Barrie, John, Alan and Adrian have all been busy sanding, cleaning and painting. Two primers, two undercoats and two topcoats (could do with rubbing down twice more and two more topcoats, but…). Plan is to turn her back upright again on Monday to add the name, some colour and start the process of finishing the interior.
Good news…the Princess Royal is to open the Skiffie Worlds in Ullapool 8th July.
The interior had a coat of cream gloss paint, Andy delivered the four beautiful oars and then it was time to turn her over. Giles, John, Ian and Adrian with full support team including Lina bringing a freshly baked carrot cake, lifted and spun Hoi Larntan over in all of four and a half minutes.
SInce then, Barrie supervised the shaping of the keel and between us, using a multi-million pound router bit, bought specially for the job we cut the bevel.
Alan drew the short straw and spent the next day sanding and vacuuming in equal doses. We mixed up the high-tech, high-build primer and I had to leave Alan to finish off as I had a meeting I had to attend (cunning planning, that!). Second coat on yesterday and now curing.
Steve Soanes of Soanes Signs has prepared the name-strip and Adrian (T) has the colour-work for the sheerstrake in hand.
Tom has organised the band and posters are appearing, inviting all to the launch on Saturday 25 May.
Now, 10 days to go and still 14 days work left to do – mmm…
Starting first primer coat - 
All are invited -
Best of luck to Adrian Hodge and crew who are Braving the canals and lagoon of Venice to take part in the Voga Longa marathon row (usually over 1500 boats!) – just a bit of overseas training away from the competition, you understand.
P.S. Vicky, Roger, Charlie and Juno are still storm-bound in Dartmouth (8 days now).
So many people have helped us in so many ways – not only coming and being part of the build but many off-site activities have made it all possible. Today Tom Kittle of Lapwing Woodturning in Holt finished these superbly turned thole pins for Hoi Larntan and has shown great interest in the project. Thanks very much Tom.
With the prospect of travelling to Ullapool and dipping our oars in the Northern Atlantic – well, Loch Broom and the fringes of the Minch anyway, I thought a small offering to Neptune would be appropriate, so a small silver coin is now embedded in the apron.
Barrie added a coat of undercoat and the amount of woodwork left to do is diminishing. Shaun, who built the frame, fitted the breasthook and together we hung the rudder. Alan cut and shaped the kabes and rouths. The rounding of edges and smoothing countless surfaces still presents an awesome task – see all the masking tape – before final painting and varnishing but Hoi Larntan is taking shape. Jobs are now listed in terms of days and the inexorable approach of our launch 25 May!
Work will slow for a few days (this thursday 2 May to wednesday 8 May) but then we should be ready to turn her over and start on the hull.
Just in the nick of time, as I was looking forward to a long slog, Barrie arrived, whistled round with the masking tape and between us we had a coat of primer on Hoi Larntan’s interior before lunch. Well thinned, multi-million £ epoxy high-build primer – luckily a beautiful day and we had the barn doors open to dispel the solvents. Weather permitting, continue the process tomorrow.
Later, spied on the team (four oars plus Elaine as cox), practising in Roy’s boat at Blakeney in the sunshine. Sadly a very small tide – ashamed to say I didn’t stay to see if they got back OK?
Thanks to Vicky, Alan and Tom we sanded and scraped the interior and Hoi Larntan is now ready for a first coat of primer – if the temperature is up enough.
Thanks to others who offered their services – your chance will come!
Now for miles and miles of masking tape….
The gunwales/inwales are on and shaped. The thwarts are being fitted. Chris is doing a superb job with bottom boards and stretchers etc. – one dry fit and now back to his workshop for finishing. There is even talk of cleaning up and the word “paint” has been mentioned.
The oars are looking so good.
No illusions as to how much is left to do, but we are pressing on.
Chris’s bottom boards…first dry-fit
Gunwales and loose-fitted thwarts…
The stem cut but not yet shaped…
