Windows

This was just after putting the tent up and before removing the windows and rubbing strake.  Looks quite good from here but looks can be deceiving!

My son Tom putting his Karate skills to good use punching the old windows out.  The rubber was perished and badly fitted and the wondows were cracked and brittle.  Not sur eyet what or how to replace the wondows.  I was quoted for aluminium framed windows with toughened glass or perspex.  The price shocked me, more than £500 for the four!!!  A cheaper option will have to be found but I still want it to look good.

A view looking down as you step into the cabin.  I removed the wooden trim that houses the washboard.  The outer parts were rotten at the bottom.  The inner pieces were fine and just needed sanding.

Notice the wooden step that runs the width of the boat.  This had come away from the fibreglass so I mixed up lots of West Epoxy with some micro-fibres and put it in every crack I could and then clamped it back in place.  It is now bonded in the correct place and just needs cleaning up and a varnish,

This is a picture of the outer trim that was rotten at the bottom.

This is a top view of the old profiles as they fit together.

This is the new outer profile a bit wider than the original but will be more secure.  I routed the rebate and I am using the original inner profile.  I will post pictures when fitted.

View of ventilator on the deck just behind the mast.  The previous fitting was plastic and was cracked and broken.  Not sure if I will put a wooden ring round the inside to finish it off.

This is the mushroom vent I will fit.  I have had it for a long time and it was destined for a previous boat but now will look great on the Alactiry, something to polish!

Transom and through hull fitting

This is the transom taken just after getting the boat home.  Notice the small hole below the outboard tracks.  This was brass and had a pipe leading to the starboard locker.  It did not drain the cockpit but I am guessing it was to drain the locker if gas was stored there.  The locker was not sealed so not sure how efective it would have been.  I have removed the fitting and pipe. 

This is the transom now it has been sanded and painted with grey primer.  I have bought a new through hull fitting which is in place at the bottom of the transom.  I will either connect this to a drain at the aft end of the cockpit or use it as an outlet for a hand operated bilge pump.

View of transom

Rubbing strake

The next two pics are bits of the rubbing strake I removed.  It was in lots of different pieces and differnt woods and some was rotten and badly fitted or lose.  I decided to remove it, some was bolted on and some screwed through the hull leaving sharp screws sticking out inside.

  Whilst I would have liked a wooden rubbing strake I will replace it with a rubber one as below.

The sample on the left is the likely one I will use as it has a lip to accomodate the step where deck overlaps hull.  Plenty of room for some sealant.  The profile is screwed in place then the tube put in afterwards.  Comes in blue, black or red and different sizes.  The second profile from the same company is intersting as you can sand the surface to look like wood from a distance but it is flat profile where is goes agains the hull and I coul dnot get the white part to fit correctly so no use for the Alacrity unless I put an infill piece on the hull before fitting but that would be too fiddly I think.  If you see my link to Misty the Silhouette Edward has used the white profile and it looks great.

I wanted a woode strake on the stern so I laminated three pieces of teak over a former to get the curve and this will be bolted and screwed onto sealant oncce the hull has been painted.  I coatedthe wood with epoxy and it will be varnished to finish it off.  The picture below is looking across the stern from port side.

Below shows a bolt going right through the new strake with a brass plate.  This is on the centre line.

Mainsheet horse

This is the bronze mainsheet horse.  I have not cleaned it up yet but made some aluminium backing plates the same as for the rudder.

Rudder pintle

This is the bottom rudder pintle.  It is bronze and I just cleaned it up. 

The pintle has four screw holes and a bolt through the hull which goes through a backing timber in the transom. 

I made up some aluminium backing plates to spread the load.