Lots of progress

Paul Smith has been making his usual magic and has four of the forward planks installed. It’s a joy to walk into the shop and see Sjogin’s gaping hole gradually reduced to where her shape is returning.

We’ve talked about the repairs to the deck and the plan to cover it in plywood and polyester. It will require the coaming to be removed and eventually replaced. The shape will be carefully recorded so there’s no apparent change. Based on my prior repairs I expect we’ll need to fix the carlin as well.

Replacing the rails looms as well. That may wait till this summer as the yard is getting busy with normal work and Paul’s talents will be needed elsewhere. I still plan on stripping all the paint off the hull and dealing with her seams. Hope to have her in her usual spot in the big shed for that work.

Speaking of which I haven’t done as much as I planned as I wrenched my lower back a few weeks ago getting the fiberglass off the deck. The joys of advancing age.

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What joy to see things moving in the right direction. Here are the first three planks installed. The lowest one is scarfed and the other two have butt blocks. These three were steamed and bent on a mold. The others will be steamed and clamped in place on the boat.

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Hot, steaming progress. Paul (right) and Jeff clamping a plank in place fresh from the steam box. Note the new inwale and repaired shelf clamp.

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After poking around it was clear that the port sheer strake needed replacing. The ends seem OK so the mid-ship section came out. The inwale needed minor attention but all else seems fine.

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Here’s the fourth plank installed. We’re very lucky to have such fine cedar to work with.

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Starting to look almost normal.

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The new cedar matches better than expected. Though you’ll always be able to see the new planks, a reminder of that terrible October night.

I’d like to close with heart felt thanks to Paul and the crew at Beaton’s for bringing our Sjogin back to life. Progress indeed.