Monday, December 12, 2011

the first cut is the deepest


I had taken the blocks and cleats off of the foredeck about a week ago.  Today I made my measurements and drew the lines for the mast slot.  It is not the full slot, which would have reached all the way back to the cockpit, that I had once imagined.  It is a shorter slot that reaches back about four inches.  This will give me plenty of room to angle the foot of the mast into the mast hole and then raise it by walking the mast forward.  Much easier than lifting the mast and rigging vertically on those windy days.


I practiced with the dummy mast and the angle is just right.  It was an easy cut, one that ends just forward of frame two.  No structural parts of the hull were affected.  I'll take the piece cut out from the deck and use it to make a cap that will cover the slot.  Once painted the same color as the deck I suspect the cap and slot will not be noticeable.


I'll start working on the cap next weekend.  Then, before getting involved in any painting, I'll do a survey inside the cockpit of Spartina to identify areas that need to be sanded, primed and repainted.



Above is a photo of the place where the anchor bucket rests (or slides around when heeled over). You can see that it and the small rail just aft are well worn.  There are a handful of places with wear like that including areas on the sole of the aft cockpit and the edges of the seats.  I'll identify those places and sand them down.  I may not get around to priming and painting until February when we get our first warm days of the winter.

I'm not a woodworker, but I enjoyed the smell of sawdust today.

steve

6 comments:

Baydog said...

Hey....grey paint!

doryman said...

Tie that anchor down! Stuff that shifts around is a hazard and undue wear is an indicator.

I imagine a plug cap aft of the mast with an image of your boat etched or carved in it....

Steve said...

Doryman,

Excellent point! The anchor bucket and anchor are both connected by clips to a line that runs around the base of the mast. But it can still shift an inch or two. I will see how I can secure it a little better.
A carving on the cap is an excellent idea. I wish I knew how to carve.

steve

Bill said...

"I'm not a woodworker," he says, in a blog replete with lots of pictures of a lovely wooden boat that he built with his own two hands! Ha!

doryman said...

Heaven forbid that Spartina should ever roll over, but if she did, you want all your gear to stay with the boat. Many people say that doryman is a bit extreme in his preparedness, but my motto is expect the best and prepare for the worst. I keep my anchor in a heavy duty, purpose made vinyl bag, all flaked down for use. The anchor, chain and rode all fit in the bag, which can be moved from it's usual spot forward of the mast to anywhere I need it (I often set my anchor from where I'm sitting at the helm.)The bag has a velcro closure, though it's hardly necessary. The bitter end of the anchor rode is always (and I mean always) threaded up from the bottom of the bag and tied off somewhere, with a tight bowline.

I'm not patient enough to carve, but have a couple of good friends who love it. It's not hard to convince them to make something pretty for a pretty boat and often I can trade for their efforts. In fact, I could put you in touch with one of them, if you want. I'm sure the end product would be very reasonably priced. Send me a note if you're interested:
mbogoger (at) gmail.com

Shawn Stanley said...

"I'm not a woodworker," he says, in a blog replete with lots of pictures of a lovely wooden boat that he built with his own two hands! Ha!

Bill, I was thinking that exact same thing! ;)

-Shawn