I am looking forward to placing the last plank on the second layer of the radius chine of our Didi 40 Cr. Three days of perfect working conditions should see the finish of this stage and then I can move on to planing the flat on the “V” of the keel. There are only seven more planks of 6 mm plywood before I move to a double layer of 3 mm plywood for the tight radius at the approach to the bow. The 3 mm layers are easy to bend for all but the last plank and I will try to do them together as I did on the first layer.
Yesterday started out warm and sunny so I could clean up the glue from the first layer on the port side ready for the second layer. While the tarpaulins were off I took this photo of the starboard side which is still to be prepared.
The starboard side of our Didi 40 Cr still to be prepared for the second 6 mm layer of plywood on the radius chine at the bow.
By the time the preparation was completed the wind and rain came after gluing just one plank. As rain threatened all afternoon I went under the hull and started preparing the inside of the water tank for the epoxy glass join of the top of the water tank to the newly formed radius chine hull. That is ready to do now the first time I need an inside job. I have a mental list of lots of inside jobs still to do like fitting the last two shelves in the quarter berth and fitting for later installation the fronts to these shelves. There are still 20 mm triangle cleats to be fitted to the front edge of these shelves and to the ones in the saloon and if these jobs run out I can do some of the filleting of the hull to the frames on the near vertical edges where gravity is not much of a factor. The rudder stock and associated bearings and stainless steel is in manufacture so that should arrive in good time to be fitted and then completing the rudder will be another good inside job.