easter bunnies

We've got a lot done this Easter. I've replaced a rotten stringer (the bit of wood with the clamps on it) which had been hiding under the loo for years

Juan has been cleaning some of the ballast, out in the sunshine


and Dad and I have just glued the first new piece of timber into the transom (the flat bit at the back of the boat). We have got some big bits to go in on top.

I've just tidied up and put the first coat of varnish onto the new timber in the foward cabin, it's nice to be putting something together again :)

Meanwhile dad has been chipping away under cover on the aft deck, cleaning out some old timber that needs replacing

filling in a few gaps

Whilst clearing away some rotten wood at the stern, dad found some well preserved old newspaper which had been stuffed in a gap, dated may 7th 1999

The transom (back of the boat) has had a thick aluminium sheet fitted over the top of it to add strength, this newspaper was rolled up and stuffed behind it! Mudlark was sold by the navy in 1998, so the date on the newspaper suggests the Aluminium was fitted after this date. presumably by the next owner.

mudlarking properly

Dad suggested it would be a good idea to change the anode, it did indeed need changing, look at the new and old ones in the photo...


However, this did involve me spending and hour and a half messing round in the mud under the stern, lying on the liferaft. I think Juan found the sight of my legs sticking out from under the boat quite amusing, though he didn't get a picture :(
The corroded anode is the one I fitted last april (there's pictures of it if you dig back through the blog.

chipping away

Dad has joined us for the weekend, last weekend he removed the planks from the aft deck, and this weekend he's started cleaning out the mess they concealed. I think it will keep us busy for a while!


Meanwhile I've been working in the foward cabin, replacing the timber below the windows. In this picture I've offered it up to mark where to cut