Doubling below, design features up top
October - December 2023
In November we were pleased to be joined by shipwright Laurie Watkins to work with John Hall, on the replanking of the stern. This was Douglas Fir, which had to be shaped and steamed around the rear bottom and wrapping the transom. The propeller was removed, and the planking fixed around the propellor shaft with galvanised coach bolts and ship spikes into the existing frames. With new layers of wood either side, the bronze bolts that hold on the bronze prop shaft bracket were too short, and new ones had to be machined out of phosper bronze – which looks like, and costs about the same as gold. Well not quite as expensive maybe.
Laurie and John then added the anchor sheathing - thin galvanised metal sheathing on Raybel’s Port side bow to stop the anchor gouging the hull as it is winched up.
Next up was removal of all the emaining elm bottom doubling, which revealed a remarkably sound and smooth bottom, which was a great relief. It was decided that the bottom should stay as it is with just a whole lot of old spike holes to be filled.
Also to be done was final work to newly fitted keel and chine bolts which, in many cases did not have enough threading to tighten them down properly. Pieces of sturdy pipe were put on as spacing washers. Some bolts were too long for washers so the 22 mm thread was extended with a nut die which cut new threads.
The process of scraping the bottom then started. This is to remove all the old tar, mud, and other attachments from the bottom of the boat, much of which had lingered for 100 years or so. Working in the 4 foot gap underneath the boat, scraping overhead with a toxic dusty mix of acidic bitumen falling down required special measures of full face mask, a hood, and a good overall, making it the dirtiest job we have encountered so far.
Design and colour
Back on top, volunteers started the process of painting the topsides with a colour scheme designed by our project manager Faye. The colours, if you want to look them up, are Farrow and Ball colours Downpipe, Skylight and Kittiwake. We got our tallest volunteer Alan into a safety harness to paint the high bow sections.
Volunteer Roger started making a new sliding cover for the companion way. He used his precision engineering skills to make some really nice pieces of brass work and the hatch works a treat.
During November and December 2023, the transom badge was restored. It’s not the original one, but was replaced some time ago. It was badly split, and sections of rot extended into the aft planking. The splits were filled with softwood spills, and shipwright John shaped a complex piece that was grafted in. All other holes were filled with epoxy resin and sawdust mix.
After sanding down, volunteer Simon, who is a professional carpenter, took his finest chisels and recut the Raybel badge of letters and scrolls. After two coats of grey primer and a topcoat of low lustre black top coat, the badges on the transom and the bows were coloured in the traditional blue, yellow, and red. The arrow (the go-faster stripe) was painted yellow along with the decorative scrolls on the bows.
The shipwrights started routing out the positions of the chain plates which will hold the rigging in place and shaping the chocks which will hold the new main horse, the curved piece of wood which holds the back corner of the mainsail down.
Heroes all
Inside, the woodburning stove was refurbished by Ken, and Jim, who welded a new plate onto the back.
Bryan took on the job of lifting the limber boards and cleaning out sawdust, crisp packets, lost tools, and the occasional rats’ nest from between the frames. What a hero!
