Week 3

I spent a couple days this week playing around with my spars. I got the 6th coat of Epiphanes on and wire wheeled down a couple pieces of hardware for the main boom, and installed them with some bedding compound. The polished bronze is really a sight after seeing the progression from old to new. Although I do prefer the look of weathered bronze, but I felt it was appropriate to clean it up since the varnish is so pretty. I am still waiting to figure out where the chafe gear will go for the mast, so it hasnt gotten any varnish yet, but I did manage two coats of primer and two coats of Hatteras Off White paint to the top.

Now that the big hole is cut out for the open cockpit, I was able to really go to town on the interior. I removed all the ceiling planks to expose the frames and inner planking. I backed out the fasteners holding down the teak sole to expose all the floor timbers, keelson, keel bolts, and frame heels. Then I got out the heat gun and scraper and scraped off all the old paint on the planks, frames, floors, keelson all the way up into the bow as far as my hand could reach. Then I went onto my back and scraped all the old paint on the remainder of the under decking and deck beams. I now have a callous on my hand i've never seen before. Its sort of a swooping arc that follows the line in my hand from the scraper.

Then, I found the courage to get the circular saw out and begin removing the deck aft of the mast step. I knew I was going to need to remove it to inspect and replace where necessary the sheer clamp and carlin. The deck came off pretty easily. I could pretty much pull it off and the screws just pulled out of the old clamp and carlin. This revealed a carlin and sheer clamp that needs to be replaced completely because of some iron fasteners that have split the wood wide open. Also, the top of the oak sheer plank is a little soft, and when the deck was pulled up, a little bit of oak came with it.

This week was my discovery week. After exposing all the nooks and crannies of the boat, I am finally able to compile my "list" of work. This ranges from repairing frame heels, floor timbers, chain plate blocking, sheer clamp and carlins, old thru hull fittings, sanding, painting, and new construction. Of course this is subject to change, and im sure as I go through it, more things will get added. But it is reassuring to 'know' what i have to do and to be able to start crossing things off the list.

Pompano needs to move out of her spot the first couple weeks of May in order to get another boat out that im blocking in for a spring launching. So that means Pompano will have a spring launching as well. Unless something gets in my way. All I can ask is that good vibes keep getting sent my way.