Restoration of the classic 1930's yacht Gadfly II/Mai Star II

Screwing together the broken parts into something that looks like the frame and its shape. The two first parts of the four parts that make up this frame. The frame now looking more like it should so we can take a pattern off this to make the new four parts of this frame. This shows the small twist the frame had when it was originally made up and fitted to the boat. Now it is time to put in the boat and see how far out of the shape this and the hull are and then make up the new frame with the correct shape and once this is made and fitted the ribs will be steamed in position and then we can move on to the rest of the hull and ort out any problem the hull as.  

Now we have almost all the parts that have been taken off Mai Star II over the past two years, it is time to sort out the parts we are keeping and which parts are just bring kept for use as patterns. Having sanded back the cabin sides they will be given a sealing coat of varnish until such a time when they go back in place on the new deck structure later in the restoration project. The hull as been given a good vacing out and got all the areas clear to make the new frame and to steam the five missing ribs so putting back the shape into that part of the hull.  

Because the old nail holes are a bit shoot, we are filling them with tapered dowels and then re-drilling new holes for the new ribs to be fixed  to when they are steamed in position after the new ribs are made from the green oak we have in the yard outside of the workshop. There are going to be a far number of these holes that need plugging over the course of the this restoration of Mai Star II, so we better get plug making  First job is to get lengths of softwood turned on the lathe to near the right size and then use the tapered dowel cutter to do the rest of the job. The tapered dowel cutter used to get the dowels down to the correct size to fit in the holes bored out with the taper plug cutter The first of many plugs to come The tapered dowel cutter in operation   

One of the major problems with Mai Star II is her transom which is in need of replacing as there is more damage than would be practical to repair, therefore, it would be a better idea to replace the whole of the transom.  The beam shelf on the starboard side is in reasonably good condition apart from the tops of the frames that need new section fitting on the them to make it possible to fix the sheer plank to them when the plank is fitted. The port side beam shelf is not in such good condition and will need replacing as part of the restoration of the hull. The whole of the transom area is in a great deal of attention and will have to be replaced. This photo shows the ribs are missing as well as the port side frame which will be made up and refitted in this area so that the hull can be brought back into shape once more. Damage to the planking will have the areas have pieces cut out and bit glued in place and then planed and sanded back to make good the areas.  

The first major work on the hull is going to be on the port side forward which include replacing the missing ribs and the missing frame. As can be seen from this photo the plank in the middle of the photo is adrift from the rest of the planking, this is because the frame behind this joint was rotten and the fixings had rotted away as well.  The first of the cabin sides getting a good sanding back to bring the rich colour through again. A large pile of boat parts to sort through and get rid of the parts which are not going to be used again. Another pile of parts in the workshop that needs sorting through as well. Yet another pile on another shelve to get sorted as well.