Lena
Invader 22
My main site home allsorts *** *** November progress




Here we are into November - I'm back working again full time in Bath - work as an agency carpenter joiner. This is good that it brings the money in - but only gives me weekends on the boat - mostly Sat afternoons till dusk and the same Sunday.
Thankfully most of the exterior painting/varnishing is done. Had a good clear up inside - took the sails home and put the table back up - so now have the whole of the forepeak clear. New washboards are made - I have my stainless plate for the overlap and the Protech rigid fasteners for these and the cockpit hatch covers.
Went ahead with my decision to put chain plates on either side of the hull, just below the rubbing strake, which will back up the U-bolts on the main shrouds and the stemhead fitting, utilising the old rigging screws.( first pic )

Second pic shows the modified bronze stem fitting - the lower U-bolt will take two rigging screws internally to two inner chainplates - backed up outside to two rounded end polished plates.I have epoxied a 15mm sepele marine backing plate up under the stem triangle - which makes the thickness there about 40mm. The backing plate is a piece of the 6mm stainless.The main shroud U-bolts bolt to a custom backing plate made from 6mm stainless angle, with an eye for the rigging screw to similar plates.( shown right of pic )
Fitted the pick up bolts for the outboard bracket - put them in opposite way around - since the bolts are glassed in internally, to preserve the watertight integrity of the cockpit locker. That way, I can remove it more easily.
Third pic -The boarding ladder has been repaired, with new stand offs and has been mounted on two mahogony blocks ( actually a bit of the rudder material ) which have been bolted through the top of the transom - an absolute pig of a job as access is difficult there, despite a couple of small access panels I cut - also from these I can reach the top rudder fitment. I'm still working on the problem of reaching the lower one!
The ladder now swings up as it was designed to do. This pic also shows the rather nice lines of the transom - something sweet about that!