Winter Working

As Shamrock basks in the autumn sun, winter working plans are being discussed.

During the winter Shamrock normally sits on her cradle at the top of the slipway with her winter cover on, this cover is very low and restrictive. So this years plan is to leave her in the dock, remove the rigging and some of the spars and leave at least the main mast standing. The idea behind this is to use the masts and possibly the booms to support a higher cover over the deck to enable wet weather working without being on your knees.
The list of planned jobs seems to be growing and as with all Shamrock's plans a lot depends upon the weather.

Shamrock Jobs

• Remove the after deckhouse* to the boat shed for repair and painting.
• Remove the forward hatch cover** to the boat shed for painting.
• Remove the existing caulking from the hold side decks and the after deck. Replace any rotten planks from these decks and then re-caulk them. Easily said but not so easily done.
• Grease/oil the stay wires.
• Later or in the spring get out the mud buggy*** and paint the hull to the mud line.  

* Referred to as skylight/ companion-way in Shamrock's restoration book.
** Referred to as fore skylight/ companion-way.
** Mud buggy, a large open top rectangular wooden box that's lowered into the mud alongside Shamrock and used work from. Top job.

Nancy Belle Jobs.

• Either secure at the top of the boat shed slipway or take into the boat shed.
• Remove deck boards and engine.
• Paint the bilges, refit and realign the engine.
• Make new soundproofed engine cover.
• Clean and paint the hull. 

One thing we can be sure of is that these lists will be changing.