Keel and Skeg packing blocks

Finally, another update. Inclement weather as well as being involved in making cabinets for a paying customer have slowed progress a bit. However in between all of this I have finished and fitted the Keel packing block and fitted the rudder and skeg packer ready to be flattened. All that now remains is to finish filling the holes, before sanding and sealing the entire hull with epoxy.

Setting up the Chines and Gunwales

Whilst the filling of holes continues, in between the incescant rain and wind which we are experiencing at the moment in the Western Cape, there is nothing much to add to the blog by way of current progress, so I will continue from where I left off with the setting up of the Keelson.

The next step was to set up the Chines and Gunwales. these were both made up of two layers of 69 x 22mm timber which first had to be joined with scarfs to form the lengths required. Once the first layer had been fixed to the frames and checked for fairness, the second layer was then glued and screwed to this to form a strong continuous curve. Once this was complete, the Chines were then chamfered to the correct angle.

Template for Keel packing blocks.

Whilst I have been busy "plugging" away at the holes - which is well over half way complete now - I have also been busy with the Keel Packer block. This is being cut and shaped at the moment, after having cut and set up a template from which to transfer the profile (shown in the photographs above). Once this is complete the same will be done for the Skeg and Rudder packer.

Mini Tididi

While the hole filling is continuing, and during periods where the weather is too bad to work on the boat, I have been constructing a scale model of TIDIDI. This is mainly to assist in the planning of the hull turning, in order to see which is going to be the best way of doing this with minimum effort and manpower, and without too much modification of the boat shed. The most likely method is going to be one suggested by Roy McBride, which he used successfully on his own boat, whereby a pinion is fitted to both the transom and the stem, which then rest in "A" frames, allowing the hull to turn much like a "Spit". The model will assist in getting the best position for these pinions so that the hull is balanced throughout the turning process. It will also allow me to see where the ground needs to be excavated to allow for the widest section of the hull.

Filling the Holes

With roughly 6400 holes to fill this is turning out to be quite a time consuming process. However after experimenting with a couple of ways of doing this, including a putty knife and a large catheter syringe, I have now come up with using old silicon tubes in a caulking gun. This is by far the best method so far and I can fill up to 430 holes with one 100/65 gram mix.

Rounding the last Mark and heading for the Finish

I am well and truly on the last leg now heading for the big day when she gets turned over. Another weekend of brilliant Cape Town weather allowed for all the sanding to be done and the last seam filled. After some difficulty trying to fill the screw holes with Teak powder using a catheter syringe, which tended to clog too easily, Theo suggested I try the powder which came out of the sander after having sanded all the joints. This turned out to be the answer as it makes a much smoother paste which does not clog. In effect it is also recycling the Teak powder already used to fill the joints thus minimising wastage.

Mascot - Tididi Bear

The boats mascot is a teddy bear - obviously then named "Tididi Bear" - which was made by my sister Maureen. She makes and sells teddy bears dressed to suit any occasion or theme.

Filling of Joints almost complete

Joints in the foreground have been filled and sanded in the picture above.

All of the joints have now been filled except for the one that runs from stem to stern over the keelson and stem post. Some of these have already been sanded and finished and those that were filled this past weekend will be finished off this coming weekend. Joints are filled with a paste made by mixing epoxy with a graded teak flour (sawdust), which I get from Roy at CKD Boats. All that still remains to be filled are all the screw holes before final sanding.

Planning for the Turning.

Things are progressing well at the moment and planning and preparation for the turning are already afoot. Filling and finishing of all the joints and holes should be completed by the end of next week, and I have already started stripping and removing parts of the building stocks, some of which will be used to make the cradle and also skids for the turning. All that then remains after the filling is completed is to fit the packing blocks for the keel and skeg and then seal the hull.

Planking Finished.

At 16h35 this afternoon after a day of perfect weather, which was one of quite a few over the past two weeks, I finally fitted the last panel to the hull which completes the planking. This was one of 216 panels which went into planking the hull. All that remains now before turning is to fill all the gaps and screwholes, fit the packing blocks to take the keel and rudder skeg and then seal the entire hull with epoxy.