The race is on

 

I have put a coat of undercoat on nearly all the boat. Still a few bits under the coaming and on top of centreboard case missed. I think I will spring for a new pot of undercoat tomorrow and give it all a good second coat. 

There are still lots of small and some not so small tasks outstanding and i am struggling to stay on top of the details. Today, I needed a couple of pieces of wood on which  to mount the cleats on the cabin top. I found a nice bit of Oregon, sliced it, then remembered I was saving that bit for the top of the centreboard case. Dammit. Not the end of the world, I will have to rip another piece out of another bit I have been saving for ... what exactly I don't know.  I've bought a bunch of rope and nuts and bolts and blocks from Jim  at the Dinghy Shop, who has been incredibly helpful and generous with his time. And he is an agent for Dunbier and is sussing out availability for a trailer as well, another task i need to tackle asap.

I bit the bullet and drilled holes for the outboard bracket. I dare to hope that it might work.

But an engine means registration so I better get cracking on that as well. 

I would really like to get the boat ready for the Paynesville Classic Boat Rally from 1 March if humanly possible. Not too many sleeps till then, and we are going to Walkerville for about 5 days next week, so no more slacking!

First time

 

Carl, a SCAMP fan and future builder, got in touch via Josh at SCA. He and family, Sarah and Isabelle, came to have a look at progress on Friday.  It was really nice to see the boat through their eyes. The smile says it all!

Sounds like it might be a while before Carl starts to build, but he has been thinking a lot about it and has some interesting thoughts on furling and cabin layout.

Meanwhile, glacial progress continues. I have been fiddling with the mast step and partners. 

Also the oarlock/hiking out seat arrangement, amazing how long you can stuff around on such a minor detail!

 I am waiting on some bits at the Williamstown Chandlers, then I will buy more undercoat and get stuck into painting.  I even ordered some sail numbers. Better get the letters for the name to stick on.  And if I can line up a time with Jim at the Dinghy Shop, I can make a start on rigging. Then there is just the conundrum of getting a trailer ... and rego ... The list still seems endless.

Last week was a reminder that the boat build has a dimension outside just me. A lot of people are interested in progress. Yet another pot of epoxy went off while I was talking to a walk in visitor - but it's nice. I think I will have a long list of people to take out for a sail when "Anjevi" is a going concern.

Shingled out

 On Saturday, we were getting ready for a family get together to make up for the Christmas we missed thanks to Covid.  I was feeling distinctly off colour, and had an afternoon nap, something I seldom do.  I woke up about 4, and decided to have a shower to try and wake up and get moving. As I was drying off, I realised I had a nice pattern of bright purple blisters across my lower back, in an unmistakeable pattern. Shingles, dammit. As a key member of the party is expecting, and as I now had a good explanation for why I was feeling so out of it, we cancelled the dinner, yet again.  I will spare the blog a graphic photo of the rash.  The good news is I managed to get started early on treatment, which seems to have contained the severity of the outbreak.  But it is not an experience I can recommend to anyone.  My congratulations to everyone over 50 who has been organized enough to get the vaccine, and my strong advice to anyone who hasn't had the vaccine yet, make an appointment with  your GP without delay!

Progress on the boat has been difficult to see.  I have been chipping away at various jobs that need doing - getting all the bushings in and lined up seemed to take me a very long time, but that is done.  The contortions required to get under the boat in its upside down state was acting as a strong disincentive to doing anything I realised, so today I cobbled up a very basic trolley with some castors from Bunnings, hooked up an elaborate series of ropes and straps, and without too much fuss or drama, managed to turn the boat back right side up by myself.  Took about 45 minutes all up, going very slowly and carefully, as I seriously did not want to drop the boat on the concrete. 

Now the boat is back upright, I can see what a rough job I have done.  Curse my past, sloppy self.  And I can see a fair bit of sanding in my future.  But it is lovely to have it upright again, it is like getting the boat back.

The Shingles episode has made me slow down a bit and relax a bit. If I just keep chipping away we will get this boat on the water.  I am soooo looking forward to some SCAMPing. 

Meanwhile, speaking of boats on the water, there was a nice pic in the Paynesville facebook page, of Kirsty Ann under new management, on the Clyde River near BatemansBay.  Such a beautiful boat, so good to see the her out there and being used. 

Maggie is very pleased to have her favourite snooze spot back.