Tuesday, May 26

Prior to the sail tests, Chuck, as head of the rigging team (above), has been going over all the knots and attachments on the masts, booms and sails (below).

We’re getting close to the final days of the restoration. Protecting the deck and floors is a paramount concern. The mats are changed periodically to make sure nothing is trapped underneath that might scratch or dent the surface. The floor covers and furniture protection will not be removed until everything is completely finished. Everyone has to remove their shoes to keep the interior clean. Louis and John (top) have been among those working on the mahogany interior paneling.

Paul is explaining to the hatch cover maker the system that holds the covers on. We’re using the original system that involves a threaded plate fitted to the hatch with a knurled screw through holes in the covers.

Nat is cleaning the winch button rings, which prevent activating a winch by accidentally stepping on the buttons. This could be extremely dangerous if the winch is under load.

A mock-up of the mizzen boom scissor crutch in the workroom tent. The finished crutch will be placed under the mizzen boom to support and secure it and the gaff when not in use.

Wednesday, May 27

Mattis is working on a new dresser unit (top and middle) that will be used in one of the guest cabins. The original was missing, so this had to be newly made. The drawers (above) belong to another unit that goes in the owner’s cabin. These, along with the rest of the unit, are all original.

In the galley, the electrical wiring is being installed, and the frame for the stove is in the building process. The stove uses a gimbal so it will be able to tilt with the movement of the boat.  The frame shown here is a mock-up of the stove unit to make sure the tilting action will have enough space to swing.

Nat is working on all the details that go into the running rigging and main stays.  Just as with the woodwork, the detail, all done by hand, is astonishing.

Saito is polishing Cynara’s metal parts. Keeping the parts clean and well-oiled is part of the maintenance that Japanese members of the team are learning to keep Cynara ship-shape for years to come. It is a constant and never-ending job.

Thursday, May 28

Billy is preparing the anchor locker in the prow, where the chain will be stored when the anchor isup. He’s lining the locker with rubber to protect the wood from the heavy chain.

Monday, June 1

Chuck and Nat do a lot of preparation before each step of installing the rigging.

Richard is doing the inboard framing of the portholes.

The anchor chains consist of two lengths of 115 meters each. Saito is attaching markers at 10-meter intervals prior to loading them on Cynara.

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.

Work on the interior is a step-by-step process. As Paul said to Mr. Watanabe the other day, the photos that are being taken every day don’t adequately capture the steady progress that is being made. But work is now focused on the main saloon and cabins, including the floorboards, sofas, ceiling, etc. Mattis is working on the sofa in the main salon and is beginning to concentrate on the details, such as the storage space below and behind the sofa.

Richard is installing the soleboards without gaps, using a fine-grained Japanese oak variety selected by Mr. Watanabe. Since the length of the floorboards in each part of the boat is different, we measure the length needed for each plank, and make adjustments on site.

The bunk frame was found to have soaked up a lot of oil from when the bilges were full of oily water. It had soaked through the sole and into the bases of the furniture, especially at the aft end of the boat. We had to try and remove the oil and return the furniture to a condition for storing clothing. All of the original bunk frame is being used, and in the second photo above, Lewis is using some chemicals to remove oil and old varnish.

The varnish work on deck continues. Due to dust and the risk of someone putting a hand on wet varnish, varnishing and woodworking cannot be done in the same place at the same time. (Chuck and the rigging team were working in the tent yesterday, giving the varnish team the opportunity to varnish undisturbed by loose ropes and rig gear. Today, both parties worked on deck in close quarters, taking care not to interfere with each other.

The boom was installed on the mizzen mast today. Due to its smaller size, Chuck and Nat were able to manhandle it into place. Next comes the mizzen gaff before fitting the mizzen sail.The main mast boom will be installed after that, followed by the main gaff and the main sail.Thanks to the two main halyards on each mast and the powerful electric deck winches, all these booms can be fitted without having to call in a crane.

Hashimoto is repairing a chest of drawers. The top, drawers and frame are all original. The left side panel of pine had to be replaced, and the panel seen in the photo had to be newly created, as it used to sit next to a sink unit.

Mattis is working on the sofa while Murata is painting the area behind. Pascal is working on the wiring.