As I prepare myself and my van (empty) for the voyage back to Europe on Sunday, I have a little smile on my face, in spite of the 400 odd kilometres and 15 hours it took to get an authorisation to circulate with my FOREIGN VEHICULE! The reason for this facial contortion is the fact that the first plank had the final adjustments made to it and it will be ready to be attached definitively to its new position next week. Its opposite number is cut to shape and is awaiting some shaping before it can be fitted. The planks I am talking about are the garboards and have the most complex shape of all the planking. We also reached another milestone today. The last pair of frames was completed and there remain only 9 pairs to be fitted to the hull almost all of which are in the forward section and are short and almost straight. By the end of the month there should be some interesting pictures to post.

I am making good headway with my various departments and am confident that I can overcome the various problems encountered so far. However the keel is going to be a difficult proposition. Of the 18 or so keel bolts, very few are vertical so it will be impossible to lift the hull off the keel. I think the quickest and easiest solution, in view of the fact that they will all be renewed anyway, will be to the take the weight of the hull and cut each keel bolt where the keel connects with the keelson. The bolt halves can then be removed more easily. Drastic measures, but without such, I can’t see what other options exist. More on this later.

Jono.