Launch Date, Website Help?
It's been a very busy past few weeks, getting used to the live-aboard life, working on Constellation, and starting my new job at the pub. It's nice to have some money finally, although I still live week by week, having spent the last pay packet on tools so I could actually start work. I've scored a tin of cheap black antifoul, and decided to paint the topsides while she's out of the water, and I have some time. The colour scheme is dark red on top, with a black hull and no water line. I'll also varnish the toe-rails and maybe do the deck after the launch. Right now, all my focus is on repairing anything that cannot be done in the water, which includes my newly found problem of the week: A rotten rudder. I have some regular pub-patrons on the hunt for large slabs of teak for me, which I will (with the help of a friend in the yard) replace the existing ply slabs with, and varnish. If there is no teak to be found, I'll put marine ply back and fibre glass & paint as per the original. The pintle closest to the prop is also worn, meaning I need to have a local stainless workshop lathe a new one for me... It's amazing being in one of the biggest sailing regions in the world, because anything can be found, and there are loads of people to lend a hand or offer advice. I'll post another time on the great help I've been getting.
Other jobs include the issue of the cockpit draining into the bilge, which I am going fix with a skin fitting on the transom, and run tubing into two more holes 5inches off of the floor in the cockpit. The theory is, there will only ever been 5inches of water which cannot drain, although if the boat is heeling the majority of it should exit through one of the opposing holes. I'll then re-route the existing floor drains into a 'switch' on the bilge pump, so when there is a lot of water flying in, I can switch out the bilge pump and drain the cockpit. I think it's better than raising the floor at this stage; that's the theory.
In other news, I really need the help of someone on this website - I have a potential sponsor trying to view the site, but they're locked into a corporate network running Internet Explorer 6, and as I am on a Mac without the ability to test such things, I'm in trouble because this site is apparently completely broken. So, if there is anyone around who might be able to spare an hour or so tweaking my CSS to run with IE6, I'd be incredibly appreciative - Let me know if I can do something in return.
The launch date is locked in for the 5th of June, and I have a mud berth lined up till August. The launch date is slightly late, but what can I say, I'm doing my best. I have a lot to do still, and painting takes good weather, so I really hope between now and then I get some weather to work in.
Outside of my pub job, I've also been assisting on a Fastnet 34 refit, sanding, varnishing and finishing off things around the boat - I'm getting paid about the same as the pub job, and it's nice to be getting paid for something boat-related.
Apologies on this rather dry post, but I've also have a somewhat tumultuous personal life going on in the background, so apologies - I just thought I'd give a quick update on how things going.
I can't wait to get in the water!
nick.