Adam F

Many of you will have been looking at the recent updates and thinking 'he's nearly there...) well whilst it looks that way, all of the internal works have only been tacked into place whilst I finish the veneers and structural work. This week I've taken the whole lot apart and started to glass the whole lot back into the boat. It's not a job I've been relishing as it involves working in awkward confined spaces with grp, but it's the last hump before it gets flow coated and then the electrical install can begin. Rob came over Thurs, and after a few demos and a bit of teaching as he hadn't worked with grp before, we cracked on as a pair. Wow, what a difference it makes having 2. One was cutting, mixing and wetting out the mat, the other was rolling and consolidating. We managed the get the port side bunk / locker fully done, the forward bunk and the dash. We then ran out (again of resin) so moved on and got the toilet flow coated. On Sat, I fabricated the plinth for the toilet. This was made from foam with a ply top to take the screws and then glassed into place. I then started the final leg of glassing and have moved onto glassing the starboard side in. Another few hours today and that will be done, ready for flow coating next week. Next weekend should see the end of smelly grp and the start of cables! The end is in sight.....

Do we have anyone in the club, or does anyone have a contact for a fitter locally to fit contract safety flooring? Thanks

Lots of work today, but photos don't show much, so there aren't any. Have progressed the heads nicely. This morning I got the sections bonded and screwed into place, this afternoon, I got it all glassed in, ready for Rob to flow coat it on Thurs. I can then fit the toilet, and the frame and door and that is that done.

No update for the last week. A weeks holiday, and well deserved! However back today and found time for an hour or so to remove the pig ugly roof rails from the wheelhouse roof. This however came with a last minute bonus as I've managed to adjust these to become the new engine box rails. Amazing how ugly these looks in their original format and how a poor designed bit of kit can make a boat look so bad. The new rails being made by Pete, are low profile and will follow the wheelhouse contours. Original rails

He will be welcome at mine in a few weeks once the D4 has got power back to it again. Trim still needs sorting, and it needs a service and a general overhaul. I'm stacked out with other jobs as you know.....

Cut N Cover are doing the cushions and upholstery. Last time I did it all myself and it was another huge amount of work, this time it will be nice to hand the whole job over and get tem back professionally done. Wayne is coming over a week thurs to template up. Another job ticked off the list.

Already considered that Dave. I have a roll of frosting film here ready to go, but it will be one of the last jobs as it needs to go on a 100% clean surface. The boat is somewhat dusty at the moment! Off on holiday now for a week. I think I've earnt it! And very much looking forward to it....

Chris, I'll take the speakers. I think they should fit the holes I have. Any chance of giving me the aperture sizes?

Thanks all!

I finished all of the veneers today, constructed the fillets and additional supports for the wheelhouse bench seat, bonded in the deck hatch frames and bonded and screwed down the starboard carcassing. One of those days where lots of work doesn't show much, but it's now all ready for glassing in, and flow coating... Then it's done! Looking ahead I think another 2 full days work and I'll be finished and ready to start the electrical install. Aiming for end of May..... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Day off on Sat for family time, but cracked on today and nearly have the veneers finished now. Trimmed the fridge to match the rest of the appliances, and started to fit the slotted trunking to carry the numerous cables and wires. Finally, I was a bit short of teak trims, but remembered that a big batch of teak came with the boat purchase, all large sections but a few hours with the table saw, planer and router saw all the last trims fabricated and trimmed to size.

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Now have the forward bunk finished and glassed in, nothing fancy here as its all going to be carpeted, bit the two bunks are a good size and comfortable. Rob came over today to lend a hand with the laminate venners, a very productive day, and what a huge difference it has made with the interior finish. Very, very pleased with the colours I picked, they work great together... The only problem now is the boat kitchen looks better than my one at home!

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Finding the laminate veneers testing to work with, very little room for error, fragile and unforgiving. Still, once bonded to the ply, it becomes easy, and looks great. Started to tab the units into the boat today with 1800gsm layup, and veneered the dash tops this evening.

This weekend was one of those when despite spending two whole days on the boat, it doesn't look like I've achieved much! Alas I have, just none of the exciting bits. Sat morning was mainly spent with Bob F, running through the electrical fit out, how to do it and what I need. In the afternoon, I finished making up the panels and supports for the forward bunks. Sunday, lovely and sunny, great day to be outside, but no, today was spent in the foreword bunk, in the dark, with little ventilation, laminating out the bunks with grp. Not a great job to do, but it's done now. I picked up the sheets of laminate this week. I decided to finish off today with a dabble at laminating a panel, to finish on something a little more interesting. I've not worked with formica before. Horrible stuff! The edge is like a razor... My index finger was no match for that..... Then cutting it, not easy. Decided on a stanley, but it needs firm and steady pressure, even then it's liable to split and tear.... Didn't enjoy that bit. However after gluing it trims up a treat with the router and looks superb. Very pleased with this, and looking forward to doing the rest of the wheelhouse. Also pleased with the style of the veneer. It's Zebrano, a tropical, heavily stripped hardwood, so it looks natural, but a little more modern than a cherry or oak veneer.

Been working away again this week so slower progress, but whilst away the hob, sink and oven arrived. Got cracking today, had planned to do much more but as it was, the galley proved fiddley and time consuming, but I was determined to get it right, myself, Ian and many of our regular crew like our food, so a decent galley is essential. I've made the work top bow fronted to match the curve of the top unit and take away from it looking too boxy. We have a 30l Smev Oven and combined grill, and the top unit is a 2 ring hob and sink unit. I'm really pleased with this. Will start on the final bit of carpentry tomorrow, the forward bunk.

Started the galley tonight, now waiting for the oven, hob and sink to arrive so I can build the rest around it.

Thanks for the feedback. Charlie, that isn't the seat I'm using, it's one I have and it's near enough for setting up the boat. The actual one is air suspension and fully adjustable, with 150mm ride height adjustment. Gaffa, it's a balance, I won't want it to fell like driving a car, where the wheel is close enough to drive whilst leaning fully back on the seat, I'm trying to get it so that helming stood up leaning on the seat works too. Also, on long passages, the auto helm will be driving, so not as much need to be too close to the wheel.

Still can't decide on the veneer. Take a look at these, that I've short listed. The top dash veneer I've decided on the dark grey, 2nd from the left. The teak trim is now in place for reference but I can't decide on the timber veneer. I'm tempted by some of the more modern, striped timbers, but the teak and iroko trims I have are beautiful (and expensive!) and I want to show these off, I'm not sure if the louder veneers would mask the trims? What do the PBSBAC members think?

Good progress today. Added the starboard plinth next to the helm seat. This will have the throttle controls, vhf, wiper controls, trim tabs, etc mounted to hand. Once that was done, I then tackled the seat box which houses the fridge. This needs to be built extra strong as it will take a lot of abuse, having the helm seat mounted on top. Once these two were done, I dummy mounted the throttle control and steering wheel, crucial for me, is the ergonomics of the set up. Many of you will know the aches you get from hours sat at the helm if we aren't comfortable and have to stretch or reach for anything. So I'm very nearly there on the wheelhouse carcassing, just the galley to sort this week when the cooker and hob arrive.

Family day today but managed to squeek out for an hour after dinner and have started on the final leg of the wheelhouse carcassing, the helm seat boxing and the galley. Got the half bulkhead trimmed in tonight and hope to finish the rest tomorrow. Need to get the cooker ordered this week so I can fit the galley around it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Shopping trip this morning. A off cut of bendy ply from Pete, and a trip to KJ Howells to sell a kidney for some teak trim. Great little set up they have there and an Aladdin's cave of teak mouldings... I only picked about half of what I need.... And handed over 125 quid! Looks the business though. Had Rob onsite today, with broken finger... I had expected tea and a chat but he was up for light work, so I put him to good use helping fabricate the helm station. Managed to sort the radius edge to match the teak with a section of gutter cut to size. Will give the helm a softer less angular look. Finally after a Rob had left, used the bendy ply to finish the pop up screen section. Quite pleased with progress so far. Just the seat box and galley to do now.

When I've finished Tony, I'd be more than happy to do just that.