New ply epoxy sheathing has given Widflower a stiff and watertight deck
The new cockpit retains the original Mahogany but has made her safe and watertight
When we stripped the black varnish off the mast we were happy to find it in excellent condition
New rubbing strakes, hand and toe rails, hatches and varnish... she's looking good!
On the trailer & ready to go
After a shake down sail back to North Devon from Dublin we hauled Windflower back to the farm and stripped her back to her hull. With expert help from professional shipwright Roger Tucker the cockpit was floored in with oak beams and a ply/epoxy deck with proper cockpit drains. We stripped off the rest of the deck sheathing and the same for the cabin roof and repaired the odd soft spot in the planks, before re- sheathing all with ply/epoxy.A new toe rail; and rubbing strakes, new hatches and a healthy lick of varnish everywhere.
Planks, timbers and frames were generally in remarkably good condition- a testament to the quality of the original pitch pine & oak. We hardened up some of the copper roves and put in a couple of oak sister frames where we were unsure of the originals. We re-fastened & caulked the garboards and installed lovely new keel bolts.
Now she was watertight and looking great again. We replaced the galvanised standing rigging and serviced the windlass.
Inside we decided that our plans to take the kids for a cruise could only be made safe by ditching the thumping old Volvo and installing a brand new Yanmar. We went for the 3GM30. What a sweet motor this is, mounted on anti vibration blocks and with shaft damping too. The boat (and her crew) loves having a smooth, reliable engine on board. Elsewhere below decks we installed a new head (whale vacuum type) and flexible water tanks.
Nav gear was kept to essentials and followed the KISS rule (keep it simple, stupid). So with no interfacing and no nonsense, we have installed a GPS, Tiller pilot, VHF (DSC), Depth Sounder.
Windflower was surveyed after this re-fit by Alan Hinks- the last of the famous shipbuilders from Hinks in Appledore. Of the pitch pine planks and Oak skeleton his overall comment was "These timbers are as good as the day they were put in!" . The survey documents reflected this and the rest of the work we had done was passed with the great man's approval.
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