12/03/2012, Tunisia
It is good to be back on the job in hand after a short break at home. While I was away, good progress has been made on several fronts. The new horn timber has been scarfed in and glued in place, the transom rebuild is well advanced and the first set of frames, station 33 are now in place complete with their floor and deck beam. Another set of frames, station 24, have been fitted and are awaiting completion.
News on various equipment is filtering in and I expect to be preparing some orders in the near future. I like more and more the way things seem to be developing in this regard.
It is also a great boon to have Sandra here for the week, as she has become, over the years, my sounding board and with her experience of gaff rigged yachts has already helped me clear up a few things today. She will be in great demand over the next few days.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
Comments [3]
11/03/2012, France
Sorry for the erratic posts this week, I have been busy with Rowdy and various other jobs. I also haven't received many photos from the yard this week so there hasn't been much of interest to post. That said, Sandra and I are flying to Tunisia this afternoon and next week promises to be a period rich in news and photos.
The photo is of Rowdy taken in Nice in 2008 by Michel Bourdin. Her extra weight and hull strength really allows her to carry the marconi rig and get the full benefit from it and it may surprise you to learn that our top speed with Rowdy under spinnaker was 16 knots! She will do more in the right conditions, the only limitations being the steering and the crew.
Jono.
| Restoration |
|
As to Rowdy's 1927 "designed by Herreshoff" sailplan, I have heard that this is supposed to be so, but I wonder where those plans are and who made them? Are they supposed to have been specifically made for Rowdy or for some other boat?
08/03/2012, France
While I have been away, the guys at the yard have almost finished the new horn timber and they expect to fit it by weeks end. The production of frames is advancing well and several have been fitted to the boat.
For my part, I am making good headway with the costing and am awaiting several quotes for equipment.
Sandra has made good progress with Rowdy and the boat is really starting to look great after the mistreatment of last season. She will be coming to Tunisia with me on Sunday for her introduction to the work in hand.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
Great blog, keep up the good work (both with respect to the blog and the boat!)
02/03/2012, Tunisia
I'm flying back to France tomorrow for a short break and to catch up with Rowdy and her winter maintenance program. I have one or two bits and pieces to buy, but I especially want to eat alot of pork! I didn't realise that a human being raised in Ireland could actually suffer from withdrawal symptoms of the porcine type but I have proved it is possible and am looking forward to tucking into a large plate of bangers and mash!
Weeks end sees the air thick with sawdust and the floor carpeted with a deep and luxuriant layer of oak shavings as the boys continue churning out new pieces of boat. Even Salvatore rolled up his sleeves and grinned as he carressed the wood with the plane, shaping the two pieces of noble wood to become united in the perfect scarf. Impressive.
Right then, I'm off to pack my bags. More next week.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
02/03/2012, Tunisia
The oak arrived this morning and was soon being converted into new parts of the boat. The new horn timber is under construction and we hope to fit it next week. Two pairs of frames are also ready to be fitted. Work is continuing on the fabrication of the parts for the transom rebuild and we have now tweaked the aft end. It is now level and true and ready to be consolidated by new floors.
I am applying a fair amount of thought to the keel removal in about four months time, and which is shaping up to be a delicate operation as not all the keel bolts are vertical. They will have to be removed or cut before the lift. In view of the condition of all the fasteners removed so far, I believe that not to take the keel off would be a gross error.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
29/02/2012, Tunisia
The first frames were set up today and are drying overnight. The white oak, about 3.5 cubic metres of it, is arriving tomorrow and things should take off at a fairly rapid pace as all is prepared for the production of frames, deck beams and floors. We have worked out that about 32 pairs of frames will have to be replaced out of the 42 pairs total and this represents 76%. I was hoping to save more, but on closer inspection, most are too far gone to be worth taking the risk. 99% of the deck beams will be replaced except the one with official number carved into it. This one will be restored somehow and be refitted to its' rightful place. Also most of the floors will have to be renewed.
I have been dividing my time between the office and the workshop floor and have made good head way with the steering system and rudder hangings. I now know exactly what has to be machined to return it to top condition. I have also done a study of the electrical requirements and am quite interested in the idea of Lithium Ion batteries for both the weight savings and their longevity. On the downside, they are expensive so I may have to steal the money from somewhere else in the budget to offset the additional cost.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
27/02/2012, Tunisia
The goal for today was to remove the horn timber (central timber from transom to keel) which is in one place broken, and in various others, rotten. With the after sections well supported, we set to, removing the bolts that pass through each floor, and unscrewing the remaining planking in way of the horn timber. Once liberated, it was duly sectioned just aft of the deadwood and was then coaxed gently, with a 5 ton jack and then my van's scissor jack, towards its' exit "out the back door"! It did put up a fight but Allah was on our side and it succumbed without too much trouble. To follow, we will remove a small section of the deadwood to allow us to scarf in the new piece about a half metre further forward and the scarf will be nicely supported by the deadwood piece once refitted. Sounds like a plan to me!
While keeping a beady eye on the work in progress, I continued with my daily routine of transferring dirt, grime and all manner of dust, from the boats steering system to as much of my clothing as possible. Works quite well really, as my overalls look about a hundred years old and the gear looks brand new!
Throw in a bit of office work, a couple of "Insh'Allahs" and half a dozen cups of coffee and you have a full and satisfying day.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
25/02/2012, Tunisia
One has to admire the quality of workmanship from these bygone days where craftsman were allowed the noble materials and the time to imagine and construct items that would endure the ravages of centuries of hard work and the elements. Each time I look at the boat, I can't help regretting this fast and furious age of disposable goods and plastic, the only lasting thing being the plastic which we will leave behind us for future generations to deal with. We, perhaps, can't stop progress and mass production but we can still learn from the past and strive towards a better understanding of where we are going.
I should probably start a tree hugging category!
Seven weeks have past and we are on target though it is still early days. We have taken stock now, of the work, and will not find any more surprises, the elderly lady having been indelicatly stripped of her habillage! I am looking forward to next week where we will begin to repair the first parts of her tired hull and I will, of course continue to keep you updated of progress.
Bon weekend.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
23/02/2012, Tunisia
Today is a special day as it is the 83rd birthday of my dad, Michael, and I know he follows the blog every day. Happy birthday Dad. I also know that he would love to be here in the thick of it doing what we Greenwoods do best, that is getting very dirty!
And dirty I got. I finished cleaning up the through hulls and started dismantling the steering pedestal to find out what machining will be required to sort out the play issues. The bevel gearing is still in good condition and the shafts only need a couple of bushings to put them right. I would like to introduce some shaft bearings but am not sure there is room for them. At the moment it is bronze on bronze.
The work on the hull is moving rapidly forward and the frame templates should be finished tomorrow. I estimate that by the end of tomorrow we will have put some 2,500 hrs into the project in 35 days work. I think that is about a tenth of what is required. Quite a feat!
Jono.
| Restoration |
|
Craig
22/02/2012, Tunisia
Today was an office day for me. I have much work to do putting real life prices on all the estimations that are in the budget, and so far so good. I had a great email from Jim Reineck of JM Reineck and Son in the US, who did all the bronze castings for the Marilee project over 10 years ago, and I think that he is the one to provide all the missing parts. I also spent some time working through a few of the plans, looking for good ways to incorporate the modern equipment we will have on board into the hull without upsetting the period feel that I am aiming for. I have had a couple of good ideas today and a small yip even managed to escape me at one point. I will share that with you when I'm sure it will work!
Meanwhile plenty of noise was emanating from the workshop floor, signs that the ten chippies were hard at it. The timber has been ordered and should be with us soon. We have a small stock of white oak to keep us going until then.
More tomorrow.
Jono
| Restoration |
|
