Grantala's useable again!

[igatenby]

Finally. Two screws, working in unison. A useable boat.

We slipped Grantala (1937/38 50' Holmes Bros AM Deering designed sundeck cruiser) for the fourth time in our custodianship and got her to the stage where we can use her. The slippings have been:

1 - antifoul and through-hulls

2 - new transom, new strut mounting floor, steering gear & antifoul

3 - several new planks, four new floors, a dozen new ribs, new cutlass bearings & antifoul

4 - fix shaft alignment problem on starboard shaft, probably as a result of the entire elements of 2 & 3 (we ran out of time and energy during # 3) & antifoul

In between slippings, we have a new deck and new cabin (built around 2/3 of the existing cabin top), new cabin soles (all lowered by 2" to 4" due to my height), all new bulkheads, rebuilt engines and boxes, new custom mufflers, new tanks, and heaps more - all done on the mooring.

Still lots (couple more years at this rate) to do - but it is great to arrive, unlock, check the fluids, crank them up and ditch the mooring to go for a short run down river and back before starting the next project - which is currently the sundeck steering station.

After five years of promising, we may get some hairtail fishing in this winter! This is generally a 4' to 6' long fish by the way - max size is about 8' but only 5kg in weight.

http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/rec/fish/img/hairtail.jpg

Ian

[Wild Dingo]

You bloody bobby dazzler Ian!!! Well done mate! :cool: Now... you know you have to post the obligatory pics dontcha?! come on out with them!! ;)

[John B]

excellent.

ugly fish. :D

[Lion]

Ian

Good to hear from you and that the 'project' is starting show results!

Lion

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

What no photos? :confused:

You've got us spoiled Ian. :D

Glad to hear all is well. ;)

Hopefully those fish taste better than they look. tongue.gif

[igatenby]

I didn't say it was finished did I?

OK - current state of play:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/p137517fb99dbb65c567a341aa47c9097/f45a7f79.jpg

The above is the inside of the main cabin. The cover strips and pelmets are at home waiting on someone to sand and varnish them. My eldest son and his mate made them as a "work experience" task. Barry (my mate the retired shipwright, who can lay claim to all the good things you see in these photos - with me being responsible for the not so good things) - took on two 16 year olds for a week and taught them how to cut, thickness, profile and fit the capping strips and pelmets. They are a different species of timber to the Queensland Maple seen here. Only two coats of varnish (waiting till next week to get some more on). The ply bulkhead will be covered later.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/p52c33a91ba06daf099fd45d8d7835d34/f45a7f66.jpg

This is detail of the doorway in to the head. This trim was only fitted last week - hence the untrimmed plugs and lack of varnish.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pe147d82fbb5a5d44a8b4b99e1f3833e5/f45a7f75.jpg

Above shows head to port and shower to starboard and my nearly 17 year old's boxers straight ahead.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pe4d4519acb87e6946401b9c0e2454764/f45a7f6b.jpg

This proves it isn't finished. The deck is still dynel-covered marine ply with a tarp on top. The teak is cut and will go on soon. You can see near the aft portholes where we fitted new ribs - I must get around to painting over the filler - but then again, the whole topsides need doing....

Ian