Completion

Sails Up!

An almost invisible repair complete, so back in business for some winter sailing on a very flooded welsh lake.

Passes inspection from wife - declared seaworthy.

Launch Day

Launch day finally arrives

Weather and launch went perfectly, the sails for the Gunter rig set the Iain Oughtred designed MacGegor canoe off perfectly. I remained the right way up and out of the water for the duration and 'Swift' lived up to her name.

Nothing of course ever quite ends as planned in boatbuilding and my reluctance to risk damaging the varnished deck by over strapping the canoe down to the trailer was to have disastrous results. 'Swift' I noticed (after the launch) had damage to her hull, where she had lifted and must have slammed down onto a point load on the trailer rollers. I have now learnt a difficult lesson in this respect and boat building has now instantly moved to boat repair.

On a more positive note, she is a fine little boat and once over this frustration and what we intend to be an invisable repair, I'm now up for some winter sailing.

How could I let this happen.

Sails Up

A boat trailer for Swift

Checking the masts still fit

Introducing the 'lightweight' trailer. Two thirds of the way through the build I finally accepted the canoe was not going to be a car top model (it had grown too heavy!). We designed a trailer and went to a local agricultural engineer for the chasis to be welded up. A fine trailer it is, but the theme of heavy has continued with this element of the project. So trailer replaces roof rack and tractor may now be added to the canoe accessory list.

Wheels, loading rollers and towbar, all bolted on.

In case this entry gives the impression all is complete and ready for launching, not quite. Some annoying runs in the deck varnish now need rubbing out and further coats of varnish applied. Also some further fitting out yet.

Paint & Varnish

Work continues to shape the cockpit coaming (laminated in Ash)

The first coat of varnish on the deck (the hull is protected from splashes by a curtain of newspaper!)

Both the outsde and inside of the hull painting is now complete

Deck & Lee Board

The hull is primed

Time to cook up some lead to cast into the lee board

Masts, spars and paddle are hung from the ceiling for their first coat of varnish

Glueing the deck on (later to be varnished).

Painting the inside of the hull

Setting out the sails

The paddle blanks glued and starting to shape up in sitka spruce with decorative mahogany 'stripes'.

Fitting the folding rudder

The floorboards are now fitted and backrest and seats fit into a variety of alternative positions.

Time to test the sail measurements and spars. All seems ok.

Seats & Brass Stem

Shaping and positioning the seats. These have a number of alternative positions forward and aft and also need to fit in with the position of the steering foot pedals, (plenty of measuring and trying out, before we finally commit ourselves!)

Some nice shiney new bronze rudder fittings (specially made up for this job) arrive from the very helpful 'Classic Marine'.

A brass stem band (to protect the keel) now fitted and running the entire length of both stems and keel).

Deck Beams, Carlins & Spars

Deck Beams and Carlins complete, watertight (or will be) box surrounding mast step.



And now for some spar making, in best quality Sitka Spruce (and most of it ends up as shavings).



Fitting the sheeve blocks in the top of both masts.