Decking, CB Rigging and Mizzen Partner Parts

It has been a great week! All interior decking (platform decking and seat tops) has been installed - well, glued in place. Seams between pieces and deck/hull joints need filling/filleting/fairing. But, hey, getting those six pieces installed is huge to me.

The installation of the top decking began yesterday. A shortage of clamps (loaned most of mine out last week!) kept me from installing all but the fore-deck pieces today.

Photo

Last Saturday we installed the centerboard in its case. Figuring out how to cap the case and operate the centerboard has taken a great deal of time and consideration - but I have a solution. Borrowed from others, the idea is to build a box to cap the case. Inside the box will be a lifting mechanism: a double block with becket, a double block and an upright/through deck block. The "proof-of-concept" mock-up worked well.

Experimenting with 6mm and 9mm ply, I figured out two pieces (one at a time) of 6mm ply are easier to bend into place on the underside of the stern deck than one piece of 9mm ply. So, 6mm it is. I also experimented (using cedar and TB-III) with making a mast collar for the top of the partner. That went better than I expected, so I will figure out how to shim/fit the collar to the deck's curve and use what I've learned to make a collar out of some sort of hardwood.

Next up: finish the side decking, install the gunnels, build the CB case cap, and begin work on the coamings.