Feeling like a New Boat.....

May 2014

We have now completed painting the inside of the hull, and having sanded back the 2 coats applied by hand we have sprayed on the final coat(s).  Fedoa is now feeling like a new boat being fitted out rather than an old one being patched up.

With all the floors fully fastened in we have been able to slide the keel back in under the boat.  It was offered up and was a good fit on the new wood keel, with all - both original and new - holes lining up with the holes in the lead.  The gallery bolts are all in and fastened, and the main keel bolts all in place with just the nuts to go onto them to have the keel fitted.  This has been bedded on a lead / linseed putty to form a watertight seal. 

Having drilled for the stern tube earlier in the year it was a fairly quick job to get this installed, and from there we were able to fabricate a steel thrust plate and fit our rear coupling for the shaft. 

We have also made and fitted steel engine bearers, so everything is in place for the engine to be dropped in when this arrives.  Other steel work fitted includes hanging knees, either refurbished or remade, and a steel breastplate across the front of the focastle to reinforce under the inner forestay attachment.

More work has been done on the interior bulkheads and floor bearers so all the cabins are now demarcated, and we have worked out the best layout for the companionway staircase, with a mock-up installed last week which we can use for access into the boat.  We are very happy with the layout, with generous cabins throughout.

Looking ahead, we will be fitting the first 2 layers of the deck on this month; a layer of tongue and groove cedar, followed by a layer of ply sheathed with glass cloth and epoxy. We are also aiming to get the engine fully installed so we can get the shaft / aquadrive fitted and all the fuel tanks templated / made up ready to be plumbed in next month so the interior fitout can begin in earnest.