She swims, she swims!

K

KenMcCulloch

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As of this morning Border Maid is now afloat again. What turned out to be a pretty extensive refit is complete apart from a few bits of painting and varnishing and a few other things. All things considered I am pretty pleased.
sheswims.jpg

A very enjoyable day was spent connecting up the VHF which works (new antenna) and generally pottering around. The bilge pump was humming every 5 minutes to start with, reduced to every 7 or 8 minutes after about 5 hours afloat so taking up should not be a huge problem. First actual sail will be Thursday or when I come back from a week in (on?) Skye.
 
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She looks super. I remember her well from the sixties and early seventies. She was in Blyth then.

[/ QUOTE ] Yes, she was in Blyth from 1948 until last year. Originally she had a keel-stepped wood mast and a 'proper' low coachroof but sometime in the 60s she had the coachroof rebuilt with the doghouse and a metal mast stepped on top.

Taking up seems to be going well - after an hour afloat yesterday the bilge pump was running every five minutes but it's down to every 20 minutes now.
 
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She looks fantastic, make sure you take the time to enjoy her this summer! Super job!

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Thank you for that. Young Dougal the local shipwright drew a sample of fastenings in February and they were as good as the day they were driven in. Unfortunately the same wasn't true of the doghouse coamings where water had been penetrating. The windows were renewed a couple of years ago by or for the previous owner, and the sealant used was not up to the job. You can see the discolouration between the two larger windows where water was getting into the wood. That was a bigger job than I would have liked but I think it has been caught in time. Just a load of varnishing to catch up on now, in between sailing I hope..
 
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A lovely boat, credit to you well done! Fair winds for thursday!

[/ QUOTE ] Unfortunately I find my employer's business taking precedence so it will be another week before we get out. Unless I go out for a late-night cruise; now that my lights are fully compliant I can hardly wait /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
 
She is about to swim (hopefully)

Well done Ken. If you can manage it up there in the frozen North I have no excuses down here in Essex. Pied Piper is finally ready for re-immersion

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Launch day next week. Seems like a very long winter!
 
Re: She is about to swim (hopefully)

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Well done Ken. If you can manage it up there in the frozen North I have no excuses down here in Essex. Pied Piper is finally ready for re-immersion


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Very lovely. I like your mast. What's her history as in builder etc? I notice you have exactly the same toerails as I do but no raised stemhead.
 
Re: She is about to swim (hopefully)

Why thank-you.
Built Tucker Brown - Burnham, not sure of date but guessing 1960/61.

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Mast is jolly heavy but thankfully was beautifully varnished when I got her. Boom needs touching up, especially at the ends but I intend to do this on the water.

On the subject of toe rails, unfortunately mooring warps chewed through the rubbing bands at the bow at the end of last season. These look like mahogany? For this year I will just oil/vanish and be more careful. Next winter I would like to scarph in some new sections. Any idea where I might get some moulded lengths. 2x 3' lengths should do the job.
 
Re: She is about to swim (hopefully)

Could always try knocking on Priors' door, and seeing if they have a couple of suitable offcuts?
 
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