July 15, 2020

Above: Tatsumi is repairing the doors of the cupboards in the main saloon, so that they can be assembled following the original design. These cupboards are all original, but the delicate glazing bars were damaged, and need repairing.

A sudden downpour caught us by surprise with the skylight open, and Wada had to get to work drying the interior.

Makoto has finished varnishing the interior cabin windows and is now doing the other side and the deckhouse floor.

The main companionway stairs have been fully restored and are receiving several coats of varnish.

July 18, 2020

Paul is repairing the base of the Main Saloon table. The legs and the weight box have been restored, polished and are ready to go. Paul and the team have been thinking of ways to salvage the top, but it may be damaged beyond repair. It had a Formica surface glued to it, (probably a remnant of sixties’ “style”) which also hid some deep scars. Can we justify the amount of work that would have to go into it? Tough call.

Literally every part is being made by hand.

Murata is varnishing some of the glazed doors.

Shingo is sanding the deck house interior, preparing for varnishing.

Masa is fitting the top of a clothes locker in the midship starboard cabin. The air conditioning has now been installed and is cooling the ship, though the vents have yet to be added. You can see an electrical panel at the back of the locker.

July 12, 2020

Today, we had a quick meeting to go over the upcoming schedule. Priorities are made, but we have to juggle jobs depending on the weather and other conditions.

Today, the weather was sunny for the first time in a while, and Kawashima, Saito and Paul worked on the deck, installing more of the chafe strips and rub rails. There are quite a few of these to do.

The old drawers were placed under the bunk in the midship starboard cabin to check the fit before restoration.

Today’s interior decoration situation. This cabinet has been installed and is awaiting the drawers which are being worked on in the tent. The weather forecast calls for more rain tomorrow. Ugh.

July 14, 2020

Pattresses (wooden boards for mounting fittings) for the many cabin lights are being cut and sanded.

It was raining again today, so Paul and three other carpenters were stuck in the tent. It’s looking empty and quiet compared to two weeks ago, when the whole team was still here and it was a beehive of activity.

Makoto is varnishing the interior windows in the aft starboard cabin. These look out onto the deckhouse floor, and will have translucent glass installed for privacy, while letting much appreciated daylight into the cabin.

July 4, 2020

Most of the non-Japanese team members left Japan at the end of last month. The team now consists of Paul leading the Japanese carpenters and Chuck leading the crew in a sail training program.

These drawers have come out of storage after being selected for restoration. Others have stayed in storage and will not be used. Now we are working out which ones go where, and there may be some of these that end up not being used as well.

These bronze “chafe strips” or “rub strips” are installed on the stanchions that have a naval brass bar through them for securing ropes. They’re fitted where the rope rubs against the stanchion which would bite into the teak over time. They had to be installed even while sail training was taking place because it has been raining so much this year.

Toshi is fitting drawer slides and divisions under the bunk in the midship port cabin.

The entire interior is covered in translucent plastic sheets as the painting continues before doing all the finish work on the furniture. A second coat is being painted on the deck beams in the crew quarters, on top of the chain locker. The pipes in the foreground are the chain pipes.

July 7, 2020

Japanese carpenters are working on the interior following Paul’s direction. The precipitation during this rainy season has been heavier than most years, and the work schedule often has to be changed because of the weather situation.

Another painting scene, this one of the galley ceiling.

The air conditioning pipes are being installed and it’s just in time. The rainy season is coming to a hesitant end and temperatures are starting to rise with clearer skies. There’s still a lot to do on the interior and it would be stifling work without the air conditioning.

Tuesday, June 9

The day started early, with Paul gathering all the Japanese craftsmen for a progress meeting (below). He covered all the various tasks that need to be done, and made a schedule leading up to the launching ceremony.

Murata applies varnish to the mizzen boom crutch (top and above). The leather, where the boom will rest, is covered in leather, stretched to shape and held with copper tacks.

Kakimoto fits the boxes that go between the deck beams and cover the tops of door frames and panels. The boxes look like continuations of the deck beams, and are a convenient space to hide wiring.

Massa has been working in the galley but the galley will have to wait as he turns his attention to the bathroom unit tops.

Kawashima fits a false beam in the main saloon. This serves the same function as the other boxes fitted between beams (see above) except this one runs across the ship instead of fore and aft. You can see the wiring that will eventually be hidden in the false beam.

Monday, June 15

Today was the first of many sail tests and full-scale training runs for the new Japanese crew. Under the guidance of Chuck and Nat, Shindori, Yokokawa, Saito, Tanaka, Fujita, Kawashima, Murata, and Pascal boarded for training. In the morning, it was extremely hot and almost windless, but as the sails went up afternoon, a good breeze picked up and Cynara began her first sailing voyage in many years. The wind was perfect and Chuck kept her on a straight course at first; for a while it seemed they would cross Sagami Bay. Then they turned back and returned to the marina in the late afternoon. Chuck was very pleased with the training.

Wednesday, June 17

The galley worktop takes shape. The space for the stove is almost ready to fit the stainless steel lining which will make keeping the area clean, easy and practical. The galley worktop is made in African mahogany but the cupboard fronts are in Honduras to match the guest areas.

The original pantry that was here before would have been very plain. But modern galleys are often used by owners and guests and so need to be of a similar quality to the rest of the guest areas.

A touch screen is fitted on the galley wall next to the door leading to the guest accommodations. This will allow the crew to monitor the ships systems, air conditioning and lighting without disturbing guests.

Friday, June 19

It rained all day today from morning, so it’s good to still have the tent for use as a workshop. John applies shellac to one of the fixed dressing seats that will be in the staterooms. The panels are ventilated as air conditioning units will be placed inside. These are all made in solid mahogany and traditionally joined.

Tuesday, June 23

Shingo and Murata are applying Danish oil to the hull ceiling in the crew quarters area. This “ceiling” is planking that goes against the inside of the frames, sealing off the interior from the hull. It was first used in the tea clippers that brought tea from China, to keep their precious cargo dry. Any moisture that makes it through the hull is stopped in its tracks by this “second skin.”

Work is continuing on the washbasins . . .

. . . and the saloon. Pascal and Ian are working on an A/C unit that is concealed inside the main saloon couch.