Rebuilding 1929 Fastnet winner Tally Ho

[Motor_Sailor]

Lots of interesting things to be done: I would be particularly interesting in the masts. Finding the timber should be interesting.

I guess if there's anywhere in the world to be based when looking for a long, straight, slow growth tree trunk of Sikta spruce or Douglas Fir, it's right where he is. There's barges loaded with the stuff passing his door everyday from Vancouver Island or western BC. I should think with 2 years to go before he's finished, he could well be sourcing his spars sometime soon. I think Stones Timber in Salcombe has a supply yard and contacts in BC. He has a habit of connecting with the right people at the right time so perhaps they've already got something set aside for him.

 

[tillergirl]

I seem to recall an article many, many years ago where the editor bought the tree for the mast. And it was important (or good) to cut the tree at the right time - when the sap was rising or not - I can't now remember the detail. It was two or three separate articles on the magazine so I am sure 'the mast' would be worth a few videos. Just how do you do it 'straight'?

 

[tillergirl]

The keel has been poured. Very good. I thought it a bit risky in the proximity of boats and in the shed but it seemed quite calm. It will be intersting to see what it looks like when it is exjected from the mould.

 

[Stemar]

I was a bit surprised by that too, but they did their risk assessment, and it's certainly true that a spill would be easier to clean up on concrete than on gravel, and molten lead isn't hot enough to do more than scorch wood. 650 sounds hot, but that's in Freedom degrees; in real world units, it's just under 350. Still not putting a finger in, though!

 

[tillergirl]

I was thinking that the lead might not flow 'easily' the full length of the mould but it certainly did. I think at the end you could clearly see he was very relieved. I think that has been the most stressful period of the whole rebuild. Personally I would have wanted the ballast keel to have been fully fixed before starting all the bulkheads but they had to do the move and he needed the research.

 

[tudorsailor]

I wondered how the keel will be attached as there are no keel bolts

TS

 

[Alan S]

I'm sure he's thought of that : )

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I wondered how the keel will be attached as there are no keel bolts

TS

Drill down from inside the boat then in from the side of the keel to make pockets.

 

[john_morris_uk]

A couple of 5 mm studs should do it?
On a more serious note, I guess he’ll be making more bronze studs assuming bronze will be strong enough? . Presumably the drawings will specify how many and where.
Traditionally another method is to flare the keel bolts at the end and insert them from beneath into holes drilled all the way through the floors, keelson and keel. This would be extremely difficult in the Tally Ho project as you’d have to raise the whole boat a long way (since presumably/obviously you can’t dig pits in the concrete floor of the shed. )

 

[tudorsailor]

I was taken to lunch this week at the Royal Thames Yacht Club (- had to wear a jacket)! I discovered that in their room of 1/2 hull models there was one of Tally Ho!

I have sent this to Leo!

TS

 

[mjcoon]

Drill down from inside the boat then in from the side of the keel to make pockets.

I haven't seen anything of the ballast keel since the debacle with the lead pouring straight through the thickness of it. Which emphasised that it was a long shallow billet of lead, nothing like a fin. No lateral resistance to speak of. So it could possibly be through-bolted, maybe in separate sections. Perhaps I'll get round to watching some of these recent episodes...

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I haven't seen anything of the ballast keel since the debacle with the lead pouring straight through the thickness of it. Which emphasised that it was a long shallow billet of lead, nothing like a fin. No lateral resistance to speak of. So it could possibly be through-bolted, maybe in separate sections. Perhaps I'll get round to watching some of these recent episodes...

I couldn’t find a picture of a full keel but this was a common way of doing it in’t old days

 

[Mudisox]

Spars.

I have a friend who was faced with a similar problem for new spars. He cut some of his own Larch trees down [during the Uk winter]on his land and then set up a "rough lathe" using scaffolding poles etc and utilising the pto of a tractor to first use a chainsaw to obtain a round section, before final refining and fairing. About 60' for the mast and less for the mizzens and gaffs/booms. Still in use 20 years on.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Spars.

I have a friend who was faced with a similar problem for new spars. He cut some of his own Larch trees down [during the Uk winter]on his land and then set up a "rough lathe" using scaffolding poles etc and utilising the pto of a tractor to first use a chainsaw to obtain a round section, before final refining and fairing. About 60' for the mast and less for the mizzens and gaffs/booms. Still in use 20 years on.

I’ve watched it being done from a long straight tree, first debarking to squaring up and then dividing the sides and planing down each time you divide. If you use a dividing tool you can make it tapered. (Hope that makes sense…)

 

[rgarside]

I'm sure he's thought of that : )

If you go back far enough in the videos I think you'll see the old ones being removed.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

It's still my favourite YouTube channel...

Pete

 

[Stemar]

It's still my favourite YouTube channel...

Pete

Me too, with Acorn to Arabella and Uma fighting for second place

 

[Alan S]

Me too, with Acorn to Arabella and Uma fighting for second place

The ONLY YouTube channel I find worth watching and supporting. A genuinely talented and determined guy, not just some wannabe " influencer" like so many others.

 

[Birdseye]

I was a bit surprised by that too, but they did their risk assessment, and it's certainly true that a spill would be easier to clean up on concrete than on gravel, and molten lead isn't hot enough to do more than scorch wood. 650 sounds hot, but that's in Freedom degrees; in real world units, it's just under 350. Still not putting a finger in, though!

I remember an experiment in school where a master got us to wash our hands with alcohol to degrease then and then run a small amount of molten lead down over the skin. Without skin grease and dirt, it didnt burn. That of course was in the days behore H&S when kids were allowed to do experiments themselves in the labs.

Moving on, you have to admire the single minded obsession that has a guy using all that effort and skill and money to do what he is doing. You also have to ask yourself - why bother? Wood is a poor material for boats, both expenisve and very high maintenance. The boat design itself is out of date. He is simply junking a century of technical improvement through a romantic attachment to the past.

 

[Stemar]

Moving on, you have to admire the single minded obsession that has a guy using all that effort and skill and money to do what he is doing. You also have to ask yourself - why bother? Wood is a poor material for boats, both expenisve and very high maintenance. The boat design itself is out of date. He is simply junking a century of technical improvement through a romantic attachment to the past.

That depends on your point of view. Would you say the same about someone who choses to drive a 50s Bentley?

I've long thought that you have to have a few loose screws to want to own a wooden boat, but I admire those who suffer from that particular form of insanity an think the world's a better place for them