Digging for lead

135 days

Over the Christmas break Mark has been doing some joinery, making the heads door and various locker doors from oak and a superb skylight from some of the old reclaimed teak we found. Meanwhile Barnaby was to have been making the rudder, but unfortunately the design wasn't finalised in time. Instead he got on with the less interesting task, painting inside of which there is a huge amount.

Back to work on Monday there has been more painting with the help of Ben, fitting of doors and door frames, finishing the caulking, collecting timber for the rail capping and starting to fit the capping. The timber for this is some unidentified South American hardwood which has been lying in Mac and Sally's garden for the past 20 or so years proving its durability. It's very hard and so resistant to knocks and chafe from mooring warps and fender lines, but the best thing about it is its stability which means we'll be able to leave it bare. No Painting or varnishing every year !!!

Also, as you can see from the picture, Joff and Freddy dug the hole for casting the ballast keel. The mold is made, the hole is dug, the baths have been welded, the burners have been hired and all we need now is a dry day with light winds so that we can melt the lead. We had hoped that this was going to be this week but as I write the forecast is not looking hopeful.