Our First Unexpected Nasty

It had to happen: our first ugly surprise. Not a major, but the dream run had to come to an end. While removing planking on the port side waterline, all was going to plan, with the worm damaged outer planks coming off to reveal sound inner planks underneath. As they got to the area where the refrigeration sits Rick noticed that the inner planking was feeling a bit soft. It seems that 50+ years of condensation forming around the back of the freezer area and dripping down onto the hull has caused the inner planks in that area to go soft; it's almost certainly the first time anyone has been in behind there since the boat was built.

No big drama, it just means more planking that has to be removed, and removing the planking is what has proven to be the hard slog. Rick and his team are feeling the pain as they try to pry the girl apart, but she does not want to go without a fight. Rick has most of the planking sawn, all the butt-blocks are made, the stem is done, so once they finish the plank removal she should hopefully come back together pretty quickly. None the less, with the extra planking to remove Rick has pushed the launch date back out a week to around the end of the first week of August.

Port side waterline. Worm eaten planks on top, while inner planks are fine.

Waterline planking removed, including opening her up around the back of the refrigeration..