HADAR's Launch

The final Preparations to launch started early, some padding was attached to the arm of the dumper truck, and this was used to nudge the boat forward out of the shed until the start of the baseplate was over the fixed roller in the slipway. The winch cable was attached to the bottom of the rudder post, this would be used to stop her from rolling out on her own. The stern was then jacked up until the bow rested on the fixed roller. Unfortunately at this point it was discovered that the pivot point of the boat was too far back for the remaining rollers to support her clear of the concrete at the top of the slipway.The answer was to build 2 ramps up out of wood and steel plate to shift these rollers back behind the pivot point, this took quite a while as Roger wanted to be certain that she would roll down them without breaking the ramps, or falling off them! But once he was satified with the setup, the boats moored in the basin were all tied together and then drifted out of the basin across the canal out of harms way. A large piece of wood about the size of a railway sleeper was tied against the opposite bank where it was expected for her to strike the wall. Roger then gave me the go ahead to name her, which I did, " I name this boat HADARm godbless her and all who sail in her" accompanied by the mandatory bottle of champagne.

Ceremony over, the cable winch was detached, and the final holding chocks removed, and she started to roll forward. It could not have gone better as she slipped out of the shed and into the water. However as was expected due to her size and weight the far bank took quite a wallop as can be seen from the photos, the Wooden plank was snapped clean in half!!!

A moment never to be forgotten, a definite one-off experience. We then moored her up against the bank and returned all the boats to their moorings in the basin.We would like to thank those people who came along to watch HADAR's launch, we hope they enjoyed what was a special moment for us. A huge thank you must go to Roger and everyone at the boat yard who have built HADAR. She is everything we wanted and more. All photographs of the launch are in Hadar's Album in the diary menu. We now look forward to her fit out.

Because the fit out will take some months we are going to take a trip away on Misty Lady, so Hadar's diary will be quiet for a few weeks, but if you would like to catch up with our exploits on our trip you can follow us on www.ladyjogearman.blogspot.com

We just could not finish the day without a photograph of us with Roger Fuller and our new boat "HADAR".

Week Twenty Five

Monday 19th June 2006.
Steve 2 undercoated the engine room, with dark grey at the bottom and cream at the top.I climbed into my overalls (sexy huh) to finish painting the mast and the cratch with Mauritius Blue Gloss, I really love that colour. The Red Oxide Enamel and the Mauritius Blue will be the final colours, but they will be rubbed down and reapplied when "HADAR" has her final paint job, and that will be done by Tina Paramore after "HADAR's" fit out which comes next.Roger and Keith unpacked the sheeting and set about putting the side sheets up in the open hold, firstly they checked that they were the right length, they then laid a black mastic strip along the metal fixing strip the length of the open hold. They began to lay the side cover over the mastic strip and then battened them into place with oak battens, which were screwed to the metal work of the open hold. So we had a sandwich, metal fixing strip, mastic strip, side sheet and then oak batten all screwed together. Not the sort of sandwich you would want to eat though LOL.Having completed both starboard and port side sheets as far as they could go, they put the newly painted stand and planks into place.

Tuesday 20th June.
Roger and Keith finished fitting the side sheets over the saloon. They were a little more difficult to fit. After they were in place the painted Mast, cratch and remaining planks were put up. The side sheets were roped into place over the planking with blue nylon rope for now, it will be replaced before we take "HADAR" away. The top sheets were rolled out, and placed over the top planks along the open hold and over the saloon, checking all three sheets to make sure the eyelets matched up with the fixing loops on the gunwales. It all looked fantastic, and fitted perfectly. Keith sat down and made eye splices to tie the top sheets into place. Once they were tied into place we roped the top sheets down. Standing back and looking at her all done, already for launching, bought a lump to my throat, because this was the day we had been waiting for. She is all ready for launching.

Wednesday 21st June.
Roger and Joel (on work experience) started to move "HADAR" across to the centre of the shed ready for her launch on Thursday. All this was done with the use of rollers, a dumper truck and brute force. It took pretty much the whole day to get her in the right place.

Weeks Twenty Three and Twenty Four

Monday 5th June 2206.
Nothing happened on “HADAR” to day.

Tuesday 6th June.
Roger began working on our cratch. We decided to have it made of tongue and groove timber, so we could have it painted.

Wednesday 7th June.
Roger finished our cratch.

Thursday 8th and Friday 9th June.
Nothing was done today.

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Monday 12th June 2006.
Nothing was done today.

Tuesday 13th June.
Work began again on “HADAR”. Steve 2 starting fixing in the flooring joists in the bathroom, galley and saloon.The final plank was made and put into place in the open hold.
Roger and Keith measured up for the side sheets and top sheets for the open hold.
Roger then placed the order.

Wednesday 14th June.
Steve 2 and Keith began fitting all the brass works on i.e.: Mushroom vents, and cabin steps.
Steve 2 used sealant to put the glass into all the portholes and the bull’s eye.
Steve 2 and Keith fitted the waste pipe fixings for the shower, basin, sink and washing machine.
Keith and I primed the mast, stand, planks and cratch. I then began under coating them in grey.

Thursday 15th June.
We moved all the planks into the open hold to paint them. I finished under coating the mast, stand and planks.Steve 2 and Keith fitted the portholes and bulls eye. They then set about fitting the gas pipe and electric trunking in the open hold from the gas locker.

Friday 16th June.
Keith and Steve 2 did the electrics for the head lamp and front navigation light.
Steve 2 fixed the TV Ariel box onto the cabin roof along with the CB and Marine Ariel’s fixings.
The cratch brackets were fitted onto the cratch, and Steve 2 made up the top and bottom bands for the mast.Keith painted the weed hatch with Red Oxide Enamel.
I spent the day painting the planks with Red Oxide Enamel, and the Mast, Stand and Cratch with Mauritius Blue Gloss.
Steve 2 then sealed the weed hatch with tape, packed the stern tube, and attached the stern tube greaser and greased the stern tube.
The side sheets and top sheets arrived, now that’s what I call go service Roger had only ordered them Tuesday. We had a very busy week, but both Keith and I really enjoyed helping out. It was lovely to have hands on and be able to put our mark on “HADAR”
Here’s to an exciting week coming up so watch this space, as we hope fingers crossed to be able to launch her, ready for her fit out. All photographs will be in added to the diary.

Weeks Twenty One and Twenty Two

Monday 22nd May through to Friday 26th.

It has been a quiet week, there has been no work carried out on Hadar, we are waiting on timber and te sheeting for the open hold.

Monday 29th May through to Friday 2nd June.

Another quiet week on Hadar, however the timber has arrived for the flooring and the cratch.
I will update you further when we have something to report.

Have a great week in the sun, but remember to slap on the sun screen.