38. Enjoying some woodwork.

The last few days have been a break from the engineering. At the end of last week, whilst waiting to pick up the steering gear and the GRP prop shaft tube etc, I found some time to enjoy a bit of woodwork. I positioned the structural timbers on the bow deck and rough cut the fillers. I then cut and positioned the structural part of the dash board and rough cut the ‘Zebrano’ timber veneers to go on top.  I put a steering wheel on the dash so I could judge it’s size. The finished wheel will need to be 14″ or more. I will eventually have a timber and metal spoked steering wheel, but I don’t need to buy that yet. None of that has been epoxied in place yet but that will be an entertaining afternoon later this week. The plans said to lay a 1/2 inch ply flooring on top of the stringers but I am not comfortable that 12mm is enough. So I inset  the central floor with 25mm ply and loose fitted that. The floor will have to continue on the outside of the stringers but that is for another day.

On Friday I picked up the steering gear from Lancing Marine, Thank you Mark.

Suddenly one can see the space that will be the cabin. I am so looking forward to building that.

Today, Monday, I inserted the prop tube and epoxied that into place. The engine, shaft log and P bracket have all lined up very well and I shall be interested to get the prop shaft and the prop back next week from Lancing Marine and fit them. I know there will be some tweaking necessary but that is normal. I must order the exhaust outlets this week as I need to fit those as well as the new manifolds.

It’s beginning to look like a boat!     Enjoy the pix!