Deck Laying

Two datum lines of deck planks have been cut and temporarily fitted to the side decks along both outer edges of Shamrock's cargo hatch coaming. Deck plank ends are never run off to a point, this is so that the ends can be ‘joggled’ into the covering board.

Joggle, a joint between two surfaces of wood, stone, etc. made by cutting a notch in one and making a projection in the other to fit into.

In the boat shed the bottom faces of all the cut deck planks are being sanded and primed ready for laying.

After the removal of the starboard forward section of staging a start has been made on the re caulking of Shamrock's lower hull planks.

Deck Planks

There has been no visible progress of repairs on Shamrock over the last couple of weeks, but in the boat shed it is all go! Approximately 1,800 ft. (548 m) of deck planks have been machined to 1 7/8 inch (47 mm)  x 4 inch (100 mm) with a beading line on one side of the bottom edge, and 1/8 inch (3 mm) taper half depth caulking seams on both top edges, all done using a router. The crew will be glad when the boat shed gets back to normal!

Shamrock's forward companionway and deckhouse coamings are being cut and shaped ready for fitting.

Nancy Belle is back on the river after having a new coat of paint and her varnish replaced with 'Woodskin', so much for the quick wash and brush up.

Nancy Belle waiting for high tide.

Plugging Shamrock

The wooden plugs used in the plugging of all Shamrock's various planks and boards fastenings holes, are produced from offcuts of planking and using a plug cutter of the correct size. The cutter is cut into the offcut multiple times and spaced to produce the maximum number of plugs. The bandsaw is then used to split out the plugs. If the offcut is of sufficient thickness both sides are cut before being split out. All plugs are dipped in glue before being lightly hammered into place with its grain in line with the plank grain. Once the glue has set any excess plug is pared off before being sanded flush with their respective plank. The number of plugs used to date is already running into the hundreds.

A tapered stick with a rag secured around the taper is used in the tarring of Shamrock's hull planks seams. The hot tar is picked up from the chip fryer with a turning motion ensuring an even spread on the stick then, with a turning and moving motion along the line of the seam, the tar is deposited into the seam. Two layers of tar are required with any excess scraped off once the tar has set. The caulking and tarring of Shamrock's starboard hull plank seams has been completed.

Shamrock shape has become more pleasing to the eye with the completion of her bulwark capping rails.