All Parts Done

It seems like it's been a while since the last update. Here is how Ellie looks as of today:

Several changes have taken place since my last post.

My oldest daughter Heather turned 26 and my Son Tim turned 21.   Normally I'd say Happy birthday kids!  Except you're not kids any more!

 

I decided I didn't like the deck color I chose.. While "Natural Wheat" looked ok in the garage under the florescent lights, out in the daylight it took on an alarming shade of pink. So I repainted the decks a more classic almond color.

All parts have been completed.  We are now on the home stretch with only varnishing and rigging left to do.  The last parts were these little pads for the jib and mizzen cam cleats & fairleads.

The centerboard case top has been completed.  At the forward end is a quadruple fairlead made from a piece of ipe with four holes for the peak and throat halyards, centerboard lift and roller furling lines which will all be lead aft.

 Varnishing has begun. I saved all my varnishing work for last so I could do it all at once.  I have two coats applied so far.

The spars have been completed and also getting varnished. I hung them from the ceiling so I could conveniently varnish them while also keeping them out of the way.
In the back, left to right is the gaff, boom, mizzen and main mast. In the foreground are the boomkin, tiller, bowsprit and mizzen boom.

I sold my British Seagull outboard and ordered a new Suzuki 2.5hp four stroke.  While I have a fondness for antique outboards, the Seagull had a few drawbacks that I decided I had to do without. I needed a motor with 360 degree steering or reverse, I needed a standard 15" short shaft motor (the seagull was 13"), and I wanted a bit more power (the Seagull is 1.5hp).

Next up, rigging. All of the rigging has been ordered from Duckworks and is ready to install.
Summer is coming and time is running short so I will postpone my "Lovely wooden blocks" for a later date and use the blocks I purchased from Duckworks for now.

My next blog will be all about rigging.  Until then, cheers!