2 days out now and almost organised for the Big Day but I thought it might be a bit of fun to look back across the years to see where we were this time in 2008, 2009 etc. I was hunting around for a 2007 but I think I have moved on to new computers, cameras and filing systems since then (not to mention houses, countries etc!) and I can’t locate those. I will publish one as and when I find it.
Cambria hold in Dec 2008, Pic by Matt Care
2008. You can see we have all the framing done along the sides by now but not into the ends. We have inner wales and the 5-layer laminated chine-keelsons. We have the limbers well stuffed with sawdust (this deliberately soaked with linseed oil to keep the frames from drying out too fast) and we have the main keelson delivered and dropped in through the ‘hatch’ in the top of the poly-tunnel, but not yet assembled.
Dec 2009 inside the hold, Pic by Matt Care
2009 and planking is climbing the outside of the frames and the white painted deck beams and carlings provide a roof. Framing is complete into either end – you can just see the ‘S’ curved complicated frames aft and the keelson is down.
Hold Dec 2010, Picture by Matt Care
2010. This was the time of heavy snow outside and I was able to take some nice wintry pictures of old crab winches covered in snow on the quayside. Inside the hold we have the inner hold linings in with their air gaps top and bottom (which wouldn’t have been there on the original barge, obviously) to prevent damp building up between the skins. We also have the three metal tube props which hold up the massive mast case and rigging above.
Dec 2011, Pic by Matt Care
2011 and we are, after a fashion, complete. We have launched, done charters and raced. We are painted and adorned with Tony Farnham’s mini-transoms and barge half-models. “After a fashion” is just because there are a few more bits done and still to do. The hull will at some point be “winterised” possibly with some kind of hot water pipe and radiator arrangement along the keelson and the black painted steel and white pipes you can see here will be boxed in.
Well, that’s it unless one of the current Kent-living members can get me a Dec 2012 picture and until I can find my 2007 images. We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?
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