woensdag, 9 februari 2000 10.59

The old and new mingle

And so here we are. The restoration really has taken shape, now that we have started fitting new parts to the boat. The old mingles with the new.

I have spent a nice, busy week in Holland, had the chance to see Marit, Danique and some others. But most of you I did not get to see, due to a time-lack. Sorry, I will try to compensate for that later. In the mean time, in Turkey they worked on Sylphe. On the Wednesday I left, they had started taking the broken frames and limbers (I finally know the official name now) out, by chisellling them away. It was rather a sad view. On the inside of the hull, there are frames, running from the keel to deck, normally every 20 centimeters. One big one, two small ones and than again a big one. The picture is more clear than I can probably describe it. Together with Bulent, the carpenter, we had decided that 22 of the small ones and 13 of the big ones had to be replaced. On the keel there are limbers, big pieces of wood, that hold the keel and ballast to the hull (and the hull in shape) Quite important pieces of wood. There are, from front to back, some 18 of them. Only five were to be replaced. The rest was still in good condition and some had already been replaced some 15 years ago.

So, I left while the final destruction of the really important part of the boat was underway. Upon return on Thursday, work was well under way and most frames were already cut into shape, but not yet placed, screwed and glued together. Before we could start with that, we had to do some repair work on the holes left behind from the old nails. When you take away the old frame, the nail (a really oldfashioned square-shaped, cupper one) has to be removed from the outside of the hull, because this is driven through the planking into the frame. As this nail is driven out of the plank, the removal will automatically leave some damage to the plank. Since the new screws will be driven in a new hole, you have to close and fix the old one. You take some epoxy and a piece of wood in more or less the same shape and size of the hole. You hammer it into the plank and let the epoxy dry. Two days later you can smoothen the in- and outside of the planking with a sander. Now, just take into account that they had removed some 500 nails. This is quite a nice and labour intensive job. But very important, as otherwise the boat will leak again through more holes than you can find in an Emmenthaler cheese.

Over the past days we were busy with chisel, sander and patience to give the new frames the exact curving of the planking. This is just a matter of trying, taking away one millimeter here, trying to fit it agian, taking a millimeter away somewhere else, andso on. Patience, skill and manpower will do the job. Two more days and than all will be replaced with new, solid and sound wood. Giving the hull and keel again something to hold on to.

We will have to replace some of the steel strips, that were placed over the frames to distribute the powers from the rigging to the keel, but this is simple. Some welding, measuring, bending into shape and the hull will be strong enough to withstand the powers that are passed on, while under sail.

The next step will be to treat all this wood on the inside of the hull (keel, frames, limbers and planking) with protective, lead paint. Probably illegal in Europe, but very effective and still available here in Turkey. There are advantages to working in this country. In two weeks time we will not be able to reach these places as the interior wil be build by then and blocking access to some corners.

For next weeks program: the deck and the cockpit. But that will be next weeks story.

The old and new mingle in this stage of the restoration. This week I received three pictures taken by Franco Pace of Sylphe in her good old days. Franco Pace is a famous Italian photographer, specialised in taking shots from classics. I enclos one, just to show what she will be like again, for those of you doubting the whole show. The contrast between enclosed pictures could not be bigger. Old and new meet..

Oh, and yes, they found my stolen car back and the clothes. And the sun is shining in Turkey all day.

Love roland