End of the year. And what does the future hold?

The interior is bare...

I  had hoped to have the boat on the water, or at least ready for the move to the water by now. That has not happened. But there is steady if slow progress.

Cut and try, the only way.

The interior is taking shape slowly. Cardboard templates give most of the shapes, and then it is a case of 'cut and try' as the old shipwrights said. One problem is that the cleats on the hull, which Wynand welded on where the bulkheads should go, are not in line and also not square. So the bulkheads will have to be packed up.

Laminated window frames took a lot of time
and artistry.

Then Dave, the shipwright, and I had some differences of opinion regarding the need to have the interior built in a modular fashion, so one could take out units and change them, or at least inspect the hull. In the end every part had to fit through the companionway hatch in any case, so we are not too far off the modular concept.

Kitchen unit. OK, the galley then.

We should have the interior in by January, and the floors are now the next priority. Again they must be securely fixed, but must be removable to inspect for rust and water.

And we have a sample piece of sailcloth, so in January we will get the battens, and plan the sails, cut the foresail and begin stitching. Another learning curve. I could not find stainless steel rings for the sails so David made them.

Main bulkhead going in.

And we have begun planning the electrical systems. I thought it would be simple, a few pieces of flex to carry the 220 volt, some more for the 12 volt, and voila! But Rean is an electronics engineer, and suddenly things are not that simple. And the electrical wiring should be in before we tackle the ceilings.

At the same time the plumbing has to go in, yet another learning curve!

Thanks to everyone who helped through 2015, with muscle power, advice, and just by being there.

Zimbabwean Pete advises on the interior.