3241Hrs – Worse Things Happen At Sea

Well the superstorm decided to pass further South of us than predicted meaning we got lots of rain but missed the strongest winds.

A gust of 99mph was recorded at The Needles on the Isle of Wight, tragically four lives have been lost including a 14 year old boy who was swept off the beach at Newhaven. The Newhaven lifeboat and a helicopter spent hours searching for him but to no avail. The skill and bravery of the RNLI crews is incredible, just watch this video of the Newhaven boat last night, close inshore where no vessel had any right to be, seamanship of the highest order . Oh and for my overseas readers, can you believe that the RNLI is a charity and all the crew are volunteers!

It really doesn’t bear thinking what would have happened if we’d been hit as hard up here but we got away with it and next time October storms sweep the UK ‘Gleda’ won’t be in the barn!

My main task today was to drill the correct (7mm) sized holes through the larger epoxy filled ones in the rudders. The filling went really well and here’s one of the lashing points punched and ready to drill.

Next I set up my drill in the router bed again and after cutting down a drill bit to the correct length I carefully started drilling. It was satisfying to see nothing but nice white epoxy swarf coming off the drill bit confirming that all was well.

I went along steadily and got all 40 holes drilled. I wouldn’t say that there to precision engineering tolerances but they’re well within this Wharram builders ones.

Once the holes were drilled I spent a bit of time epoxy filling screw holes on both rudders and the side deck lockers before finishing off by gluing the two rudder support blocks to the skegs.

It’s my intention to get these rudders finished glassed and painted before the weeks out.