood was planted on the gunwale. We know it is only fake, but it does finish it off properly. Roger like’s to make sure all the detail is correct as do we. Roger then took off the temporary bracing that was throughout the hold. It looks massive now that it is completely cleared.Steve1 then make the sides for all the hatchway’s ready for the lids.

Wednesday 22nd March.
More scoring of the imitation wood along the gunwale was done on the port side. To do this scoring a line is drawn with chalk, 2 inches down from the top of the gunwale. Then a straight, flat piece of steel is tacked to the gunwale, and an angle grinder is then used to score in the final line. The doors were made for the engine room on the port side.Back doors for the boatman’s cabin, engine room starboard side doors, and hatch lids were chalked out on a sheet of steel ready for cutting out.

Thursday 23rd March.
Steve 2 cut out the galley window door’s for the port side, tacking on the hinges and grinding them all back. Port side engine room doors were welded into place. Roger finished cutting out the handrails, he then set about welding on the posts.

Friday 24th March.
Port side window doors are welded into place. The Starboard door’s for the engine room were welded on. The handrails were tacked into place on the roof of the boatman’s cabin, shower room and galley on the port side. The doorway of the rear boatman’s cabin was reinforced ready to take the doors. Also the sliders were welded on for the hatch when it is made.Roger cut out, bent and welded into place the beam holders in the open hold. The holders will hold the wooden beams that go across the hold and cover up the shackles. Roger also started welding on the half rings which the shackles will be attached to. I stood watching as the beam holders were cut out, and it totally amazed me how quick and easy it is to cut steel with a torch. It’s like a hot knife through butter. It also makes you realise when they always wear safety gear such as goggles etc, because it is also very dangerous. As you have read it has been a very productive week, it was hard to know where to take the photographs next, but we had a great time watching all the work going on and will continue to enjoy this journey as it unfolds.