The fifth and final week of my recuperation in Fife consisted of further work fitting out the furniture of the interior. The remains of Monday after I had driven down was spent planing back the inwales to give a fair line along the top of the sheer. There were problems with opposing grain directions in the laminations of the inwales, larch tends to have a twisted grain anyway so there is always the risk of tear out. The use of a really sharp low angle block plane at 45 degrees to the line of the sheer minimised tearout to an acceptable level. The two planes I had honed up on Sunday only just lasted the course – by Monday evening they were pretty dull. There was a substantial pile of larch shavings to show for the effort though. Some time was spent (far more than could be afforded) considering the angle and position of the stem trim cut. This is an area where individualism will probably show itself – my preference is for a rather more curved effect but in the end time ruled and a straight cut was made just accenting slightly the line of the sheer. Tuesday morning saw the temporary Cox’s perch develope, this was a fairly organic process – laying a couple of appropriately beveled bearers across the stern planking at what felt like the right height with the seating battens decoratively arranged in a fan on top. All designed to minimise fancy fitting. I was quite pleased with the end result – gravity and a couple of small locating blocks hold the result firmly in place. Alec tried the perch out and demonstrated conclusively that only somebody in the petite category will be comfortable ensconced here. The Thwarts and beams were cut to size and clamped in position using the guide marks made earlier - a mirror was used to get a line of sight along the boat to prove parallel alignment. Once satisfied a 10mm drill was used to put a couple of bolt mounting holes through beams and frames. Necessary because the Thwart assemblies are likely to be removed quite often for maintenance during the life of the boat, painting out the interior is much easier with them out-of-the-way. The bolt holes were lined with short lengths of 10mm copper microbore heating pipe to reduce wear from the disassembling of the thwarts, 5/16″ Bronze bolts will be a light fit in the internal bore. That was pretty well the stage reached when my time was up and I had to head home to rectify 6 weeks of domestic neglect before the missis returned. Since then Alec has fitted the breast hooks, varnished the inwales and thwarts, primed and undercoated the interior. Almost there! The next time I shall see her is on the water on her launch day in a few weeks time.

click on the thumbnails for the bigger picture.

Hull chocked up and ready for furnishing the inside

Supporting wedge to prevent bow tipping forward when working inside

Preparing to drill the thwart beams

checking alignment of thwarts with a mirror

bolt holes in frames – lined with 10mm copper pipe to reduce wear

Thwart beam lined bolt holes

Beams held with temporay bolts to hold alignment of linings while glue cures

Cutting the stem to size

was the cut in the right place after all?

The temporary cox’s seat – simply held in place by gravity and a couple of small blocks

The temporary cox’s seat – once rowing trials have been held the final position will be confirmed

Alec trying the cox’s perch – makes it look like a big boat

Trialing rudder options – an offset tiller may be the best solution

Tea break

The never ending clean up

The view from the upper reaches of the workshop. Photo by Alec Jordan

Almost the plan view. Photo by Alec Jordan

Coated in Yacht Primer. Photo by Alec Jordan

First white undercoat on inside and outside. Photo by Alec Jordan

I went down to the Kingdom of Fife all those weeks ago feeling a bit down about boatbuilding – the Raid41 was such a negative experience that I was not sure I had another build in me. Alec’s good humoured cosseting and infectious enthusiasm has restored my confidence, recharged my batteries and left me itching to extend the little Green Shed and start the next boat, this will be a reversal of past experience – whereas my builds have been shrinking the next is going to the full extent of the expanded shed, an 18 footer and technically challenging with it, it will however be curvaceous – no more boxes for me, well not till I am placed in the final one. So a huge vote of thanks to Alec for the priviledge of being involved in a small way with the St Ayles Skiff, the therapy worked brilliantly. I am sufficiently hooked by this particular BIG boat that I have signed up for the Ullapool St Ayles Skiff build syndicate, hopefully the first of many for the West Coast of Scotland.