Eun Na Mara in Maylands
To most of us, Maylands was the dreaming time for sailors who stored their boats "up the river" and worked on them on weekends and sometimes just left them there to quietly rot or rust until the hulks were chopped up for salvage to pay for the outstanding stand fees. Until recently that is.......
The Maylands Amateur Boatbuilding Yard in Hardey Rd Maylands has been renovated and the sheds now offer the services of a full time shipwright who understands the needs of the part time enthusiast and offers a professional service for those who wish to do major work on their boats.
Eun Na Mara has been sailing solidly for the last year and it has become evident that she needs a refurbishment to take her through the next twenty years or so. A myriad of changes have happened since she was built and Ralph has bitten the bullet, bought Lynne a new car and is settling down to work on the boat over winter.
Talking to him recently he outlined the work that is proposed and in some cases was necessary in order for her to keep sailing.
Up at the bow.
The idea of putting a bowsprit on the boat seems fanciful, but it would only be restoring to her what she used to have. The concept is to be able to launch genakkers and asymmetric kites from it for off the wind work. The forestay will remain on the boat with possibly a furling headsail in place. In order to do this the bow has been opened up and a good deal of work has to be done. There is evidence of pretty major prang on the port side of the bow which has been repaired and the king post will be renewed with a good one and half to two metres of heavily braced bowsprit hanging on the end of it. Major timber work around the stem and the ribs will also be undertaken with the inner forestay being re-pinned to prevent any possibility of it coming adrift.
Mid ship
The critical chain plates, manufactured in aluminum, are welded to the aluminum bulkhead. Detailed inspection is taking place to ensure the competence of the welds and the elimination of corrosion caused by dis-similar materials in contact. The tabernacle for the mast has been shifting and will require fixing and the evidence can be seen when you look at the picture of the foot of the mast. The Boom will also be raised 300 mm to save those sailing her from sore heads during gybes and tacks. The set up of the foresails will be adjusted with the foresails coming down to a 7/8ths rig rather than the full rig currently used. Oh and yes, the entire deck is to be refurbished and the dynel is coming off in sheets. The word "teak" was used, but I'm not sure how much is to be used and where.
Aft and the cockpit.
The cockpit will be opened up across the beam and Ralph is contemplating putting in a wheel and binnacle with the possibility of the traveler and main sheets being shifted aft with the controls leading back into the cockpit. Putting bulwarks around the deck at the deck edge will provide a little more protection from the waves when heeled over and keep the spray to a minimum. (Won't stop her from being a wet boat though, she's known as the U boat as she goes over one and through the next) :-)'
The winches....... the primaries will remain on board and just move out board a little, but the secondary's may very well end up on top of the cabin. Ralph was also murmuring about electric winches and with the new lithium batteries available why not? Charge them up over night and sail all afternoon, though on a long trip they may need recharging periodically off the diesel. And finally the transom; Ralph is restoring her original transom. A gently curved and rounded transom, so very much part of the Fife builders who originally drew the plans for her construction.
Gosh! What a lot to do.
Enjoy the first lot of photo's and enjoy the sight of the Swan around Maylands in the early morning.
I'll update the web page as things develop.
The Maylands Amateur Boatbuilding Yard in Hardey Rd Maylands has been renovated and the sheds now offer the services of a full time shipwright who understands the needs of the part time enthusiast and offers a professional service for those who wish to do major work on their boats.
Eun Na Mara has been sailing solidly for the last year and it has become evident that she needs a refurbishment to take her through the next twenty years or so. A myriad of changes have happened since she was built and Ralph has bitten the bullet, bought Lynne a new car and is settling down to work on the boat over winter.
Talking to him recently he outlined the work that is proposed and in some cases was necessary in order for her to keep sailing.
Up at the bow.
The idea of putting a bowsprit on the boat seems fanciful, but it would only be restoring to her what she used to have. The concept is to be able to launch genakkers and asymmetric kites from it for off the wind work. The forestay will remain on the boat with possibly a furling headsail in place. In order to do this the bow has been opened up and a good deal of work has to be done. There is evidence of pretty major prang on the port side of the bow which has been repaired and the king post will be renewed with a good one and half to two metres of heavily braced bowsprit hanging on the end of it. Major timber work around the stem and the ribs will also be undertaken with the inner forestay being re-pinned to prevent any possibility of it coming adrift.
Mid ship
The critical chain plates, manufactured in aluminum, are welded to the aluminum bulkhead. Detailed inspection is taking place to ensure the competence of the welds and the elimination of corrosion caused by dis-similar materials in contact. The tabernacle for the mast has been shifting and will require fixing and the evidence can be seen when you look at the picture of the foot of the mast. The Boom will also be raised 300 mm to save those sailing her from sore heads during gybes and tacks. The set up of the foresails will be adjusted with the foresails coming down to a 7/8ths rig rather than the full rig currently used. Oh and yes, the entire deck is to be refurbished and the dynel is coming off in sheets. The word "teak" was used, but I'm not sure how much is to be used and where.
Aft and the cockpit.
The cockpit will be opened up across the beam and Ralph is contemplating putting in a wheel and binnacle with the possibility of the traveler and main sheets being shifted aft with the controls leading back into the cockpit. Putting bulwarks around the deck at the deck edge will provide a little more protection from the waves when heeled over and keep the spray to a minimum. (Won't stop her from being a wet boat though, she's known as the U boat as she goes over one and through the next) :-)'
The winches....... the primaries will remain on board and just move out board a little, but the secondary's may very well end up on top of the cabin. Ralph was also murmuring about electric winches and with the new lithium batteries available why not? Charge them up over night and sail all afternoon, though on a long trip they may need recharging periodically off the diesel. And finally the transom; Ralph is restoring her original transom. A gently curved and rounded transom, so very much part of the Fife builders who originally drew the plans for her construction.
Gosh! What a lot to do.
Enjoy the first lot of photo's and enjoy the sight of the Swan around Maylands in the early morning.
I'll update the web page as things develop.
The next visit to Maylands. 25th of May
It was a fine Monday morning when I rolled up and Ralph was hard at work sweeping the floor of the debris while his shipwright was drilling holes in the centre of the bow in preparation to putting in the two major bolts that will help hold the bowsprit in place. Ralph put the broom down and took me over the changes in the boat.
She has been opened up quite considerably, with the front section of the bow laid bare and the keelson reinforced with laminated Wandoo strips to help handle the new bowsprit. The first layer of decking has been largely removed and the chain plate areas opened up for inspection. The cockpit has been removed along with the sides ( that may be used later) and for the first time in a while, the engine has been laid bare.
A number of changes were in evidence, the deck was stripped off, the cockpit removed, the bow was opened up and the keelson has been re-enforced with a lamination of 4 strips of Wandoo to take the load of the bowsprit. A template was in place while the photo was taken.
Ralph had noted as had others that there was a shudder in the helm and upon digging further into it he found that the rudder post was held in place by two bearings. The top bearing was in reasonable condition, but the bottom one, held in place with an aluminum bracket was moveable and on closer inspection the bracket was corroded out around the bearing. Hence the shudder. (at a later date Ralph took the bracket out and showed me the corrosion on both sides. The photo's I took will show the damage.) The chain plates on each side were suffering from the same problem, though not as heavily corroded and it would have been only a matter of time before one or both let go.
To the mast step. Ralph placed himself on top of it, facing the bow and gently rocked it backwards and forwards, remarking that if his 95 kg could rock it, what would a 1/4 ton mast do? The plan is to put in strong bracing to help prevent the movement.
The cockpit as I mentioned has been stripped back and opened up with the bulwarks taken off and the mild steel struts that supported the cockpit and re enforced the hull were removed as they were heavily corroded (see the photo). Ralph will replace these at a later date. There was also evidence of damage to some of the structural timbers under the decking and he'll have to replace these as well.
To the decking; the plan is to clean it up and put on a waterproof layer with teak decking laid on top to finish the boat. The hatch at the rear is in limbo as it was there to service the hydraulic back stay, however he is undecided as to it's future. A high pressure blaster was nearby and Ralph explained that he had it on mind to do some cleaning where the cockpit used to be.
Ralph has had help from retired naval architect Kim Klaka. Kim took the time to draw up the modifications that were required and crews on Eun Na Mara from time to time. Hopefully I'll be able to present you with copies of the work that Kim did for Eun Na Mara.
Another two weeks or so and I'll be off to Maylands again to see what's happening.
She has been opened up quite considerably, with the front section of the bow laid bare and the keelson reinforced with laminated Wandoo strips to help handle the new bowsprit. The first layer of decking has been largely removed and the chain plate areas opened up for inspection. The cockpit has been removed along with the sides ( that may be used later) and for the first time in a while, the engine has been laid bare.
A number of changes were in evidence, the deck was stripped off, the cockpit removed, the bow was opened up and the keelson has been re-enforced with a lamination of 4 strips of Wandoo to take the load of the bowsprit. A template was in place while the photo was taken.
Ralph had noted as had others that there was a shudder in the helm and upon digging further into it he found that the rudder post was held in place by two bearings. The top bearing was in reasonable condition, but the bottom one, held in place with an aluminum bracket was moveable and on closer inspection the bracket was corroded out around the bearing. Hence the shudder. (at a later date Ralph took the bracket out and showed me the corrosion on both sides. The photo's I took will show the damage.) The chain plates on each side were suffering from the same problem, though not as heavily corroded and it would have been only a matter of time before one or both let go.
To the mast step. Ralph placed himself on top of it, facing the bow and gently rocked it backwards and forwards, remarking that if his 95 kg could rock it, what would a 1/4 ton mast do? The plan is to put in strong bracing to help prevent the movement.
The cockpit as I mentioned has been stripped back and opened up with the bulwarks taken off and the mild steel struts that supported the cockpit and re enforced the hull were removed as they were heavily corroded (see the photo). Ralph will replace these at a later date. There was also evidence of damage to some of the structural timbers under the decking and he'll have to replace these as well.
To the decking; the plan is to clean it up and put on a waterproof layer with teak decking laid on top to finish the boat. The hatch at the rear is in limbo as it was there to service the hydraulic back stay, however he is undecided as to it's future. A high pressure blaster was nearby and Ralph explained that he had it on mind to do some cleaning where the cockpit used to be.
Ralph has had help from retired naval architect Kim Klaka. Kim took the time to draw up the modifications that were required and crews on Eun Na Mara from time to time. Hopefully I'll be able to present you with copies of the work that Kim did for Eun Na Mara.
Another two weeks or so and I'll be off to Maylands again to see what's happening.
Kim Klaka's images.
Please note that these are sketches only and are not the anatomically correct drawings that are required in naval architecture. Many thanks to Kim for providing these.
Please note that these are sketches only and are not the anatomically correct drawings that are required in naval architecture. Many thanks to Kim for providing these.
The 16th of June The third visit.
Ralph was sitting in the sunlight working with his I-pad and looked up to welcome me into the shed. " I'm working on stauntions" he said. "I want to be able to put them in and take them off with minimum fuss, but they have to be 1st rate for offshore work" He put the I-pad aside and we wandered into the shed.
Nick Truelove, the shipwright looking after the work on the boat, was moving between the work room on the side of the shed and the boat and left us be for the while, as we walked the floor and I noted the changes in the last 2 weeks. A series of holes in the stern drew my attention and Ralph nodded and said that having opened up the stern section they were discovering more and more work to be done, as dry rot and other things showed up. He had spent the last two weeks in the stern grinding and sanding back to the original wood and in the process discovered that some of the ribs were not in the best condition, so sister ribs were made and fitted to strengthen the hull. Apart from that, the bracket that held the rudder in place had been removed and new work had been put in place. The cockpit was lengthened by another 500 mms or so and a new beam created and put in place. Temporary props were put in place to hold the deck up, now that the supports were removed and the old cockpit of aluminium was cut up and put aside ready for recycling.
The bow next drew my attention and the work involved there was incredible. The entire area that was opened up had been strengthened with a series of bulkheads that would provide the necessary stiffness to hold the bowsprit and the associated gear that was going to hang off the front. Even the sides had been reinforced for the first 17 cm's under the deck to provide a good strong base to work on. The chain plate areas had been worked on and apart from a small amount of dry rot under a window frame all was in good shape. All they needed was the new chain plates to arrive and be fitted, then on goes the deck again. As for the mast step and the tabernacle, the braces have been put in succefully and the mast step has no movement. The idea of a wheel and binnacle has been put aside as Ralph has decided on a tiller for preference and it's now a matter of looking at a tiller that can easily flip up so that he can cross from one side of the cockpit to the other.
The next step was coffee thoughtfully provided by Nick and a visit to his "shed" with all the timber for the refurbishment at hand. As a craftsman he has the big tools to handle timber but he still has the ability to individually craft a piece that would fit snuggly into the curve of the stem of a boat. He pointed at a piece of timber and said, "that will be the bowsprit". Its hard to envisage a bowsprit out of a piece of timber, but he pointed at another finished piece standing at the wall and mentioned that was a bowsprit waiting for a home. A far distant cry from that piece of timber I saw on the floor. But the shed reminded me of the workshop my father had beneath the house in the hills and it had that same timelessness that lets men work with their hands and dream of projects that would enrich their lives and those around them.
The work on Eun Na Mara progresses and as each section of the boat is opened for inspection, prodded and poked and on occasions repaired or replaced; Ralph marvels at the design of that long since past designer William Fife and the men who interpreted his design and built such a boat in Sydney. That she has lasted this long is a credit to the builders and to the maintenance that she has been given, but she is overdue for this work and the legacy that Ralph is endowing on the "Bird of the Sea" is another five decades or so of longevity and given due care perhaps another century.
Nick Truelove, the shipwright looking after the work on the boat, was moving between the work room on the side of the shed and the boat and left us be for the while, as we walked the floor and I noted the changes in the last 2 weeks. A series of holes in the stern drew my attention and Ralph nodded and said that having opened up the stern section they were discovering more and more work to be done, as dry rot and other things showed up. He had spent the last two weeks in the stern grinding and sanding back to the original wood and in the process discovered that some of the ribs were not in the best condition, so sister ribs were made and fitted to strengthen the hull. Apart from that, the bracket that held the rudder in place had been removed and new work had been put in place. The cockpit was lengthened by another 500 mms or so and a new beam created and put in place. Temporary props were put in place to hold the deck up, now that the supports were removed and the old cockpit of aluminium was cut up and put aside ready for recycling.
The bow next drew my attention and the work involved there was incredible. The entire area that was opened up had been strengthened with a series of bulkheads that would provide the necessary stiffness to hold the bowsprit and the associated gear that was going to hang off the front. Even the sides had been reinforced for the first 17 cm's under the deck to provide a good strong base to work on. The chain plate areas had been worked on and apart from a small amount of dry rot under a window frame all was in good shape. All they needed was the new chain plates to arrive and be fitted, then on goes the deck again. As for the mast step and the tabernacle, the braces have been put in succefully and the mast step has no movement. The idea of a wheel and binnacle has been put aside as Ralph has decided on a tiller for preference and it's now a matter of looking at a tiller that can easily flip up so that he can cross from one side of the cockpit to the other.
The next step was coffee thoughtfully provided by Nick and a visit to his "shed" with all the timber for the refurbishment at hand. As a craftsman he has the big tools to handle timber but he still has the ability to individually craft a piece that would fit snuggly into the curve of the stem of a boat. He pointed at a piece of timber and said, "that will be the bowsprit". Its hard to envisage a bowsprit out of a piece of timber, but he pointed at another finished piece standing at the wall and mentioned that was a bowsprit waiting for a home. A far distant cry from that piece of timber I saw on the floor. But the shed reminded me of the workshop my father had beneath the house in the hills and it had that same timelessness that lets men work with their hands and dream of projects that would enrich their lives and those around them.
The work on Eun Na Mara progresses and as each section of the boat is opened for inspection, prodded and poked and on occasions repaired or replaced; Ralph marvels at the design of that long since past designer William Fife and the men who interpreted his design and built such a boat in Sydney. That she has lasted this long is a credit to the builders and to the maintenance that she has been given, but she is overdue for this work and the legacy that Ralph is endowing on the "Bird of the Sea" is another five decades or so of longevity and given due care perhaps another century.
A little bit more has popped up over the last week or two.
As you can appreciate, when you start logging the work on a yacht, then all sorts of info comes out of the woodwork.
For example; the photo below is of Eun Na Mara and Panamuna on Melville Water West. Taken, it is believed, in 1956 the image resides at the Royal Perth Yacht Club archives and archivist Jon Readhead has graciously allowed me to reproduce the photo on the website.
I believe it is from the West Australian (or similar) as the scanned image sent to me still has the editors crop marks and the column width and depth in inches marked on it. They appear to be coming out of Lucky Bay toward Point Resolution with the background of Freshwater Bay behind them. Jon is of a slightly different opinion in that he has them heading off up river and the point on the right is none less than Point Dundas where the old Majestic Hotel used to be. Make your own minds up.
Both Jon and I think that Eun Na Mara is the yacht on the right and looking at the rig, it's possibly right. But then rigs have been changed over time and Eun Na Mara had a new mast and rigging dropped on her in 1999 or thereabouts. However neither boat in the picture is carrying a bowsprit and this would then mean that it has come off prior to 1956.
As you can appreciate, when you start logging the work on a yacht, then all sorts of info comes out of the woodwork.
For example; the photo below is of Eun Na Mara and Panamuna on Melville Water West. Taken, it is believed, in 1956 the image resides at the Royal Perth Yacht Club archives and archivist Jon Readhead has graciously allowed me to reproduce the photo on the website.
I believe it is from the West Australian (or similar) as the scanned image sent to me still has the editors crop marks and the column width and depth in inches marked on it. They appear to be coming out of Lucky Bay toward Point Resolution with the background of Freshwater Bay behind them. Jon is of a slightly different opinion in that he has them heading off up river and the point on the right is none less than Point Dundas where the old Majestic Hotel used to be. Make your own minds up.
Both Jon and I think that Eun Na Mara is the yacht on the right and looking at the rig, it's possibly right. But then rigs have been changed over time and Eun Na Mara had a new mast and rigging dropped on her in 1999 or thereabouts. However neither boat in the picture is carrying a bowsprit and this would then mean that it has come off prior to 1956.
The next image has been found in the Australian National Maritime Museum collection and is from the William Hall collection image # 00011588.
It was taken around 1930 and was clearly described as a Victorian sloop on Sydney Harbour. She is cutter rigged and that fits in with the description of Eun Na Mara in the YWA Cock Of the Swan winners (1955/56) describing her as an Auxiliary Cutter. Whether she had the bowsprit then is up in the air, but looking at the image above she may not have.
Eun Na Mara had just undergone a refit in Tasmania (1929) and was obviously in top form, but there is a certain irony in a boat built in Sydney being described as a Victorian yacht.
It was taken around 1930 and was clearly described as a Victorian sloop on Sydney Harbour. She is cutter rigged and that fits in with the description of Eun Na Mara in the YWA Cock Of the Swan winners (1955/56) describing her as an Auxiliary Cutter. Whether she had the bowsprit then is up in the air, but looking at the image above she may not have.
Eun Na Mara had just undergone a refit in Tasmania (1929) and was obviously in top form, but there is a certain irony in a boat built in Sydney being described as a Victorian yacht.
The 13th of July The 4th Visit
A wan winters sun struggled with the high cloud and the easterly breeze was whipping into the shed as I walked around from the visitors car park. No sign of Ralph and Nick was up in the cockpit working with a couple of pieces of timber.
So I strolled around the boat noting the plastic sheeting protecting the sides of the yacht and that it looked like the deck had been finished off. Just then Nick came down and we had a brief chat about the cockpit fit out, most of which was sitting on trestles to the side in the sun, ready to go in. Ralph chose this moment to roll up and we then ascended to the top to see the progression of the work.
The top of the deck forward of the cockpit had been glassed in with the bow finished off and the chain plates securely in. Ralph had had the job of finishing off and the glass dust was evident everywhere. " Still a little more work", he mused but he had the new piece to fit the rudder post in his hands and it wasn't long before he was showing me how it was to fit in. My eyes were drawn to the colourful plasticine rolls around the foot of the bearing and he told me that he had used it to form a dam around the base so that the epoxy he had used to stiffen the timber didn't get away. "So the same was used around the drive shaft" I hazarded a guess, "Yes" he said, "it's a dead give away."
Two more seacocks had been put in place to help the cockpit drain, making it a total of four all told. As we went over the boat he pointed out the penciling of the position of the coaming (about 150 mm in height) and that the concept of bulwarks had been put aside as the work needed meant too many penetrations into the hull for his comfort. At this stage Nick suggested that they put in the new cockpit sides so that I had a look at the room inside the cockpit itself. And within a few minutes they were there. Quite a good fit too, showing that Nick had been meticulous in his measurements. A long piece of handy beading was produced and Ralph showed me the height of the cockpit floor.
It was noted that with the traveler in place, the sheet hand and the helm were at one end of the cockpit and the trimmers and the mast hand were in the forward half of the cockpit. As to the location of the winches, Ralph put the winches in place, showing the necessary fortification of the areas and it gave a reason for the two "handles" that Nick had been working on as I arrived. They were to provide a strengthening role under the secondary cabin top winches and to act as handles when coming up the companionway.
I hope to visit again in early August. Enjoy the images.
So I strolled around the boat noting the plastic sheeting protecting the sides of the yacht and that it looked like the deck had been finished off. Just then Nick came down and we had a brief chat about the cockpit fit out, most of which was sitting on trestles to the side in the sun, ready to go in. Ralph chose this moment to roll up and we then ascended to the top to see the progression of the work.
The top of the deck forward of the cockpit had been glassed in with the bow finished off and the chain plates securely in. Ralph had had the job of finishing off and the glass dust was evident everywhere. " Still a little more work", he mused but he had the new piece to fit the rudder post in his hands and it wasn't long before he was showing me how it was to fit in. My eyes were drawn to the colourful plasticine rolls around the foot of the bearing and he told me that he had used it to form a dam around the base so that the epoxy he had used to stiffen the timber didn't get away. "So the same was used around the drive shaft" I hazarded a guess, "Yes" he said, "it's a dead give away."
Two more seacocks had been put in place to help the cockpit drain, making it a total of four all told. As we went over the boat he pointed out the penciling of the position of the coaming (about 150 mm in height) and that the concept of bulwarks had been put aside as the work needed meant too many penetrations into the hull for his comfort. At this stage Nick suggested that they put in the new cockpit sides so that I had a look at the room inside the cockpit itself. And within a few minutes they were there. Quite a good fit too, showing that Nick had been meticulous in his measurements. A long piece of handy beading was produced and Ralph showed me the height of the cockpit floor.
It was noted that with the traveler in place, the sheet hand and the helm were at one end of the cockpit and the trimmers and the mast hand were in the forward half of the cockpit. As to the location of the winches, Ralph put the winches in place, showing the necessary fortification of the areas and it gave a reason for the two "handles" that Nick had been working on as I arrived. They were to provide a strengthening role under the secondary cabin top winches and to act as handles when coming up the companionway.
I hope to visit again in early August. Enjoy the images.
The fifth visit. The 3rd of August
Arriving late in the morning I was a little surprised to see no one around the workshop or the boat. On enquiring at the office I was told that neither Nick or Ralph had been in today so I politely asked for permission to look over the boat and then proceeded to have a look at her.
At first sight, not much seems to have happened except for the addition to the transom of the new counter that Ralph had mentioned. Looks good and I'm sure it will be able take the inevitable whacks from other boats. But looking into the cockpit you could see the work that had been happening. It looks like the engine has been put back in and the floor of the cockpit has been dropped in. It looks quite high, but you have to allow for the extra height of the cockpit sides, yet to go in. Wait and see. Looking forward, the sign of new windows going into the cabin are evident and there were fittings scattered across the top of the cabin, clearly indicating that they are being measured for a fit. The fitting for the bowsprit was in place and looking aft there were a number of large cleats at the back of the cockpit ready to be tried out for a fit. Mind you, nothing goes on until the decking goes on, so it's all just looking at where things will go.
The topsides of the hull were being finished off and the "bog" was still rough around the edge of the hull. Another job for Ralph probably. But she's certainly getting along.. Far more than I thought at first.
Enjoy the images.
At first sight, not much seems to have happened except for the addition to the transom of the new counter that Ralph had mentioned. Looks good and I'm sure it will be able take the inevitable whacks from other boats. But looking into the cockpit you could see the work that had been happening. It looks like the engine has been put back in and the floor of the cockpit has been dropped in. It looks quite high, but you have to allow for the extra height of the cockpit sides, yet to go in. Wait and see. Looking forward, the sign of new windows going into the cabin are evident and there were fittings scattered across the top of the cabin, clearly indicating that they are being measured for a fit. The fitting for the bowsprit was in place and looking aft there were a number of large cleats at the back of the cockpit ready to be tried out for a fit. Mind you, nothing goes on until the decking goes on, so it's all just looking at where things will go.
The topsides of the hull were being finished off and the "bog" was still rough around the edge of the hull. Another job for Ralph probably. But she's certainly getting along.. Far more than I thought at first.
Enjoy the images.
The sixth visit to Maylands 25th of September
Spring is in the air, the days are warmer and one of the ladies who own the complex was complaining that she couldn't focus as it was too nice a day. I'm with her .... with the day in the mid 20's, the river is the place to be.
Ralph's away in Europe with Lynne and Nick's been on another job at Maylands and the boat had been resting up waiting for his return.
It was around 10 am that I made my way around the river bend to the Maylands complex and I noted that Nick was in residence again. On the outside, from below, you could see that a new coat of anti foul had gone on and the hull was undergoing some minor finishing work. However there was a steam box chugging away and it was clear that something was up. A quick hoy to Nick and up the ladder I went.
The cockpit was finished more or less and the instrument box was set up above the companion way as per Ralphs requirements. The minor trim work was done and Nick was engaged in preparing the decking to go down. It looks good when finished and appears simple to do, but the simplicity comes back to the preparation beforehand. Put the outer trim on and then the centre lines and fill in the rest, but there lies the rub, each piece of planking must be given that subtle bend that will let it fit to the deck. And that's where the steamer comes in with the use of gravity and a good knowledge of physics to help shape the timber to your requirements.
However that's what's currently under way, but the fitting of the hydraulic backstay and the engine controls, speakers, the hand bilge pump, the two cabin top winches and the recovery of the companion panels to their original timber patina. The windows have been fitted with precision and should provide a water tight environment for the cabin. I couldn't get under the forward hatch as it was covered, but I'm sure that it was in good condition. But the primary focus was getting the decking done and then the rest of the boat fitting out can commence.
Nick was careful to point out the need to follow a work flow plan, that would obviate the need to go back and create new holes where a new idea had to be incorporated. Clearly if it has to be done, then it will be done, but he's of the mind that looks to prevent such happenings. He has praised Ralphs foresightedness in allowing him to work on the boat with the future in mind and Nick himself is pretty cross with the "butchery" that occurred to the boat in the past. The changes created by others has taken time and a lot of restorative work to correct and Eun Na Mara will be much the better for it.
I hope to visit her in the sheds once Ralph and Lynne have returned from Europe and Ralph is once again involved in the restoration project.
Enjoy the images of the Bird of the Sea.
Ralph's away in Europe with Lynne and Nick's been on another job at Maylands and the boat had been resting up waiting for his return.
It was around 10 am that I made my way around the river bend to the Maylands complex and I noted that Nick was in residence again. On the outside, from below, you could see that a new coat of anti foul had gone on and the hull was undergoing some minor finishing work. However there was a steam box chugging away and it was clear that something was up. A quick hoy to Nick and up the ladder I went.
The cockpit was finished more or less and the instrument box was set up above the companion way as per Ralphs requirements. The minor trim work was done and Nick was engaged in preparing the decking to go down. It looks good when finished and appears simple to do, but the simplicity comes back to the preparation beforehand. Put the outer trim on and then the centre lines and fill in the rest, but there lies the rub, each piece of planking must be given that subtle bend that will let it fit to the deck. And that's where the steamer comes in with the use of gravity and a good knowledge of physics to help shape the timber to your requirements.
However that's what's currently under way, but the fitting of the hydraulic backstay and the engine controls, speakers, the hand bilge pump, the two cabin top winches and the recovery of the companion panels to their original timber patina. The windows have been fitted with precision and should provide a water tight environment for the cabin. I couldn't get under the forward hatch as it was covered, but I'm sure that it was in good condition. But the primary focus was getting the decking done and then the rest of the boat fitting out can commence.
Nick was careful to point out the need to follow a work flow plan, that would obviate the need to go back and create new holes where a new idea had to be incorporated. Clearly if it has to be done, then it will be done, but he's of the mind that looks to prevent such happenings. He has praised Ralphs foresightedness in allowing him to work on the boat with the future in mind and Nick himself is pretty cross with the "butchery" that occurred to the boat in the past. The changes created by others has taken time and a lot of restorative work to correct and Eun Na Mara will be much the better for it.
I hope to visit her in the sheds once Ralph and Lynne have returned from Europe and Ralph is once again involved in the restoration project.
Enjoy the images of the Bird of the Sea.
The 7th Visit to Maylands 30th October
Ralph is back in town and Nick has been hard at work.
The promise of getting back onto the water by September has long gone as the work has evolved into turning her into a yacht that will again turn heads as she passes.
The previous visit saw the deck being prepared to receive the new decking and when I arrived on Friday around 11.30 in the morning, the first protective layers were being painted onto the jarrah trim around the decking. The stuff they were using was so volatile I could smell it at ground level and Nick was working around one side as Ralph steadily painted down the other. I made an observation when I was looking at the hull around the bow; I could see the shape of the timber and the nails underneath the glass sheathing. Ralph was of the opinion that the drying process over winter had not been too severe, but may have had something to do with it.
The cockpit was finished, as were the instruments and the backstay fittings were in place as well. Everywhere I looked there were holes bored as they had obviously been preparing everything to be fitted once the painters had done their work on the topsides of the hull. A rack of rubbing strakes, sanded and sized, lay on a pair of saw horses nearby and I looked up at the forward end of the shed, where a panel had been taken out. "Oh" said Ralph, "We've been trying on the bowsprit." Apart from that, fittings were in place and the gleam of marine grade stainless was evident. Ralph advised me that the boom was being refitted out.. new blocks and such I'd imagine and the mast will be checked before she goes on again. Ralph and I gently shuddered when we remembered the arrival of Eun Na Mara a couple of years ago and the installation of the mast down at SoPYC. One mistake and he would have had a 2 foot hole from cabin top to keel. Nothing happened, but I was there at the time and it's not a nice feeling to watch. Best left in the hands of the professionals.
I was admiring the work on the decks actually... It's one thing to lay them straight and cut them in to the deck along the rail, but to shape them around the cabin so that your eye follows the aesthetic curve is another. Smells like craftsmanship. The steam box below must have been working overtime for this. If all goes well, the next to be fitted will be the coamings and the primary and secondary winches and although I didn't mention it, I wonder if he's still toying with the thought of electrics... Toe rails were already in place and Ralph took me below to see the new electrical work that had been done, along with the fore cabin which had been given a good refit and tidy up.
She's starting to come together and none too soon for Ralph I'd say. He's been off the water for a while now and apart for the occasional guest appearance on someone's yacht, he's been bum up, nose down on the boat since he got back.
I'll be following this up in the next two or three weeks as changes are starting to happen now.
The promise of getting back onto the water by September has long gone as the work has evolved into turning her into a yacht that will again turn heads as she passes.
The previous visit saw the deck being prepared to receive the new decking and when I arrived on Friday around 11.30 in the morning, the first protective layers were being painted onto the jarrah trim around the decking. The stuff they were using was so volatile I could smell it at ground level and Nick was working around one side as Ralph steadily painted down the other. I made an observation when I was looking at the hull around the bow; I could see the shape of the timber and the nails underneath the glass sheathing. Ralph was of the opinion that the drying process over winter had not been too severe, but may have had something to do with it.
The cockpit was finished, as were the instruments and the backstay fittings were in place as well. Everywhere I looked there were holes bored as they had obviously been preparing everything to be fitted once the painters had done their work on the topsides of the hull. A rack of rubbing strakes, sanded and sized, lay on a pair of saw horses nearby and I looked up at the forward end of the shed, where a panel had been taken out. "Oh" said Ralph, "We've been trying on the bowsprit." Apart from that, fittings were in place and the gleam of marine grade stainless was evident. Ralph advised me that the boom was being refitted out.. new blocks and such I'd imagine and the mast will be checked before she goes on again. Ralph and I gently shuddered when we remembered the arrival of Eun Na Mara a couple of years ago and the installation of the mast down at SoPYC. One mistake and he would have had a 2 foot hole from cabin top to keel. Nothing happened, but I was there at the time and it's not a nice feeling to watch. Best left in the hands of the professionals.
I was admiring the work on the decks actually... It's one thing to lay them straight and cut them in to the deck along the rail, but to shape them around the cabin so that your eye follows the aesthetic curve is another. Smells like craftsmanship. The steam box below must have been working overtime for this. If all goes well, the next to be fitted will be the coamings and the primary and secondary winches and although I didn't mention it, I wonder if he's still toying with the thought of electrics... Toe rails were already in place and Ralph took me below to see the new electrical work that had been done, along with the fore cabin which had been given a good refit and tidy up.
She's starting to come together and none too soon for Ralph I'd say. He's been off the water for a while now and apart for the occasional guest appearance on someone's yacht, he's been bum up, nose down on the boat since he got back.
I'll be following this up in the next two or three weeks as changes are starting to happen now.
Eun Na Mara goes back into the water
13th November 2015
It's finally happened. A chat to Lynne at Sailability last Wednesday alerted me to the fact that Eun Na Mara was to drop back in on Friday the 13th of November. Put the black cats aside and concentrate on the arrival of the yacht at Freo in the morning.
I was predicting that they would be early. (I'd been caught before with the arrival of Calm ) So I rocked up at 10.30 and cooled my heels for a while until she made it to the club and shortly before midday the long loader arrived at the gates and in she came.
I walked in with her and followed the process of unload and hook up by the crew at Freo. Quickly the slings were in place and with almost indecent haste she was in the water and they were calling for Ralph (who was eating his first meal of the day) to come and put the ropes on her. With in minutes he was back with Lynne keeping in pace with him. Nick (the shipwright) had arrived as well and the run out of the boat proceeded.
Starting the motor was no problem, but she was stuck in reverse and an adjustment to handling procedures was required. So with the help of the Harbour masters at FSC she was maneuvered into place alongside an adjacent jetty to have her stick installed and the rigging fitted. As I was running short of time by now I bade her farewell and made my way home.
However... lets look at the final work on Eun Na Mara. The cockpit has been finished and the coaming installed. The rest of the fittings had been installed with only the primary and secondary winches to be installed. The painter had been working till well into the night finishing off the finials and detail on the hull and had left a long row of dots along the hull marking where the line was to run along the hull. Once she is back at SoPYC and in her pen Ralph has indicated that she will be getting a cover to protect the timber and the finish. Simply a pleasure to look at.
As we were watching her, a gentleman beside me asked who she was and was she a Fife design. I gave her name and answered yes that she was. The giveaway was the counter on the transom he chuckled and he moved away to be replaced by two women of my age who proudly announced that they had sailed on her. (I felt that I had to refrain from saying that half of Perth seems to have sailed or crewed on her in her time in WA.) I simply asked whether she looked as good now as she did then and they were solid in their praise of her.
While I have given you some pictures, Lynne and Ralph have been amassing their own library and I have been promised a number to include on the website. I look forward to the pictures to give a more rounded view of her.
I was predicting that they would be early. (I'd been caught before with the arrival of Calm ) So I rocked up at 10.30 and cooled my heels for a while until she made it to the club and shortly before midday the long loader arrived at the gates and in she came.
I walked in with her and followed the process of unload and hook up by the crew at Freo. Quickly the slings were in place and with almost indecent haste she was in the water and they were calling for Ralph (who was eating his first meal of the day) to come and put the ropes on her. With in minutes he was back with Lynne keeping in pace with him. Nick (the shipwright) had arrived as well and the run out of the boat proceeded.
Starting the motor was no problem, but she was stuck in reverse and an adjustment to handling procedures was required. So with the help of the Harbour masters at FSC she was maneuvered into place alongside an adjacent jetty to have her stick installed and the rigging fitted. As I was running short of time by now I bade her farewell and made my way home.
However... lets look at the final work on Eun Na Mara. The cockpit has been finished and the coaming installed. The rest of the fittings had been installed with only the primary and secondary winches to be installed. The painter had been working till well into the night finishing off the finials and detail on the hull and had left a long row of dots along the hull marking where the line was to run along the hull. Once she is back at SoPYC and in her pen Ralph has indicated that she will be getting a cover to protect the timber and the finish. Simply a pleasure to look at.
As we were watching her, a gentleman beside me asked who she was and was she a Fife design. I gave her name and answered yes that she was. The giveaway was the counter on the transom he chuckled and he moved away to be replaced by two women of my age who proudly announced that they had sailed on her. (I felt that I had to refrain from saying that half of Perth seems to have sailed or crewed on her in her time in WA.) I simply asked whether she looked as good now as she did then and they were solid in their praise of her.
While I have given you some pictures, Lynne and Ralph have been amassing their own library and I have been promised a number to include on the website. I look forward to the pictures to give a more rounded view of her.
Ralph and Lynne's photos. Thanks guys! :-)