Nearly launch time!

We really enjoyed our time working on Ernest in the shed. It's nice to be part of it at this stage and help free some time for Paul and the guys to get on with the skilled work out in the yard. 

It's been an amazingly busy time here for boat repairs. The historic boats seem to be less problematic. Paul can spot exactly what needs doing from the wear marks and pulling rivets. Rot behind the knees, cut it out rebuild it, and weld or rivet as required. Re-black, three days curing and then relaunch and move on to the next one.

It's the leisure boats that seem more tricky and subject to massive time changes. "I need blacking and I've got a small leak" turns into a full week long job of cutting out decks and drains and plating subsequently rotten base plates. And that's the rule rather than the exception.

Now the outside is shot blasted and primed it's time to do some inside sorting out before the spray foam team arrives. We've then got a week or so of fettling before being transferred to the paint shed until late January to early February when one of Paul's own boats is coming in.

Our #1 priority then will be getting the steelwork fully protected and the shell watertight so we can head to our temporary spring mooring once the stoppages have been lifted.

The engine was only a day or three away from being hauled into position so a proper go over the mounts and bilge was needed. 2x primer, 2x bilge paint. It was more awkward than it looked to do and we kept finding debris in every corner.

Those with a keen eye may notice that the beds look off centre, that's because they are by about 3 inches. Having a 2 inch to lorry shaft lets us have the engine off centre to increase walkway size a bit.

We carried on priming the whole of the rear end ready for fitting. The swim lines look great from this angle. The 450L diesel tank will get some Kingspan insulation. Storage drawers are planned for behind, either side of the shaft.

The tug deck and bow have ended up just as I wanted. Nice full lines for the bow with a decent amount of gas locker space, enough for 3 bottles. 2 domestic (that's about 6 months cooking) and 1 for a converted petrol geni. Gas locker hatch is vintage diamond plate. 

The usable deck is about 8'6" with a 2' by 4' storage locker. It was important to keep the whole deck fairly flat so it's usable for seating in good weather.

Luckily the gas locker is of a particular size, apparently its bigger once you're inside.

Stern gear going in. The downside to a big old engine 15' in front of the prop is a meaty drive system. Prop to gearbox won't leave us any change from £3,500+

View from the engine room across the traditional boatmans cabin. Techie bods may notice that the swim sides aren't vertical but taper out just like the working boats designs. Shaping the swims and the subsequent odd shape skin tank took the best part of a week!

Brass builders plaque on the rebuilt Dorman

Just finished in time for the spray foam gang