Pendle Witch and the Cascamite Clock

[Stephen Hawkins]

Picked up the 'free' National 12 Starfish from Frensham Pond. The poor dear.

The jury is out as to whether she will ever be sailed again. Currently she is just a loose collection of parts.

When we put her on the trailor she sagged a bit......Many of her lower planks are no longer glued together - at least not along their whole lengths.

Most of the wood she is made up of (if we ignore the deck) is in good order though, as much of the varnish and paint blew off on the way home!

I will take a picture or two tomorrow, when the light is right and put something up for you all to look at.

I fear for her. But I will put her in the garden with a cover over her for a couple of months to finish drying out before my final decision.

She would have been lovely though.

[clibb]

As Stephen says, the boat was picked up today, and has gone to a new home.

Many thanks to all those who expressed interest, I hope they will be able to see the boat on the water again in due course.

Kind regards

Nick -Intl.14 - 839

[GAVinT]

Picked up the 'free' National 12 Starfish from Frensham Pond. The poor dear.

The jury is out as to whether she will ever be sailed again. Currently she is just a loose collection of parts.

When we put her on the trailor she sagged a bit......Many of her lower planks are no longer glued together - at least not along their whole lengths.

Most of the wood she is made up of (if we ignore the deck) is in good order though, as much of the varnish and paint blew off on the way home!

I will take a picture or two tomorrow, when the light is right and put something up for you all to look at.

I fear for her. But I will put her in the garden with a cover over her for a couple of months to finish drying out before my final decision.

She would have been lovely though.

I just pulled most of the rest of my Streaker's bottom off, and all the control line fittings,
although with the cover on it it still looks complete.
I had thoughts of trying to repair it, but when yet another section of sodden mulch held together with poorly applied fibreglass tape came off, so did all the decking ,(by me) and awaiting a major op have to consider health issues the priority.
soo afraid its gonna be added to the Club's autumn maintenance weekend bonfire, along with the front section of a Phantom-from which at least Nessa and others benefitted from some bits n bobs off that-and hey you win some (mostly thats been my personal experience), so have to accept the odd failure too.
Any way I wish you all the best of British with your project. Oh and if anyone happens to know of a spare Streaker hull, preferably GRP?

[Stephen Hawkins]

Peeled the deck and gunnels of her today. I will keep them for templates.

Lots of dry, brittle glue under them. Some of the frames had loose bits as well.

I was suprised with the gunnels, with them being predominantly nailed with long copper nails and just a screw at each end. I will probably use screws only, if and when I fit their replacements.

The bows and the front half tank looked pretty solid.

I will put the pictures up tomorrow morning.

Looking for some advice on how to tackle this - or even if I should try.

I am thinking about removing, cleaning and regluing anything that is loose so that I can to firm her up a bit, first. One bit at a time - so I can keep her shape.

The floor, I am thinking of taping some sand paper to something thin, like a steel ruler to clean out any loose glue from the outside, before using epoxy to re-fix them.

Only if and when I can restore her ridgity will I even think about removing all the rest of the varnish and paint.

Am I mad?

[Obscured by clouds]

The floor, I am thinking of taping some sand paper to something thin, like a steel ruler to clean out any loose glue from the outside, before using epoxy to re-fix them.

hacksaw blade along each strake/plank -alternate sides, epoxy each one. allow to set before doing the next pair. you'll need to devise a way of pushing the glued surfaes together without deforming the the hull. When I was going to redo the old MR I envisaged running and clamping a horizontal beam across the gunnels then clamping bits of 2 x 1 down and lightly brace/wedge against the inside of the planks where they overlap the next. You may need a series of these.

[chris]

Indeed the tricky part will be getting the shape right. Chocking it up and screwing 2 or 3 battens across the boat will help. regluing one plank one side then one the other, 2 or three straps from the ceiling could work too. have the fixing supports the same width as the beam so that the straps form a U shape under the hull and don't pinch inwards. But if you really want to get it right make a mould and work on that.

[Stephen Hawkins]

Thought I would post the a couple of pictures.

One before I removed the deck and gunnel and one after - just for starters.

In the background you can see one of them 'slab booms' - the ones they used to use to increase the sail area....

All this 'molds' and 'hanging from the ceiling' talk is a worrying me.

[Stephen Hawkins]

The mast is a gold anodised one with one set of diamonds, but no spreaders.

Here is a picture with decks off:

[Stephen Hawkins]

Here is another picture looking from the back.

The planks where the glue has failed is in the floor. The lands(?) the planks next to the hog and the next three joints going outwards along the longitudenal strengthening strakes(?). The upper starboard one has already been repaired - I can see screws heads from the inside and an epoxy 'puddle'. The is also a bit of tape on the outside of the hull where this repair is - the only bit.

[Stephen Hawkins]

Finally the other little fly in the ointment.

The hog - in front of the centreboat case.

a bit of localised softness on the starboard side only - just below the stainless steel block screwed into the case - and the bit that is missing. Still a bit damp - so I need to let it dry out.

Probaby need to pull the centre board case.

[Meryl]

OK it's early in the morning (for me) and not enough coffee yet but i read 'gold mast studded with diamonds' harking back to a previous life as a jeweller.

[chris]

Can't quite see but is it another nice heavy steel plate?

[Stephen Hawkins]

Painted white - but yes there is no hiding it. Probably have a better chance of getting Ruperts spare firefly alloy plate in there though.

1962 - still the steel plate era.....

I am just pondering the feasibility of carefully drilling through where the planks over lap and using nuts/bolts and penny washers to clamp the planks together whilst the epoxy sets.

Then remove the screws and insert mahogany dowls in their place, glued with epoxy. Probably would not need that many and I should be able to lose them on the underside and they wont be seen fron inside the cockpit as they will be covered by grip tape.

The overlaps where the runners are inside the boat.

Thoughs

[Stephen Hawkins]

All,

I am coming to the realisation that I have bitten off more than I can chew with this one.

I really do not have the workshop facilities or time to give this a fighting chance. Sitting in the garden for a couple of months will do nothing for her recovery.

If there is anyone who would like to take this on, I will pass on all that came with her spars, sails and all fittings, etc. If I have closed the distance between anyone and Frensham Pond, then a I would just ask for a small fuel donation perhaps.

I am aware that other people were interested in her - but I understand if what I have uncovered puts you off.

Cheers

Steve Hawkins

[Stephen Hawkins]

A chance conversation with my local chandlery owner has found Pendle Witch a new home where she much more likely to to be recovered to her former glory.

She now resides in the shed of P and I Boats at Chippenham. Where she can fully dry out and be restored at her new owner's leisure.

I must restrict myself to running repairs and the odd coat of Paint/Varnish, as I really do not have the facilities or time for a full rebuild of this type.

I feel much happier having passed her on to someone with the 'where with all' to rebuild her.

Cheers