Brass Rubbing Strips Fitted, Ready To Roll Over

In the last few days I have fitted the brass rubbing strips to the keel and bilge runners. The strips are 20 mm wide by 5 mm thick, flat on one side, circular arc on the other. Fitting them was straightforward: cut to length and shape ends, drill and countersink holes approx 100 mm apart along the strip, position strip on the boat and fix with temporary screws, drill pilot holes for all screws, remove strip and fill all pilot holes with epoxy, coat strip with Sikaflex 391, put in place and fix with silicon bronze screws, clean off excess Sikaflex with mineral turps. There are 120 screws in the four brass strips.

 

The strip stops part way up the stem because a bow eye (ring with a long threaded shank) will be fitted through the stem. Once this is in place, and the top of the stem is finished, a short piece of brass strip will be fitted to the top part of the stem.

 

Today's job was to build the frame that the boat will be rolled over in. There are still 4 building moulds inside the boat fixed to the frames lower cross members. the upper cross members have packing pieces bearing down onto the keel. As the boat is turned over it will only be able to move a few mm inside the frame and the paintwork will be protected from bumps and scratches. At least that is my hope!

 

Having built the frame I can set off on my trip south with a clear conscience! When I return, sometime towards the end of February, I will round up half a dozen volunteers, carry the boat and frame out of the shed, turn it over, and carry it back into the shed.