Blog

Once the rough interior was in, the next stage was to paint, oil and insulate.

After some experimentation I settled on my technique for a smooth glossy finish: follow the roller with a brush. Most areas received an undercoat and two topcoats with sanding between. Then came oiling, which has to be one of the best jobs to date. Nothing makes such a marked improvement to the appearance in such a short time as a good few coats of oil.

Fitting the insulation began by making cardboard templates of all the required panels: everywhere between the waterline and deck along the length of the cabin. The templates were then laid on to sheets of inch thick foam, traced around (making note of angles), and cut out. They were then fitted into the boat.

The foam sections were then removed piece by piece, wrapped and stapled to waterproof vinyl, and glued back into the hull with spray adhesive.

The making of Tarka’s cushions has been going on in parallel. They were first templated and cut out of cushion foam, then taken up to London to be sewn up by my very dedicated personal seamster dad! And to great effect! Get your orders in!

Since then I’ve began work on the electrical system. It’s proving to be difficult. Unlike many previous stages of the refit where I’ve been able to apply skills with one material to another with only minor adjustments, electrical work is like learning a second language; a language of tinned copper terminals, voltage drop, overcurrent protection and circuit diagrams. It’s a work in progress…

Despite my current tribulations, there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve given myself March for the electrics, April for getting the boat ready to be launched and May to do the remaining bits of woodwork and get her looking sharp! So get diaries out for the beginning of June..!

The new year was tough – removing all the pieces I’d finished over previous months and preparing them for bonding took a good few weeks, and despite the knowledge it would all be put back together again soon, it was incredibly demoralising. I also built the galley unit which houses the newly available gimbaling gas stove/grill and hand pump tap.

Thankfully everything is in now (hopefully for good), and Tarka feels happier and stiffer for it!

I’ll be painting and oiling next, followed by insulation above the waterline.

I’m almost there with the rough interior install. The engine frame, main bulkhead curve, battery box, electrics and pan cupboard fronts and chart table carcass are all ready to be bonded in. Unfortunately I am still waiting for the gimbaling stove to become available (hopefully Jan) and will leave the galley as it is until that can be fitted.

The engine frame features ‘wings’ either side of the companionway and a removable casing for the engine.

The chart table carcass features a mount for a metal-working vice, drawers for the sextant and station pointer, four other general storage drawers, and a housing for a seat which will slide out of it and sit against the galley on the other side, allowing one to sit facing the chart table or galley.

Whilst I am nearly done for now, there will be more woodwork at a later date. There will be oiled Sapele trim along the length of the berths, on the edges of all the bulkheads and along the perimeter of the chart table and galley as well as more storage units on the bulkheads. I also need to cut and fit the cabin sole and bilge covers.