An occasional look into the type of shipwright work carried out.
Recent Work on Wanderer Class & Husky 24 Motor Sailer
Fitting portholes in new Wanderer class built by Lowestoft IBTC:
All portholes have been made with a spigot that is too long & will have to be machined off. In total 8 Portholes & 4 rectangular timber frames are to be fitted.
The cut outs are 6" dia & have to be cut with an adjustable hole cutter in situ as internally there is no room for jig saw base plate to turn as is the case externally
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Temporary checking to gauge required spigot length, too long at moment.
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Below: all portholes fitted as opposite
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Very little room spare internally for hand tools.
The remaining 6 holes will have to be carefully marked out & 4 rectangular holes cut out. The original builders have installed vertical bronze rods through the thickness of the coachroof adding to the positioning difficulties.
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All portholes spigots machined off & now fitted, just leaves the rectangular timber frames to make & fit on the aft end each side (2 off per side)
Click on picture for larger view:
Cutting the rectangular piercings has to be very accurate to line up with the frames & is also very risky as there is no room for tiny errors as these cannot be hidden or obscured.
A blank is produced to the size of the aperture & this fits the timber frame. It is offered up in the frame so that the coachroof aperture can be carefully marked for cutting. Measurements & visuals must be used, never rely totally on measurments.
The whole assembly is offered up & positioned where appropriate on the coachroof side inside & out.
Four corner holes represent the hole cutter positions to form the rounded corners of each window.
Continued on next page with SEA HOUND HUSKY 24 repairs HERE
Updated. Click on picture for larger view
These are then joined up, the outer edges rebated & the inner corners moulded
External finished.
Additional works:
The original hatch drop boards did not work and were difficult to put in/take out as they were constructed from three separate narrow loose boards that kept jamming when tilted in the runners. 
New solid teak board made with 3 glued planks with end clamps tongued/grooved on to hold straight.
New hatch drop board with lock fitted finished. Teak is unbelievably 
expensive in solid sections but this vessel has used extensive amounts of solid teak & the cockpit is solid teak, so the hatch board has to be too! The advantage over teak plywood is that solid teak is not that much more expensive than double side teak face ply & there is no risk of going through the very thin teak veneer as used on most teak face ply.
October/November:
Originally she had a flat biscuit lid type hatch fitted but this could not be safely hinged as it would have ripped the hinges off if it went past 90 degrees._800x600.jpg)
The ideal would be a hatch that could hinge over the front of the coachroof and land on deck without straining the hinges. This means a different design completely.
Photos showing the steps in new hatch construction: click on any one to enlarge.
1. laying out framing to fit existing aperture.
_800x600.jpg)
2. Construct frame & joint corners. rebate top to accept plywood decking. Curved top to add rigidity & pleasant looks.
3. Plywood fitted & teak kingplank & peripheral trim fitted. Just awaiting teak boards.
4. Finished hatch fitted. Handle fitted on inside for closing.
4. A new hinge section had to be fitted in front of the hatch to allow the hatch to swing over & clear the structure otherwise it comes into contact with the coachroof top & damages the hatch. This space also allows a ventilation area into the vessel.
5. The fwd. rail on the hatch is set sloping back so the hatch can hinge right over safely.
Next Stage:
The rudder has been partly constructed by the original builders (International Boat Building College at Lowestoft) but it is only a "blank" really & needs finishing & hanging. 
There are no castings or fittings available & these will have to be specifically made from bronze. This will require patterns to be made to sent to the foundry. Two transom hanging fittings, two rudder hangers to mate with these & rudder toe fitting/keel heel fitting.
In all quite a lot more work here.
The patterns have been constructed in plywood & solid timber & have been sent away for castinmg in Aluminium bronze.
