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.
Hi Neil
So pleased all was well for you. It would have been heart-breaking for a storm to damage Gleda even before a launch.
Agree with your sentiments re sad loss of life and incredible work of the RNLI.
On the Norfolk coast, we again escaped the worse. Trains all over the place for those travelling and a fair bit of rain. Great Yarmouth had a lot more shipping tied up than normal, dodging the worse of the storm in the North Sea I expect.
Neat work, you must be crossing off items on the final to do list at a great rate. Hope we get to visit on-site, or at launch as my wife wants to see if the 38 will be enough. Nothing like seeing the real thing instead of pictures.
Best regards
Peter
Thanks Peter, glad yo survived unscathed as well. You’re welcome to visit anytime.