MFV BF494 'Pansy', an old Motor Fifie Conversion

Blimey, its been ages!

Finally a dry day, somewhere above freezing, so time to get back to it. Although it nearly didn't happen. I was away with the fairies this morning and happily pumped 50 quids worth of unleaded into the Land Rover before I remembered its a diesel!! topped it off with 70 quids worth of diesel and hoped for the best - amazingly seems to be running ok on the strange mixture. Any hoo, need to try get this side sorted in the next few weeks for an impending trip to dry land to attend to her nether regions, and have also got to try and bring the other one I've bought down from Scotland as soon as poss too - may soon be into outstaying your welcome territory, and I'm quite looking forward to that wee adventure (and am deliberately holding back on pics and the like till she's back here!)

Anyway, Pansy is still afloat, which is apparently a good sign where boats are concerned. Time for a wee bit more oil and paint here and there, and to rip off some planks and start sticking some new ones back on. Spent the first hour or two practicing various versions of 'where'd I leave the big hammer?' and 'Where's the big wooden driving wedges gone' but eventually rounded enough destructive weapons up to let rip. Rubbing strake and 3(ish) planks off, and one(ish) back on which is not bad for a man doing monkey impressions clinging onto the gunnels whilst swinging a 4lb mash hammer.

Surprisingly, given the weather, the green larch is not so green any more. In fact it has dried out and seasoned a lot, despite being left in the open through the winter, so cold bending was a bit(!) trickier than last time, but I only hit my hand with the hammer 3 times and only nearly fell in once (left leg ankle deep).

Plan is to get the top 2 planks done before ripping anymore off. A section of the top belting is also going and the first plank underneath, which should then mean she's pretty much rot free above the water line.

The dead bits are currently keeping the house toasty on the rayburn, but the boat looks as rough as arseholes to anyone passing by!

Not really a pretty sight! Repairing the planks on a wooden hull using only a big hammer and swear words. Apologies to the neighbours!