Tuesday, May 19

 Nat is reinforcing the main sail (above and below). The plan for setting up the main sail calls for a day with no rain and little wind, so the riggers are watching the weather patterns very closely.

Paul is building a hollow panel that will take the wiring for the navigation electronics. The panel will separate the navigation area from a light and ventilation box in the cabin below.

Billy is making removable panels that will hide the electrical panels that have been installed in the backs of cabinets. The breakers and other parts of control systems are hidden, but have to be accessible for maintenance.

Thursday, May 21

Today Cynara left the quay for the first time, on a short trip around Koajiro Bay to check the engine, rudder, and drive train. Chuck and Nat completed their rigging work in the morning (top), while Paul and Ben were checking everything up until the last minute (above). The engine trials today included running the engine at low, medium, and high revolutions to check oil temperatures and ensure there are no issues with the system as a whole. This is done in forward and reverse to check that the propeller is feathering correctly. Some basic turning maneuvers were done to check that the rudder and steering mechanisms are all working as expected.

It was the first time she’s been untethered to land since the restoration began, and it was a beautiful sight. It was a great opportunity for the helmsman to get the “feel” of the boat and to take notes on her turning circles, hull speed and different engine revolutions.

The trip was a big success, with no issues. The boat performed well and everything ran smoothly. Some of the team had joking said that it was traditional for lots of beer to be drunk after a sea trial. (in Europe, the crews find many excuses to drink beer on the dock after tying up, stowing the rig, and a wash down. It’s not so much a tradition as a habit.) Mr. Watanabe surprised everyone by bringing several cases of beer and leading a toast to the success of the trial.

Friday, May 22

 Nikki is putting the final touches on the leather boot that goes around the mast base, covering the wedges that hold the mast in the deck. This is the kind of detail—a touch of natural elegance—that is making Cynara a quality restoration.

John is shellacking some of the interior furniture. Many interior parts can be shellacked in the work tent and then installed. But there are quite a number of parts that can only be shellacked after installation, and the limited space adds difficulty to the task.

 Because most of the recent interior work is being done on visible parts, it feels like the pace has quickened. The windows of the deckhouse are in place (top), and the galley and pantry (above) are starting to take shape.

Monday, May 25

Kawashima has finished restoring the mount for the compass. (You can see it in an earlier state in the blog entry of March 17.) A wooden ring at the top has been added, allowing us to use a new compass binnacle. The original is very worn and the metal has worn through from years of polishing. It has also taken some knocks and lost some of its shape. We’re hoping to get the original restored and eventually installed on this pedestal; meanwhile, we’ll use a compass binnacle that—while not as old as the original—is not new. But it’s a close fit and should do until the original is restored.

Now Kawashima has started restoring the main deckhouse stairs that lead from the deck to the deckhouse.

The mizzen sail was raised for the first time today. The color of the sails and the hand-sewn stitching was something impossible to replicate in Japan. The subdued beauty of the sails goes perfectly with the design of a classic yacht like Cynara.

Friday, May 8

Ian is assisting with the wiring. It’s a massive job, given all the new equipment that needs electricity, and very time consuming.

Chuck and Nat are going back and forth between Cynara and the tent, preparing to attach the boom to the main mast.

Monday, May 11

Lewis (top photo) is working on the hatches that are placed in various places in the sole boards. These are made to gain access for inspection, repair and to check the bilge. They are very practical, but have to be made with the same care as the other parts of the boat so as to be inconspicuous. They are made in various shapes and sizes (above).

On deck, varnishing continues. As the days are getting hotter, the varnish dries faster, so it is a race against time.

Tuesday, May 12

Mattis is working on the mast wedges that secure the base of the mast and keep it central in the deck (as there is a lot of flex in the mast). Self-amalgamating tape will be used for waterproofing, and a leather boot will them be wrapped around the base of the mast.

To make it fit perfectly, it must be made section by section, carefully measuring each piece.

The flooring of the saloon is almost complete.

Thursday, May 14

The weather this week has been clear and sunny most days, so a lot of work on deck is getting done. Mattis is finishing installing the wedges around the base of the masts—adding a layer of polyvinyl acetate (PVA, or wood glue) to the end grain of the wedges to slow down the drying process. They are exposed to the air and sun, and drying too fast would cause them to shrink and/or crack. The glue blocks the pores in the wood, helping it to preserve its natural oils and water.

Kawashima is following Nat’s direction in making the shadow boxes for mounting the navigation lights on the stays on each side of the mast, elevating the lights above the deck to keep them clear of other rigging and to give them greater range of visibility. He is holding a pattern that is being used to make the final boxes, a section that will be painted black so that the navigation lights can be seen from the proper angle by ships in the area. The lights are green, red, and white, and each has its particular direction.

Chuck and Nat installed the boom on the main mast today. Some thought we’d have to use a crane, but Chuck planned to use a halyard to raise it, and it worked perfectly. The gaff and the main sail will be installed next week.

Bill and Lewis are in the tent, repairing interior fittings. Bill is building a new locker interior for the owner’s stateroom;

Lewis is cleaning up the captain’s bunk frame.

The mizzen mast boom which was installed yesterday has now been finely adjusted, and Chuck has scheduled the attachment of the mizzen mast gaff for early next week.

Unfortunately it was raining today, but work in the tent on the interior furniture was going smoothly.
The parts in the photo are in good condition. But to match the rest of the interior, each part has to be completely stripped, cleaned, and given several coats of shellac to seal them and keep them clean. It is time consuming work.

Tatsumi is working on the restoration of a bunk. We are making repairs and new furniture in Honduras mahogany as it’s the best match for the original parts. The visible parts of the bunks, desk drawers are made of high quality mahogany. The hidden carcasses, drawer runners, and structural framing is made of meranti, from the Phillipines. Poplar is used for the painted framework and bulkheads, and Douglas fir is used for the tongue and groove paneling.

Chuck and Nat have just installed the horizontal spar called the mizzen gaff in a light rain. Unlike the mizzen boom which stays in its lower location, the mizzen gaff goes up and down as the sail is raised and lowered.

Hashimoto is in the process of restoring the top of the chart table. The new mahogany used for repairing the edge has a lighter color, but the repair can be disguised to look like the original parts.