Thursday, May 23, 2019

Richard and Lewis are fairing the beams to make sure they are all level with each other and follow the curve of the deck as they should. The dust was flying, so everyone was wearing masks today.

We discussed the upcoming schedule for the installation of generators, tanks, and lead ballast that have to be handled by crane, and decided to install them on Tuesday, June 4 instead of May 28. We’ve just been informed that the steering gear, windlass, and portholes have arrived at the port of Tokyo, and customs clearance will begin tomorrow.

Friday, May 24, 2019

The deck beam fairing was largely completed yesterday, but some fine tuning was being done today. Paul and Lewis were pleased that the curvature of the beam after the fairing matched the blueprint perfectly.

Most of the activity is on board, but Hashimoto is still working on the main deckhouse in the interior restoration tent next door.

These are the parts of the old circular sail locker hatch that we bought teak for the other day.

Monday, May 27, 2019

The stanchions are in and a baton has been stretched around the tops to check if they’re all in line with each other and follow the curve.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Lewis and Nico are working on the stanchions. Richard and Michael are in the background, setting out the deck in preparation for the installation of the subdeck.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Nico and Lewis are making a pattern for the coverboard, the wide plank that runs around the perimeter of the deck. We need a form because the coverboard is curved and needs to fit closely around the stanchions. So we use plywood to find the curve and cut holes to fit the stanchions through. The pieces of wood (below) are glued around the base to show their true position before the plywood is removed and used for precise measurement of the coverboard.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

The interior lead ballast pieces that were cast to fit the bottom of the bilge have arrived, and Ben checked to make sure they all matched the forms.

There are seven pieces in all, with a gross tonnage of 3.3 tons. They will be installed under the tanks.

Friday, May 31, 2019

More restored hardware has arrived. The U.S.-made windlass dates from the seventies, after Cynara arrived in Japan.

The restored portholes date from the original construction.

Meanwhile, Ian and Leo are working on the hull caulking.

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Fitting carlings and partners.

Makoto is cutting off the teak bungs flush with the hull planking.

Fairing the planking at the counter, the overhanging part of the stern.

We heard that the masts recently left the UK and are headed our way, so we’ve begun construction of another tent that will house them and all the other hardware. Some of the rigging—wire, rope, etc.—is being shipped from Palma.

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Kawashima is assembling the main stairway.

Ben has begun working on the interior ballast. There were five tons of lead ingots in Cynara’s bilge before.  We’re placing the internal lead under her tanks at the bottom of the bilge.

To use the space most efficiently, we are casting lead blocks that will fit these spaces and not take up any more space than necessary. We made tapered wood patterns (above and below) so that the lead castings will fit without having to adjust the heavy blocks on site.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Michael, Lewis, and Richard are continuing to fit the beams. The two carlings that create the opening for the main deckhouse are in (running fore and aft between the beams, with shorter deck beams (half beams) on either side. The carlings are made of teak instead of the oak that is used for the deck beams because teak doesn’t distort as much, and the carlings need to stay straight.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Paul, Matsui and Takamiya went to try and find some teak material that can be used to replace the circular sail locker hatch.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

It poured rain all morning, and we found there were some minor leaks in the tent. We’re replacing the roof next week, and we hope it will be finished before the beginning of the rainy season, which will begin next month.

Most of the team on deck is focused on fitting the carlings.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

The amount of work that’s been done on the beams is clear from this overhead shot.

Ben is still working on the patterns for the interior lead ballast. We hope this will limit any trimming to make them fit.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Leo and Ian are fitting the hanging and lodging knees into the hull.

Paul is making a copy of the ship’s numbers. He took a rubbing to get a completely authentic copy, including any original quirks.

The Japanese members of the team are learning about the importance of varnish and the need for multiple coats. Varnish is most effective the more coats you have, as a thicker layer is not only more durable but offers more UV protection. According to Paul, it is common to underestimate the amount of varnish needed, and 10 to 12 coats should be considered the minimum—16 coats is sufficient.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Kawashima is making the crew companionway door.

Demetri is caulking the garboard strake. The garboard is the lowest plank on the hull, and is attached to the keel (which is attached to the ballast). Caulking exerts enormous pressure between the blanks, so we didn’t want to caulk this seam until the ballast was in place to resist the pressure.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Richard will start work on the mast partners, and it’s obvious from the condition of the old ones that they are too badly degraded from years of water leaking around the mast to be used. So new ones will be made. The term “partners” comes from the days when several beams would be joined to hold the mast in place. Today, most partners are a single piece of wood or steel, and ours will be made of one solid block of oak with rivets through them to prevent splitting.

The team is discussing the deck layout, and the issue of setting out carlings for the hatches. The beams’ placement needs careful planning so the hatches can be fit in the correct spots.

Friday, May 10, 2019

Michael cuts the joint ready for the new mizzen mast partner.

Today, Paul talked about the members of our team during our break. He said that almost all of them are independent craftsmen in their home countries, working on their own to find customers and sometimes hiring people, so they have the ability to think for themselves, take responsibility for their work, and find solutions for themselves.

Monday, May 13, 2019

Setting out some of the interior cabins on the workshop floor.

We left the centerline unpainted until now because it would have needed repainting after all the tramping all over it with dirty boots and working on it with heavy, greasy tools. But now that all the keel bolts are in, we’ve painted it and will try to keep it clean.

It’s started to get crowded on deck now with so many of the beams fitted.

Lewis and Michael are working on the placement of the main mast partners.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Lewis fitting one of the deck beams, dovetailing one of the ends into the beam shelf.

The wood stanchions are being set out in order, ready for their first fit.

Inside the tent where the interior work is being done, Kawashima and Hashimoto are working on the restoration of the crew companionway hatch.

Now that the engine room bulkhead has been installed, Ben is able to work on fitting the generator bed.

It’s hard to make out in this photo, but the grey piece under the beam is a wrought iron knee that’s been fitted to support the beam.

The deckhouse is the next of the deck structures to get the attention of the restorers.

Friday, May 3, 2019

The old keel bolt holes had remnants of white lead and polyester that had been applied over the years. We ground them clean and round with a flat bottom to prepare them to hold the washers for the bolts.

Paul was under the keel making sure of the alignment of the bolts. The lead is so soft that if the alignment is off, the bolt can dig into the side of the hole and jam.

Monday, May 6, 2019

Paul often drops by the interior tent, to check on progress and to make new assignments.

Demetri is shaping a piece of lead to add to the ballast. Sometime in the past, the ballast had cracked at the keel bolt hole at the front tip, where it comes to a point. Someone had fixed it with stainless steel lag bolts into the timber to hold it in place. We cut this part off behind the keel bolt and had a new piece of lead cast with a scarf joint. Then we fitted it to the front of the ballast using the keel bolt and a bronze bolt running through the scarf joint.