Shiny Shamrock

With the fitting of the last of the chainplates delayed until an order of freshly manufactured coach bolts arrive Shamrock is being prepared to be exposed to the elements.

• The covering boards, bulwarks, capping rails, wash strake and cargo hold coaming have all received a coat of black gloss. 
• The starboard hull to the waterline and the transom have been coated with bitumen roofing paint. 

• Forward companion way and after deck house coamings have been sanded and primed.
• The decks have received two good coats of a mixture of boiled linseed oil and paraffin, rain that gets through Shamrock's cover now bead of the deck. 

• Warping horse undercoated.   
• Layers of old bitumen being scraped off her original port side hull planks.

Taking Shape.

Two new slabs of oak have been shaped, bolted and through bolted onto Shamrock's transom giving her more structural strength as well as restoring her distinct shape. All that remains to complete the transom is to trim the ends to profile then fit the sternpost and fashion piece (wash strake). With Cotehele rangers assistance the main tabernacle has been lifted out of Shamrock and moved boat shed where the crew has started the thrilling task of scraping all the old paint off.

Through bolt.

Transom Update

Closer inspection of the large 4 meter (13 ft) wide by 1 meter (3 ft) deep and 100 cm (4 in) thick oak slab of the transom revealed that it had become distorted and that along with the areas of rot and a couple of through the transom shakes means that it needs to be replaced and has already been removed. With the difficulty of resourcing such a large slab of oak the replacement is being made in two sections with care being taken to insure the sternpost straps holes are kept well clear of the rebated joint. The replacement oak aft deadwood has been shaped and is ready for fitting.  With all of Shamrock's timbers exposed the amount and cuts of timber required to complete her repairs has been calculated and a large order is being prepared.

Transom distortion.

Blown out bolt hole.

Through transom shake.

Cut down transom.

Old section.

New aft deadwood.

New section.

Shamrock's Transom

The complete removal of Shamrock's deck planks exposed areas that had not seen the light of day since her restoration in the late 1970's, such areas as her aft oak Deadwood and the bottom section of her Warping Horse. As fresh water ingress had caused rot to both of these, they have been removed along with the Sternpost, rudder Gudgeons* along with associated ironwork and the fashion piece of her Transom. The Gudgeons and ironwork are in the process of being cleaned and painted. Rot in the top section of one of Shamrock's port frames has caused it to disintegrate and it is being replaced.

GUDGEONS. Bands of iron, steel or mixed metal which terminate in eyes, bolted to the sternpost to receive the pintle bolts of the rudder.

Aft Deadwood.

Warping Horse and Stern Post.

Fashion piece.

Rudder Gudgeons

What's left of Shamrock's Transom.

Fresh water damage. 

Disintegrate frame

Recovered bolt.