Odd Jobs.

On Shamrock the first of the cargo hatch coaming dog cleats have been fitted.

Fitting of her ‘chain-plates’ has been completed.

A total of 36 bolts, made up of a combination of new and old, have been fixed to Shamrock's port side bracing her ‘beamshelf’ and ‘hanging knees’. Some were missing and some replaced undersize bolts fitted during previous repairs.

To cap the hull bolt and nail heads, that have insufficient counterbore to hold a wooden plug, a mixture of ‘trowel on Bitumen Mastic' (black butter), P.V.A. glue and cement has been used. Once set theses will be sanded flush and given a coat of bitumen paint.

In the boat shed new ‘thumb cleats’ have been cut from an oak offcut and are undergoing their final shaping.

Chief Plugger

Joe Lawrence, who has recently handed over his role as Cotehele Head Ranger, is now working on Shamrock until his retirement at the end of July. Joe who pushed for Shamrock's current conservation program, sources most of the wood and materials required and is also currently assisting in the cutting, fitting and paring of the hundreds of wooden plugs. These are required for Shamrock's deck and hull planks.

• To stiffen the deckhouse side decks, four support straps have been fitted between the ‘beamshelf’ and the deckhouse coaming support beams. These are slightly larger than the side deck straps, and to allow for the deck camber the outer ends are ‘tenon-jointed’ into the ‘beamshelf’ and the inner ends dropped into shoes fixed to the coaming support beam.

• After being moved back onboard the forward companionway and aft deckhouse have been fitted to their respective coamings.

• Another twelve deck planks have been cut, shaped and are in the process of having their underside painted.
• The extension on Shamrock's temporary cover is now down, with the main structure due to be removed within the next few weeks.

• Painting of Shamrock has been in abeyance for over a year, due to all the work being carried out, so the crew have started priming the covering boards, bulwark stanchions and capping rails. This is the first stage of some protracted ‘Paintbrush’ activity.

Two In One Out

With the two new beams bolted firmly in place, and using two heavy duty cargo straps to hold Shamrock's sides in place, the forward cargo hold coaming and the main beam beneath it have been removed. The two cargo straps, one forward and one aft of the main beam, are fitted across Shamrock and secured around a frame and the beamshelf at both ends. A large plank of oak from a tree with a natural curve has been sourced and the new main beam has been cut from it. There is enough oak left over to cut out a second beam that is earmarked for the next beam forward of the main beam.

New forward beam fitted.

Removing the main beam.

Aft securing strap.

Well secured.

Marking out the main beam.

New Beams

The shaping, steaming and temporary clamping into place of the last section of starboard beamshelf has enabled the cutting and temporary fitting of Shamrock's aftermost deck beam. To get the correct deck camber a plywood template has been produced taking the curve from her cargo hatch after beam. Two partner beams have also been cut with tenons at one end that are to be mortised into the new beam while the other ends are to be bolted to the new deadwood adding extra rigidity to Shamrock's stern. Sections for her after deck shelf have been temporarily fitted to the transom and one of the forward beams that needs replacing has been cut and shaped ready for fitting. These new sections will need to be removed and given a protective coating before they are finally bolted in place.

Last section of beamshelf

Josh beam shaping.

New aft beam in position.

Partner beams.

Deck shelf.

New forward beam.

Warping Horse

With the new warping horse in place followers of Shamrock may notice the new top beam has a pronounced curve when compared with one fitted in the late 1970’s restoration. This is intentional. Details of this form, for the warping horse, were found amongst a collection of old photos of Shamrock operating in and around Falmouth. Amongst these there is one photo of her under motor/sail, taken from astern, showing her original warping horse complete with curve. Shamrock's top gudgeon has been fitted and checked for alignment. The rotten rear port section of beamshelf has been removed and a replacement is being fashioned. Thanks to Richard Trebilcock for the historic photos.

New warping horse.

Shamrock off Falmouth

Top gudgeon.

Checking alignment.

No Deck

With the complete removal of Shamrock's deck, port covering board and sheer strake* her port frames have been exposed revealing that although some frames will have to be repaired or renewed it is not as bad as the starboard side and only the after section of the beamshelf will need renewing. Most of the port side rot has been wet rot with only small amounts of mycelium being found. Shamrock's forward cargo hold main beam will need to be renewed as the removal of the main tabernacle has revealed substantial rot and when combined with the rot and a shake in the starboard side, that had already been noted, it means that it’s repair is not an option and it must be replaced.

*Sheer strake the top row of hull planks below the cover board.

No deck.

Looking aft.

Looking forward.

Main tabernacle.

Forward cargo hold main beam.

May Update

The renewal of Shamrock's starboard beamshelf has been completed with the cutting and fitting of the forward section. The first hull plank has been cut from a 9.75 meter (32ft) plank, steamed shaped and fitted. With the high cost of galvanised boat nails the crew have been employed in recycling a large quantity of old nails that where recovered during the removal of Shamrock's hull planks. These have been straightened, cleaned and finally had a coat of galvanise paint.

Beamshelf section bing checked for size and fit.

Beamshelf complete.

Shaped hull plank.

The last boat nail

Hammered home.

First hull plank in place.

Old nails.

Mass production.

Cornish Oak

As Shamrock spent the majority of her working life plying her trade in the Truro - Falmouth area it seems only fitting that some of the large slabs of Oak being used in her repair have been sourced from the Tregothnan estate that is situated alongside the confluence of the Fal and Truro rivers. These Sessile Oaks where planted in 1880 and cut approximately three years ago having survived the mass tree felling of the Second Word war due to their remote location. The Oak slabs have been used in the repair/replacement of Shamrock's starboard lodging knees and frames. Shamrock's starboard frame repairs are now complete also the third new section of beamshelf has been bolted into place along with that sections beams and hanging knees.   

Cornish Oak.

Completed frame repairs.

Hanging knee installation.

Beamshelf through bolted scarf.

Shamrock's new river view.

Shamrock Repairs March Update

The discovery that the forward section of the starboard beamshelf had been renewed in the past with an undersized section, was only loosely bolted to the frames and not attached to the Breasthook*. This has resulted in it being removed and a new section is being cut ready for fitting. It has also been found that there is no evidence of the starboard side beam ends ever being secured to the beamshelf. To correct this, the beams are now being through bolted onto the new beamshelf as it is fitted. More areas of rot have been discovered in some of the main beams, one of them being a section of beam behind the main mast tabernacle. This beam also supports the forward end of the cargo hatch combing and will need more investigation. Most of Shamrock's starboard side deck planks have been removed with the chain locker seeing the light of day for the first time since her restoration. With the amount of water ingress found between the deck planks and beams it has been decided to remove all the deck planking to allow all the beams to be checked, repaired or renewed as necessary and allowed to dry out before fitting new deck planks. Shamrock's windlass and deck winch have been unbolted and moved to the side ready to be removed to the boat shed once space is available. One bit of good news is that to date only one small section of rot has been found in the ceiling planks. Most of Shamrock's starboard side frame repairs have been completed and her lines are looking pleasing to the eye.

*BREASTHOOK A grown timber crook or wrought-iron knee used either as a tie to bind the Stempost, Beamshelf, Hawse or frame tim­bers of the bow together.

Breasthook port side.

Breasthook starboard side, no bolts.

Beam rot behind main tabernacle.

Rotten ceiling plank. 

Missing deck.

New short beam.

Repaired frames.