Fitting out, 2015

Things have been quiet on the blogging front but, behind the scenes, fitting out has been chugging along quite nicely.  The first task was to strip back the mast to bare wood.

I then applied several coats of International Compass varnish, that being the best of a modest choice in the local chandlers.  Not that I'm fussy about this: the remaining spars seem more than happy with their Ronseal exterior varnish.  If I had some left in the pot, the mast would have had the same - I fancied a change, though.

I've also applied a coat of Sadolin to the gunwhales.  I still need to do the inner facing side plus the transom.

'...upon thy belly shalt thou go, and antifouling shalt thou apply annually, all the sailing days of thy life...'. Indeed, it does seem like a punishment for past and intended pleasures, but it must be done.

So, one coat of International Cruiser Uno Plus (on offer at Fox's Marina) applied.  I now need to roll the boat back a few inches to cover the bits obscured by rollers on the trailer.

Whatever else gets done depends entirely on weather and time.  The plan, as ever, is to be sailing from the beginning of April.  

Seahopper assembly

Boat assembly, Seahopper style.

Bag laid out

hull removed

opened out revealing centre case and hinged stern transom 

port side stern transom fixed in place

and the starboard side; boat begins to take shape.

centre thwart in place

centre thwart pushed into place, stainless steel latches and turn buckles under the seat near the centrecase secured

stern thwart in place (subsequently read the instructions which suggest this should be done after the bow is sorted...)

bow, showing inner membrane

bow board in place

bow thwart in place with latches secured

boat completed for rowing purposes.

stern board in place - this can support an outboard, if required - except that I don't have one!

the stern board is more useful for the tiller

help from the cat!

side seats in place

mast hoisted and stays secured.

It was very windy today, so I did unfurl the sails and studied the rigging but didn't go any further.

Assembly didn't take long: I'm looking forward to the first launching opportunity.

Huntingford helm impeder and other things!

Thanks to Facebook and the Dinghy Cruising Association, in particular, I think I've found the first of my modifications for the New Year in the name of the Huntingford helm impeder.

Having fiddled with all manner of such devices in the past I'm keen to try this technique to see if it makes any difference.  Roger Barnes, president of the aforementioned association, certainly suggests it should, describing it as 'one of the great inventions of western civilisation'.  

This neatly brings me on to this season's best stocking filler for small boat sailors, namely Roger's own 'The Dinghy Cruising Companion' which is proving, without doubt, one of the most rewarding reads on sailing I can remember.  

Packed with useful advice, anecdotes, excellently written and superbly presented, this must now surely be a 'must read' for any sailor.  A brilliant achievement!

DAN110

Just a little proud that Daisy II made it on to the front cover of the latest DAN.  Fond memories of our early morning departure from the River Crouch in August.