The Restoration of Mai Star II (Gadfly II)

[jstarmarine]

After the week away in Woodplumpton on Chance it is back to Mai Star II
Now we have returned from Woodplumpton it is the turn of Mai Star II to get some of the work done to her.
One of the jobs that needs doing is to remove all the old copper nails from the beam shelf where the new ribs have to go in from above and behind the beam shelf and down to where the ribs fit on to the hog.
So far we have to renew five ribs and one frame before we can move on along the port side and replace further ribs and frames on that side of the hull, then we can turn our attention to the starboard side and do the same to that side of the hull.
Once all the ribs and frames are either renewed or parts repaired, then we will turn our attention to the sheer strakes and the deck beams .

 

[jstarmarine]

Back from my Travels to the North West of England

Now that I have finished my travels to the North West of England, I can now turn my attention to working on Mai Star II and get on with her restoration, The first jobs to do are to finish off clearing away any bits that are going to stop us from getting the frame and ribs back in the port side in the bow of Mai Star II which is where the worse of the damage she has had over the years. A lot of ribs were broken in this part of the boat along with the rotten and broken frames as well. So what we have to do now is sort this part of the boats hull first before moving on down the rest of the port side repairing and in some case renewing parts as we go along. While I am working on sorting out the port side my son Michael will be continuing to sort out the starboard sheer strake plank and remove all the old copper nails and any other fittings that are still to come off before we can make a start on other jobs on other parts of the boat.

 

[jstarmarine]

Today, I made a start on sorting through the parts I had taken off Mai Star II earlier in the project and put on the shelves in the workshop. So I though it was time to get them down and sort through what was on the shelves and make a descension on what to keep and what to get rid of and cut up for firewood. The cabin berths are made up of plywood and a wooden framework . Which is not how it would have been originally build. So now that we are going to re-build Mai Star II back the way she was originally build. The berth fronts and the tops will be made out of T&G. So will the bulkheads between the forecabin and also the cabin to cockpit bulkheads as well. So I am going to be ordering a lot of pine boards and making up my own T&G as I have the equipment to make my own and I can make it up to my own size as I need it. So tomorrow I will be continuing to sort through the parts and making plans to get on with the project over the coming weeks with the help of my family.

 

[jstarmarine]

A short video to show the size of the task ahead for the Papendick Family as they tackle this restoration of their East Coast Cutter rig Gaffer originally build in 1939/46.

 

[jstarmarine]

Having looked at a number of designs of of similar boat of the period, The most likely interior is one from the pen of Harrison Butler. Because when Gadfly II / Mai Star II was build Anderson Rigen & Perkins had build a number of boats to his design. Although Gadfly II/ Mai Star II as many of the design features she differs in some places. The Harrison Butler Association do say that the boat does have a number of features that are Harrison Butler, however, there are number that do not. One very noticeable is the shape of the keel and forefoot which are to lat to be Harrison Butler. They have said that it warrants further investigation because the builders build a number of Harrison Butler boats during the time Gadfly II was build and may of used some of the design feature to build Gadfly II. It was not uncommon for boat builder to use some design features when building other boats for other owners while a Harrison Butler was on the stacks being built.

So now with this in mind the interior can be completely removed and be redesigned to look very much like a Harrison Butler boat of its size would have looked like when she was build.

This will have to wait a while as I have to re-rib and frame the port side forward and work my way down the hull renewing the ribs and frames as I go along the boat repairing broken and rotten tops of frames as I go along. I will possibly remove the last of the furniture left in the boat. Also I have to remove the cabin sides and roof off the boat so that I can get to grips with the work easier over the next few months.

All this work around working as a boat builder as a day job and my other restoration project on my James Silver Chance which is presently in Woodplumpton in the North West of England.

 

[jstarmarine]

Update on the Mai-Star II project. Chance is now back down with us, so that instead of travelling miles up to Woodplumpton. We now have both projects close to hand. Mai-Star II in my yard and Chance in a near by boatyard.So we can work on both now without the expense of travelling up country to work on Chance.
The next job to do on Mai-Star II is to repair the metal framework for the tent over Mai Star ii so we can put a new cover over Mai Star II for the winter and be able to work on her. Now we have the time to do so without working away in the North West of England. So it is time to get the welder out and weld repairs to get done to the the framework and get Mai-Star II covered over and so we can work on her.

 

[jstarmarine]

Because the weather is against us at the moment, that is because it is raining heavily and can not go on with the boat itself, so we are getting on with some of the smaller bits and pieces in and around the workshop.



These long pieces being the aft sections of the rubbing strakes which are in need of a good cleaning up and then re-varnishing




Then got to sort out the pile of deck beams and of bits from Mai Star II cockpit coamings and carlins and see which of them need replacing and which can be cleaned up and restored to be used again.




Quiet a pile, just got to dive in and get sorting out the bits and pieces

 

[burgundyben]

I find preparing all the loose bits off the boat very satisfying.

 

[jstarmarine]

This is very true for both my projects, Mai Star II and Chance. There are a lot of bits in my workshop and out in my yard to keep me and my family busy for some time to come. Mai star II bits are a lot smaller than Chances loose bits.

 

[jstarmarine]

Now that we have the Christmas break behind us and the days are starting to get longer again, we can set about get to grips with working on Mai Star II again. Having had a good break and recharged the mind and body batteries. We are now ready to get going again. When I get back to my workshop it will give me a chance to take a good look at the deck beams, the ones that are broken and the others that just need a bit of TLC and old paint removing off the beams before refitting them in the boat again. Also, we will get on and sort out the rotten and broken frame which was removed sometime ago and has not been made and put back in the boat along with the ribs that need doing as well, so this coming month we are going to be busy sorting out these jobs.

 

[jstarmarine]

Now that the Christmas break is behind us, it is time to make plans to get on with Mai Star II's restoration. As part of this we have got the deck beams and carlins off the shelves in the workshop and inspected the parts for which will need to be renewed and which parts can be salvaged with a bit of careful repairs and letting in bits where necessary . Some of the old parts were out of shape and so will be be re-patterned to make new deck beams that will be the correct camber and that way will make the water run off the deck and not pool as was the case before the restoration was started. The first job to do is get a new pattern made up so the correct camber is made for the deck beams and then a jig made up with the with this new camber. then steam and laminate up some new deck beams with the correct camber and then fit them to the beam shelf.

The beam shelf will have to be inspected to make sure it is in a good condition to fit the new deck beams to, if this is not the case then replace the deck beam shelf and then fit the new deck beams. Another job to do is to steam in some new ribs in the port side forward which are missing at the moment while we have the chance to do it with the deck off and so we can put them in from above . So it is now time to get the oak cut up and steamed in place over the next few weeks. So now the fun can being again.

 

[burgundyben]

Any progress to rrport with this one?

 

[jstarmarine]

Not at the moment, may over the next few weeks when things get sorted out with Chance and my day job as a full time boat builder. Will keep you all posted.

 

[jstarmarine]

Because the weather is against us at the moment, that is because it is raining heavily and can not go on with the boat itself, so we are getting on with some of the smaller bits and pieces in and around the workshop.



These long pieces being the aft sections of the rubbing strakes which are in need of a good cleaning up and then re-varnishing




Then got to sort out the pile of deck beams and of bits from Mai Star II cockpit coamings and carlins and see which of them need replacing and which can be cleaned up and restored to be used again.




Quiet a pile, just got to dive in and get sorting out the bits and pieces

 

[jstarmarine]

After 9 months of not being able to get any work done on Mai Star II for various reasons which I will not go into on this forum. I have now been able to get my disabled son Michael involved in the restoration of Mai Star II. He as A.S.D. however, he is very passionate about get Mai Star II restored and is now heavily involved in the restoration of Mai Star II. Over the past week he as been able to remove all the seacocks out of the hull. He as also removed the portholes from the cabin sides and as with the help of me and a friend removed the cabin sides off the boat and into its individual parts ready to put away until they are ready to be put back on the boat after the hull and deck repairs are done.

Now that the seacocks and cabin sides are removed from the boat, the boats hull is now exposed so that the major work on the hull can work with an inspection of the beam shelf and the frames and ribs.
So now that we have Michael helping two days a week when it is possible for Michael to come to the boatyard, we should see more progress on the Mai Star II project over the coming months. Michael as already shown he is good with his tools I have given him to help him do the work on Mai Star II and always asks if he as a problem with a job and need to understand how to do the job correctly so that he will how to the job next time he has to do the job on Mai Star II when it comes to putting the part back on the boat later on in the restoration project.

So that Michael and I have taken these parts off Mai Star II over the past couple of days, it time for us to put them all in a safe place until they are needed to be put back on the boat later in the restoration process.




https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1775074138059565619/7441571687644982990#

 

[jstarmarine]

Mai -Star II the way forward
Sorry for the lack of updates for an age, Life has been very busy in other areas and have not had the time or money to work on Mai Star II over the summer has had wish to and so things have taken a turn for the worse in some areas. However, not all is doom and gloom. I have taken on another a apprentice to help with Mai Star II and the other work I have in the workshop and yard. This will help with getting many of the jobs around the yard moving again and be able to get my personal projects underway again shortly.
We have now removed the cabin off the boat and put it in the temporary workshop across the yard from Mai Star II so that the cabin sides can be worked on in the dry and any of the parts can be repaired while one of us is working on Mai Star II hull and get the frames and ribs made and in the case of the ribs steamed into position. The frames will have to be patterned up and made and then fixed into position. There is one major plank removal needed on the port side where the frame was fitted which caused the lank joint to fail as water ingress caused the butt end of the planks to rot. So there will be a plank to replace in that position. A good starting job for the new apprentice to undertake as he learns his trade as a boat builder of the future.
One of the most thankless jobs will be to remove all the paint from the inside of hull so that the hull can inspected and checked for rot or other problems which will need to be sorted as we move forward with the project.

So hopefully over the coming weeks and months we should posting new updates of the progress on this and other projects .

 

[jstarmarine]

Chance Autumn update
As many of you will have seen from the lack of updates there as been little work done on Chance over the summer. This as been due a lack of time and more over a lack of funds to do major task done on Chance. especially the removal of the middle and aft section of the starboard beam shelf and reconstructing the transom and its framework which holds it in position.
However, all is not doom and gloom, has I have been able to take on an apprentice to help me during the working week on my clients boats and leave myself and wife time to get on with working on Chances repairs.
So hopefully over the coming week's we should be able to make a start on getting the beam shelf removed and replaced with a new correctly fitted beam shelf which will bring the hull back into position along with the ribs and frames which have to be replaced at the same time to get the hull back into its correct position once more.
There is going to be a lot of shoring up of the starboard side until it is seen that the hull is back into the correct position and a lot of head aches along the way as well.
So hopefully now we should see some much needed progress on the project.

 

[jstarmarine]

Clearing space for another work station in the temporary workshop in the yard to work on parts from Mai Star II across the yard from the temporary workshop




The temporary workshop is where the boats waiting to come into the workshop are being stored until there is space in the workshop to work on them.



Mai Star II now as her deck and cabin sides removed so that the work on replacing her rotten top of her frames and broken ribs can be worked on easier without the cabin sides and decks being in the way. Just got to put the framework of the temporary shed back up once the parts are welded back together which got broken in a gale a couple of years ago and not had the chance to weld up. That should be done over the next few weeks so that work can start on her shortly.



This cover is only temporary as We are getting the original cover repaired and once that is done then the shed will be well protected for the winter.

 

[jstarmarine]

One of the major problems with Mai Star II is her transom which is in need of replacing as there is more damage than would be practical to repair, therefore, it would be a better idea to replace the whole of the transom.



The beam shelf on the starboard side is in reasonably good condition apart from the tops of the frames that need new section fitting on the them to make it possible to fix the sheer plank to them when the plank is fitted.



The port side beam shelf is not in such good condition and will need replacing as part of the restoration of the hull.



The whole of the transom area is in a great deal of attention and will have to be replaced.



This photo shows the ribs are missing as well as the port side frame which will be made up and refitted in this area so that the hull can be brought back into shape once more.



Damage to the planking will have the areas have pieces cut out and bit glued in place and then planed and sanded back to make good the areas.

 

[jstarmarine]

Because the old nail holes are a bit shoot, we are filling them with tapered dowels and then re-drilling new holes for the new ribs to be fixed to when they are steamed in position after the new ribs are made from the green oak we have in the yard outside of the workshop.



There are going to be a far number of these holes that need plugging over the course of the this restoration of Mai Star II, so we better get plug making



First job is to get lengths of softwood turned on the lathe to near the right size and then use the tapered dowel cutter to do the rest of the job.



The tapered dowel cutter used to get the dowels down to the correct size to fit in the holes bored out with the taper plug cutter



The first of many plugs to come



The tapered dowel cutter in operation