MFV BF494 'Pansy', an old Motor Fifie Conversion

Just in case there's any Python Fans out there!.

Needed Larch. So got some. Wrote my car off in the process though. Called in at the garage on the way home tonight to have it confirmed. Still driving it though. Basically, the weight of all the larch on the roof rack on its way home put 4 large creases in the roof which won't come out without major car surgery. ho hum

Any hoo...

No 1.. The Larch... The Larch

Rather than risk an even flatter car than I already have, just going to take the larch to the boat in dribs and drabs as I need it. Today was a drib. Target was the port side top plank and rubbing strake.

So the drib was slung off the car and onto the pontoon and power tools fired up in anticipation (hang on, quick digit check.... yup still all there)

The Planks are inch and three quarters thick and six inch wide, so big bits of wood to bend. Decided to forego the steamer for just the one plank, and seeing as the timber still has a pretty high moisture content thought, what the hell, bit of muscle and a big hammer should the trick, and so it did. After end of the plank butted up to the next plank. Muckle big clamp and some even muckler big nails and off we go. 6 Inch boat spikes and a 2lb mash hammer. what could go wrong?

As it happens, for once, nothing. I even broke my own rules and measured twice and cut once for a change! Planed the bevel and then with judicious use of the spike/hammer combo and a couple of comedy sized G clamps and the thing was fitted and fastened in no time. Was so chuffed I ate a pot noodle and sloshed a load of stockholm tar and oil on the plank, or was it the other way around?

Rubbing strake next. Even easier as the timber is not quite as big as the planks, so clamp and hammer and fitted it all on my lonesome! Metaphorically speaking of course. I had a wee helper along that was tasked elsewhere...

so here you go, some more new wood!

Must remember to take a proper camera anlong instead of the WhyAyePhone. Top plank and rubbing strake now replaced, ready for caulking and painting

the view looking forward. Not be long now before the last of that red paint is gone forever

Another small section of the rubbing strake to fit, the fill missing plank on the gunnels, bit of paint and then.... the Port side is done... apart form the fitting of the nameboard. Really looking forward to that moment

Elsewhere, my little helper had been asked to firmly insert plugs right up to the butt! (The splinters are killing me!)
The deck... finally plugging the holes. Spent several hours in my shed/burrow yesterday making nearly 1000 16mm wooden plugs. Which Tracker has been carefully and lovingly inserting. The contrast between the new wood and the rest of the deck now the many coats of oil are starting to darken is quite nice!

need to lash some more boat soup on to tame the plugs a bit, but Progress! PROGRESS!!

and the big shock of the day... After spending most of the year wading through a sea of empty beer cans in the wheelhouse, couldn't stand it no more so I tidied and swept up in there!