27th August

Been doing some bits and pieces the last days between other commitments.

Spent several hours sanding fillets by hand and wearing my fingers out.  It has been hot and humid so set up my system for keeping cool and sanding without needing a respirator.  Fan is put outside and blows clean air through plastic tube which I put over my head.  Used this system in the past for grinding and glassing inside an encapsulated keel.  Also great for painting with toxic fumes in enclosed spaces.

Glued the chainplate doublers on.

Cockpit framing getting glued on.

Started with deck stringers

Finally decided on the bunk level Im going to use.  2cm lower than the plan as Im tall (1.9m) and need headroom to sit down inside but also want the biggest storage space available.  Inside all marked out so cut bulkhead.

This is not the final cut profile but the bottom level is set.

Decided on the coin to be fixed under the mast post.  100 escudo coin from the Cape Verde Islands.  The Madalan  was regarded as a lucky ship in the Cape Verde Packet Trade.  http://www.archive.ernestina.org/history/Tchuba/tchuba-4.pdf  Go to page  38.  I will probably stop in the Cape Verdes on  my way across the Atlantic as I have several good friends that I worked with many years ago in Mindelo.  The beer is good and the Caldo Verde is delicious.