Chainsaw Mill

With repairs to Shamrock's frames and knees continuing, time has been taken to split a 13.3cm (5.25in) thick and about 7.6m (25ft) long plank of larch into two planks. To complete the cut a rather lethal looking chain saw mill was used, even this required three persons to use it, one to operate the chainsaw, one to push the mill along the plank and one to keep driving in wedges along the cut to prevent the chainsaw becoming stuck between the two sections of plank. The larger 8.2cm (3.25in) plank is to be used as the last section of beamshelf and has been marked out ready for shaping. Away from Shamrock the first of the two new quay ladders has been bolted into place and Nancy Belle's deck boards are receiving a fresh coat of paint ready for the river trips in the forthcoming season. On an eco-friendly note, the wood used for the ladders has been sourced from two larch trees which came from the Cotehele estate.

Chainsaw mill.

Starting the cut.

A long way to go.

New ladder.

Oak Lodging Knees

Shamrock has ten deck beams with oak ‘lodging knees’ mounted horizontally between beam and Shamrock's side providing horizontal stiffness and ‘hanging knees’ to provide vertical stiffness as well as preventing her sides sagging. With the two new after sections of beamshelf bolted into place there was relief all round when with the fitting of the first three ‘hanging knees’ it was found that Shamrock had kept her shape. With her side now held firmly in place the remaining ‘hanging knee’ has been removed along with the last section of the beamshelf that is due for replacement. The removal of this part of the beamshelf exposed substantial amounts of rot in various sections of beams and frames. Also revealed was damage to a lodging knee that has split on the line of a through bolt hole. (Yet another job of repair or renewal). Rot had already been discovered in the ‘lodging knee’ attached to the cargo hold ‘after’ coaming support beam, and has been repaired with a new section of oak scarfed into place. In preparation for the final stages of repair, a large nail punch has been manufactured ready to be used when the hull planks are fitted.

Hanging knees and beamshelf in place.

Rotton lodging knee.

Exposed beam.

Broken knee.

More rot.

Repaired lodging knee.

Shuggs mass production of lodging knees.

Checking for size.

More shaping required

Homemade nail punch.