Despite all that this poor excuse for a spring can throw at us, progress is being made at long last.  The interior of LJ is now a bright and clean looking ‘antique white’ and the cabin sole is resplendent in light grey deck paint.

Saloon, port side, looking aft

Galley, stbd, looking aft

Inca, looking bored

Washboard before…

Washboard stbd, after sanding and first coat

So, apart from the sliding hatch the interior refit is almost done.  Barometer and Clock still to be fitted to beam but starting to look like home.

I have also made a start on the woodwork on deck, spent a few minutes sanding one of the washboards and am encouraged with the result!

Meanwhile above decks… work has finally started on the mast.  Middle son (a fine fiddler and a qualified luthier (violin/guitar maker) was pressed into service and appointed official ships carpenter.  After untying him he agreed to take the Kings shilling and set to work with a will.

The bottom of the mast was rotten, no really, rotten as a pear.  In fact large chunks of it could be removed by hand.  So, the carpenter set to with a saw and plane and removed the wood back to something solid.  He then planed everything flat and prepared to scarf a new piece of spruce on.  When the jointed piece was fitting to his satisfaction a good dollop of West System epoxy was mixed and applied.  The whole lot was clamped up and left to set.

The rotten mast base before work started.

Cutting out the rotten section

Ready for gluing up…

…scarfed and glued.

So, the carpenter was given a spell of shore leave and has promised to return soon to carve the new section to shape.  A bit of rot was found at the masthead and a couple of small splits to take care of then it’s back to sanding and scraping prior to varnishing.