March 8, 2021

The inclinometer, barometer and chronometer have been installed in the deckhouse over the steps down to the passageway.

The inclinometer was on the boat, though it is likely not from the era of the 1927 launch. It was given a new face and the nickel plating was restored.

The barometer was probably an addition by one of the early owners—which one and when is not clear. It was also restored.

The chronometer was purchased at an antique shop in the UK to match Cynara’s interior. It is thought to have been made around 1910, which would make it older than the boat itself.

The legs for the deck tables in the varnishing tent. The centers of the tables are hinged lengthwise and are situated directly above the skylight. The shorter legs are for supporting the middle of the table.

Paul has finished installing the benches in the crew’s quarters, and is now working on the pipe cots. The cots will eventually be rigged with lines and pulleys to fold them away when not in use to allow seating at the table (to be installed later).

Kawashima is almost finished with the drawers in the captain’s cabin.

Hashimoto is fitting a mahogany kickboard under the galley units . . .

. . . and a molded border for the vent under the sink.

The rungs of the crew ladder were wrapped in rope to add grip and comfort before the ladder was installed (below).

An air conditioning duct has been routed around the mast and into the galley.

Paul just guided the refrigerator down the hatch. It has since been completely fitted, wired and is now operational.

Hashimoto is fitting the galley door frame columns. As with the other frames, these columns hold the light switches and are useful to hide the wiring.

Tatsumi has made a start on the remaining main doors. The doors for the crew, captain’s cabin and crew shower doors have to be made since the doors that we removed were not in restorable condition. None of them were original, and probably dated from a 1950s refit.

Pascal is wrapping up the plumbing work for the crew shower.

February 21,2021

We received permission from the British National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London to reproduce (in low resolution) some of the plans, drawn by the Camper & Nicholsons shipyard from the museum’s archives. They come from the time of the launch in 1927 and from when Cynara was refitted at various times over the years (including proposals). We found this one that illustrates something we wrote about in an earlier post. These are the plans for the galley, from 1957 and the right half shows the placement of the cooking stove with the chimney rising at an angle before making its way through the skylight. The center piece of the skylight had to be wide enough for the chimney to pass through, so it was larger than the other skylights. The new cooking range doesn’t need a chimney, of course, but as the skylight was in good condition, we kept it as is.

Above is Hashimoto in the process of making the corners of the fiddles for the galley countertop. Cynara’s galley is on the port side, which some sailors believe to be the preferred side. It’s true that a port galley is preferable on a starboard tack, since a cook would find it easier to be leaning over his work rather than having to work uphill. But the opposite is true on a port tack, so the argument is probably moot.

Crew members being educated in keeping the winches in good condition.

While we’re on the topic of winches in good condition, this is the windlass before restoration.  Despite its aged appearance, it was fitted in Japan in 1995, and built by Ideal Windlass based in East Greenwich, Rhode Island in the US. We had it restored by Deep Blue Engineering, in Cornwall, UK, and we’re happy with the result (below).

Kawashima has finished the cabinet and the shelf in the Captain’s cabin (above) and is now working on the drawers and doors under the bunk (below).

Saito climbed the last to touch up some of the varnish and took a short break to shoot Cynara from above.

Paul is fitting the bench seats with lockers in the crew’s quarters (above). He’s now turning his attention to the benches themselves, as he’s planing the bench tops to fair the beveled edge (below).

Pascal polished the stainless steel trim that will make up the splash back now being installed around the galley counter (below).

More of the washroom fixtures have been installed, including the soap dishes and toothbrush holders. Like the other fixtures, they are made by Lefroy Brooks the manufacturer of classic British bathrooms. Everything is hand cast, hand forged, hand polished and assembled.

February 18,2021

Sail Training

Weather: Fair

Wind: 6-16 knots, West, West-southwest

Waves: 1.5-1.8 meters

Destination: Zushi