.

Oct 04, Colin writes:

OK..........the new beam is on!! The mast was today remounted in the new stainless steel tabernacle and the foredeck has been back on since Monday- looking good for our vacation getaway next week!!
The new tabernacle, by the way, cost me just about US$29.0.......material and labour!! Not everything is perfect though, my carefully made plywood example (they can't read drawings here) plainly stated 12mm for the mast through-bolt holes, I didn't think to check them and with the mast finally in position to slip the bolt in - it turned out they drilled them with an undersize drill, must have been a re-sharpened worn drill and the bolt just would not fit. I had a 12mm bit but it would not fit the chuck of my drill. Ended up juggling the mast around with my hydraulic car jack and opening up the holes slightly with a large rat-tail file! We won in the end though......which is what it's all about really, isn't it? I was just happy to get the thing back where it should be and off of the temporary box-beam between the inboard edges of both hulls!
The new beam was 100% built on board - so now the big clean-up has started, scraping and sanding the deck planks ready for a couple of coats of Dulux Teak Oil and scrubbing the cockpit soles with thinners prior to their new coat of 2-part Poly!
More later.................................................................Colin.