Keel Refurbishing

The port side keel was badly corroded along its bottom edge but the rest was solid so i have ground out the rust and bolted a 6mm x 75mm plate on each side of it. This will also add about 22lbs of ballast on each keel which will be a good thing. The plates and keel are painted with red oxide primer so they should now last a few more decades.

It looks as if the boat was kept on a drying mooriong at some point with the paint being ground off as she dried thus causing the corrosion along the bottom few inches of keel.

The bolts were in perfect condition but unfortunately it was quicker to cut the heads off than undo them so new ones are going on.

First Sail

Launched the boat today at Cardiff Bay YC for its first sail in our ownership.

Everything went well,light winds were ideal for a first sail.I got it on and off the trailer singlehanded without immersing the wheel hubs but I have a few modifications to the trailer in mind to make the process much quicker and easier.

My crew mate turned up in time for a short sail to Mermaid quay and back.Only about a mile each way but enough for me to know that everything works and the boat seems to sail very well.

With Tony sat out against the side in the cabin and me stood on the side deck on the same side (probably 28 or 29 stone between us )she heeled over quite a bit but never felt as if she would go any further than the gunwhale close to the water.My confidence in the boat has risen a lot now we have sailed her.

Touched a shallow bit on the way back which lifted the rudder off its pintles causing a bit of alarm for a moment but all good fun :-)

Interior refitted.

I refitted all the interior woodwork today.Bit of a puzzle but eventually workled out which bit went where.I can only wonder why it had all been removed.

Quite a sensible layout for a small boat with a bunk port and starboard ,your feet go into a trotter box under the cockpit seat. Feels quite comfortable.

Forward of the bunks is a shelf and space for sails etc.

The Mighty Atom

We recently bought the Mighty Atom which is a Voyager 14 trailer sailer. Despite being less than 14 feet long she has a cabin with 2 full size sleeping berths and a few shelves.

The boat needs some of the woodwork replacing and a paint job but is basically a sound little yacht.We are looking forward to getting her in the water and seeing how she sails.