Installing the hatches (3)

 One hour of work today to install the inspection hatch in the cockpit floor. We spread a substantial quantity of sealant and screwed the frame with six 3-mm S/S bolts and nuts.

Then we cleaned everything.

Total wotk time to date: 778 hours

Installing the hatches (2)

Two hours of work today to install the big square hatches on the vaka. We first spread caulk around the opening

and then attached the frame and the hatch using 5 mm S/S bolts and nuts. Here is the aft one open

 and closed.

Finally, a global view of the aka with both hatches installed, and the milestone beer.

Total work time to date: 777 hours

False transom attached

A little bit more than one hour today to attach permanently the false transom to the transom. In the next photo you can see the three stainless steel bolts to attach each hinge to the transom, passing through a 3x2 cm cleat.

Total work time to date: 775 hours

Tiller, pintles

Two hours of (relaxed) work today.

We first cut the slot for the rudder head in the tiller

 

and then we attached the pintles to the false transom

Total work time to date: 774 hours

 

Tiller, trailer inspection

A few days ago we gave the tiller to a sawmill to cut it to size and to thickness. Quite long, isn't it? Here it is:

Now we'll have to cut the rudder head recess, sand the corners and paint it.

Today I brought the trailer to the traffic department for the two-year inspection: passed!

Installing the forestay attachment and the bow eye

Two hours of work today. First we installed the bow eye, after a non trivial modification to lenghten the thread, because it was initially too short (or the stem was too thick...)

The problem was that poor Cinzia had to enter the bow locker and crawl up to the stem, where there is no elbow room at all... anyway, she did it with the help of a ratchet key and various accessories ! Kudos to Cinzia!

Then we fixed the forestay attachment

 Total work time to date: 772 hours

Painting completed!

One hour today to give the second and last coat of paint to the vaka deck: time for the milestone beer! This completes the painting phase. 

 

Now we have to install the portholes and hatches, install the false transom and rudder, build and install the tiller, dry mount the boat and then, if all goes well, bring it to the beach to install everything else, hoping that Cinzia ever allows moving the boat at all. I don't want to be around by the time the boat will get the first scratch!

The projected building time (800 hours) looks dead on the spot! Kudos to the designers. To be honest, I do think that with a few more power tools and, above all, more elbow room, we could have cut this time significantly. Anyway, it's been a nice ride up to now. Looking forward to launching!

Total work time to date: 770 hours