In preparation for installing the settee backs that form the box structure supporting the chainplates I am painting inside the shelves and the back of the plywood front. These are small shelves with just a 150 mm wide opening so to paint them after assembly would be quite difficult. I have used three coats of Interprotect two pack epoxy primer for the inside of the shelves. On the settee backs I masked off the area which will be glued to the frames and shelf front cleats and you can see from the photo of the inside face of the settee backs that there is a large gluing surface area.
Didi 40 Cr settee shelves part painted and with wiring and plumbing holes cut.
The settee seats form the water tanks on both sides of the Didi 40 Cr so I have purchased the fill hose and cut the holes in the tank top for the fill and overflow lines. These are positioned in the corner of the shelves out of site so I will install the hoses onto the tanks before epoxying the seat back in place.
The inside of the settee backs has already been painted with three coats of Interprotect two pack epoxy primer. I masked off the areas that will be glued to the shelves and frames.
On Monday the last 650 kg of lead was poured into the bottom half of the fabricated steel fin section so the keel should now weigh the full 2000 kg. Also on Monday the contractors commenced constructing an awning over the hull. The awning will shade the middle seven metres of the hull to give me some protection while completing the deck and fit out. The posts for the awning have been purpose designed to support the load of the hull while we turn it over in slings. This is still a way off yet as the concrete footings have just been poured. In the meantime I have quarter berth shelves to fit and lots of painting to complete outside and inside.