Engineering



Savage heat exchanger



Re-modelled input shaft

Gave the gearbox input shaft to R A Cottrell in Avondale along with a drawing and they had this remade within a couple of days.  It's a thing of beauty.  This means I could finally mount the gearbox to the Ford, which I think you'll agree looks very sexy, and check the alignment of all the bolts into the bellhousing.  Fortunately most of them are pretty sweet, but I'll make a ply pattern and re-drill the gearbox where necessary.

Miss Ford - meet Mr Parsons!

Roll, roll, roll your boat....

Well, the day arrived at last.  Al came over and helped me finish off the riveting - fitting the last of the rib patches and tightening some old ones under the stern.  Once that was done we were able to fit the frame I built a year ago, and start winching.  The stress came when we reached the halfway point and I had to hold the hull upright - on a very windy day - while the chain block was rigged around the other side.  The whole routine took just over an hour.  Now ready for phase two....

Frustration....

The last floor - promise!

A frustrating time, I guess it comes along in every project.  Have been working fairly continuously on Jado but don't have much to show for it.  Little details, some sanding and fiddling. My borrowed heat gun died, so I had to buy my brother a new one.  The bandsaw blade broke. The guy who I hire to help with the riveting has cancelled the last two weekends due to health, and we went away for one weekend, so things have stalled.  The final batch of riveting is all that's left to do before she can be turned over and it just isn't happening.  My new plan is to go and visit the Traditional Boatbuilding School - conveniently located in Hobsonville - and see if any of their students want some extra work.  My other niggle is with the engineer who told me he could modify the gearbox input shaft in a couple of hours, and has had it for three weeks.

Keel bolts ready to install - 28/8

On the positive side progress has been made on a few fronts. The Savage heat exchanger I bought turned out to be a gem.  Pulled the end caps off to clean it and found the all the tubes were clear and everything looks healthy. Went through it with the waterblaster and reassembled it.  Assembled the manifolds and carb on the engine, just waiting on a fuel pump that will fit under that oversized marine exhaust header.  Made up all the copper bolts for the keel and engine beds and fitted those.  Did one last cross-floor near the bow.  The old one needed lots of patching and it kept bugging me so in the end it seemed a better option to replace it.  It was tricky though, and had to be done over a couple of evenings.