Thursday, September 19, 2019

Full-scale restoration of interior fittings has begun. Currently, we have completed some of the procurement of the needed wood material, but we’ll need to make further wood purchases as we discover what is usable and what is necessary.

The king plank that makes up the center line is finished. Once this is done, the rest of the planks will be set working from the outside toward the center. The team consists of six members: a teak processing team and a deck surface team.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Teak planks are laid out, graded and checked for faults.

To avoid too many butt joints on deck some of the teak was joined using scarf joints.

Now that the finish is in sight, things on deck are moving quickly. The planks are carefully marked with whether they are for the port or starboard side and the length. This is the eighth day since the deck laying team has started work, and they want to finish in order to catch flights out of Japan on October 26.

Monday, September 23

The heat has returned along with a strong humid wind thanks to Typhoon Hagibis, and work on the deck planking is starting to pick up.

Hutchets or oversized washers are used to pull the planks down into the glue. We use 5mm aluminium bar to make the hutchets which is also conveniently the same size as the plank seams. This means we can also use the hutchets as spacers between planks. The planks already had the 5mm seam machined on one side but sometimes a spacer is needed.

Our “Italian team” of Niko and Carlo is focused on the interior partitions. We have CAD drawings, but as this is a wooden ship the dimensions in the drawings and those in reality still need to be checked against each other. This also allows us to make changes, if necessary, if the drawings do not have some of the detail we need included, such as pipe runs and wiring. The galley mock up above was measured and the real galley is being made by Masa (and the team) onsite.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

As Typhoon Faxai is approaching, most of the Japanese members of the team were intent on making sure everything was tied down or protected. The tents were lashed down (above) . . .

And vulnerable parts on the deck were covered. The whole joinery tent was emptied and put into storage and all of the machinery was moved out to safety. Paul said that it couldn’t be helped if the roof is blown off by a natural disaster. But he wanted to make sure that all the electrical parts were protected from water damage.

Monday, September 9, 2019

The winds of Typhoon Faxai tore off part of the roof and the horizontal curtain, but the damage was kept to a minimum by the harbor staff who were on duty. But lots of work had to be done drying and rebuilding the work area, checking for damage etc.

This all had to be put back as well as rebuild one of the joinery tents which had collapsed under the weight of water. Paul and other team members (above)checked the condition of the deck, which dried by the afternoon, and there was no serious damage. There was an electricity blackout today.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

With the onset of fine weather, Dan and Wada have begun work again on the masts.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Richard and Nico are fairing the backs of the stanchions so that the washstrake will fit nicely.

Daniel is focused on attaching mast hardware, fitting the spider band to the main mast.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Ben, Richard, and Ian are still working on the plumbing.

The production of the anchor chain locker continues at the prow.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Nico and Paul are discussing the details of the installation of the large teak chocks that connect the last stanchion to the stern chock.

The deck craftsman who came to Japan yesterday started setting out the plank runs and checking for fairness.

Monday, September 16, 2019

The sub-deck has been laid and is now being faired, which takes out any low or high spots where the plywood is joined. The fairing compound is a water-based epoxy that is very easy to sand and fair.

The sub-deck will help to ‘stiffen’ the boat as well as saving on expensive and rare teak.

This Oregon pine bulkhead creates the fore-peak where the forestay is anchored to the stem. This will be used for storage. The lower portion (in oak) is the beginnings of a chain locker.

Ian is working on one of the stainless steel tanks below the sole bearers.

Hot and cold water piping is installed under the sole, or floor. The black piping is Copex, flexible electrical pipe to carry wiring. You can also see the numerous fuel lines, black and grey water pipes, breather pipes—which are basically the veins and arteries of the ship.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Mike Moody, the boss of Centerline Marine in Southampton UK, who was brought in to lay the teak so that we could focus on other things. The teak deck is laid plank by plank, with each plank is bent to follow the curve of the hull.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Original bulkhead framing is checked for fit. This piece will separate the main saloon from the galley. The hole for the mast can be seen at top.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Ben, Pascal and Ian are discussing the welding plans for the fuel tank. Later on, it started as scheduled with the company Sawamura Tekko handling the welding. It’s expected to take two or three days.

Hashimoto is working on finishing the cylindrical deck hatch.

This carving on the opposite beam of the carving of Cynara’s O.N., or Official Number, is a bit of a mystery. It reads: 73 88/100 Tons NHBW.  We don’t know what NHBW refers to—perhaps this is from her days in the U.S. from 1930 to 1932, when she was named Easy Going. We have recut it as we felt it was part of her story and the meaning will someday be revealed through further research. It looks crooked because it is, it is an exact copy of the original, warts and all.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The cylindrical hatch (above) and lid (below) designed by Hashimoto. The lower right is where the mizzen mast will go through the deck when it is stepped.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

The preparation of the sub-deck and coverboards is almost completed—just in time for next week’s arrival of the deck craftsman. This is where the coverboardsmeet at the stem (above).

Sawamura Tekko completed welding the socket to the tank yesterday, and the pipes were attached today.

Ben’s brother Daniel will be staying in Japan for six weeks, mainly working on the masts and the necessary hardware.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

The inside of the fuel tank is being cleaned. If there is even a small amount of dust (or swarf) inside, it can cause problems with the fuel pump. When the tank has been completely finished and the necessary piping and wiring has been completed, we’ll begin installing the floorboards.

Thursday, August 22

Ben has started drilling holes through the 6mm thick stainless steel of the fuel tank to attach a fuel level sensor and air vents.

The cylindrical hatch to the anchor locker is now in the installation stage.

Monday, August 26

(Above) The base of the galley skylight that  we’ve been restoring in the neighboring tent has been moved for installation on the deck.

Paul began work on cutting the ship’s O.N. number (the Official Number found in the Lloyds register) into the beam at the crew companionway.

Tuesday, August 27

Along with the bases of other hatches, the deckhouse frame was placed on the deck, its position was checked and fine adjustments began. Suddenly the deck has become three dimensional.

Paul continues the engraving work (which we’ll show you in a later entry).

Wednesday, August 28

Coverboard sanding and hatch fitting.

Chuck (above) and Nat are returning home on September 6, so they’re storing much of their finished work which won’t be used until they return next year in time to set up the rigging.

Friday, August 30

We had a meeting with a domestic electric company first thing in the morning today.
From next week, work on the wiring will begin in earnest.

Wednesday, August 14 , 2019

The production and installation of the cover boards are proceeding smoothly.
Steadily, every day, long teak planks are sawn, adjusted and dry fitted to the ship.

Paul and other members of the team are setting out the heights for the main house sole, or floor. This has to be done carefully, as we will be using the original parts and the stairway.

Thursday, August 15 , 2019

Ian continues his piping work, which means working in the tightest corners and conditions.

Hashimoto continues his work on the cylindrical hatch. The new one will replicate the original, which was badly cracked, but without its iron fastenings.

Cleaning up the joins on the main deckhouse.

Ben continues to split his time between working on attaching the hardware to the mast and checking the condition of the engine system.

Friday, August 16 , 2019

The same three craftsmen continue with making the cover boards. All the teak planks have now been used.

Monday, August 19 , 2019

Work on the stairs (above) and the skylight (below) is ongoing, but varnish is being applied to keep it clean prior to installation. We’re in what is usually the hottest part of the summer but the days have cooled off a little. Some of the team were able to escape work over the weekend and enjoy a fireworks festival held nearby.

Tuesday, August 20 , 2019

(Above) Glue is mixed and spread along the deck edge to bond the cover board to the sub deck. This glue alone would be strong enough but we are also using bronze wood screws as this is the best way to hold the teak while the glue cures.

Hashimoto is stripping old shellac from a door frame with alcohol.

Wednesday, August 21 , 2019 

The coverboard is bonded to the sub-deck. Taping the stanchions helps keep the glue away from them as they will be varnished and dried glue will be difficult to remove.

Today, Lewis, Mattis and Richard are fitting the coverboards over the stanchions….

epair work on the interior fittings varies in size and materials. When new materials are necessary, teak is replaced with teak, mahogany with mahogany and poplar with poplar.