Plugging Away

Yesterday was partly taken up with researching wood stoves and visiting a local manufacturer.  We have decided to fit a Salamander Hobbit stove.  They are designed and built by a local company and are ideal for small spaces.  Check out their website at https://salamanderstoves.com.  The issue I'm now wrestling with is how to seal the flue exit in the saloon roof.  More on that to follow in the coming days.  The rest of the day was spent battling Storm Brendan as it threatened to tear down my tarpaulins that are protecting the bow of Wendy Woo.

Today was much more productive.  Bridget got cracking with plugging the screw holes in the new shear strakes.  The process includes making the plugs using a specialist cutter and then gluing them in place, making sure the grain of the wood is aligned.  There are hundreds to do!

Given that Bridget has not used a pillar drill before, she took to the task and within a few hours all the holes were plugged.

In the meantime, I set about fitting deck planks.  I had been struggling with using slot-head screws as the bit kept jumping out and gouging the planks.  The sight of the parcel courier bringing me a box full of pozi-drive stainless screws was very welcome.  I find pozi-drive far easier to use and I quickly managed to get the planking fitted around the foredeck hatch.  There's still a long way to go, but I feel as though good progress has been made.

Incidentally, when we got to the boatyard this morning we were greeted by possibly the highest tide we have seen sine getting the boat out of the water.  We could almost have put her in reverse and motored off the ramp.  Must have been all the rain we have had!