I’ve been moving along motivated to complete the boat in 2020. As things are with projects like this the desire to call things “good enough” is tempered with the awareness is that a “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. For example spending the time to drill the screw holes oversized and then fill them with thickened epoxy and then re-drill them to the appropriate size again.

We’ve tested the Norwegian tiller and report that it appears satisfactory

https://www.flickr.com/gp/7307021@N04/wB9971

I also finished shaping the chocks out of reclaimed local cherry wood I’d been seasoning.

The next step was doing things I’ve been putting off as they are simply put dramatic. Cutting the hole in the motor well was one of those things I considered not doing until I actually bought a motor. But it would have then become a space that collects water and it would be harder to do well once out of the shop. So I made the call modelling my hole on the space needed for a Torqueedo 1003CL which is the motor I’d like to be able to use. The electric motor takes up much more room than the gas motors so I figure it will be plenty large if for some reason I decide to use a four-stroke engine instead of electric. I used a small drill bit to get started and then finished with a small keyhole pull saw which worked very well.

I was then ready to star pulling out the protective coverings. Starting with all the surfaces that will get the Deks Olje. The idea being that if I go over with paint later, It will be easier to wipe clean rather than when it seeps into the pores of fresh wood.

I also created the plug for the motor well that fits onto a backing plate and will keep the hull flush and fast when sailing.

I then tackled the interior of the hull. Removing all the floor boards, thwarts and benches.

Before painting the foils and the hatch covers, I did a final fitting of the centreboard in the boat. I had been satisfied the last time I tested it. But today I found that mostly due to the way I had finished the tip with a generous extra roundover of expoxy, it was a little too long. So I cut off the tip and removed a 7mm strip.

I then reglued the tip to the centreboard. This shortens it by just shy of a cm and also provides a protective water break in the centreboard. That way if by chance I nick the tip on a submerged object, it won’t wick up the cedar grain that is at the core of the centreboard and rot.

I had chosen the teal colour I used below the waterline to be used in the interior as well because I really like the contrast with the colour of varnished wood. Thought while applying the alkyd enamel up close I started to wonder if it is too punchy. I’ll finish applying the first coat to the whole boat and remind myself that the benches, thwarts and floorboards will obscure a lot of what is currently visible.