Monday 14 November 2016

Nanw - Rowing boat stuff

Fortunately the weather has been kind and I have been able to get on with one or two further jobs outdoors on Nanw. Firstly I gave the interior another coat of primer after having treated the new frames with wood preservative. This was followed with a couple of coats of grey bilge paint in the areas under the floor boards (burden boards).
Bilge painting
Since the walestrakes and inwales have all been replaced I worked some rowlock cheeks out of fir and glued and fastened them in place behind the rowing thwart positions. I re-fitted them in the same spots as the originals were - about 250mm behind the forward and centre thwarts.
Rowlock cheek
Once planed flush I worked some cappings from offcuts of white oak and morticed for the galvanised rowlock plates. These were clamped and glued in place and holes bored to take 1/2" shank rowlocks.
Cappings glued and clamped



Rowlock cheek cappings fitted and faired
Off the boat I had been gluing up new timber to make new stern thwart and side benches. The original hardwood benches which were as ripe as anything and consisted mostly of car body filler were used as a template.  The benches are arranged to be removable to allow for painting - I assume - so I followed suit with the replacements.
New side benches being shaped.
To give some protection I have started giving this new wood in the upperworks a few coats of timber protection ('Cetol HLS').  I am trying this stuff as an alternative to varnish on this boat.  There is no gloss finish but it soaks into the timber nicely and looks very workmanlike and it is supposed to be resistant to UV - so we'll have to see.
Sharp edges rounded, sanded and the timber oiled