Day 49

The keel plate demands that a template be used for the first time!
While Gena welded fill along the bow and ground it smooth, I worked at my first template. A piece of 3/8" playwood was cut into strips and glued/screwed together to make 12' long templates. This is then used to "trace" the curve at the bottom of the keel plate, cut, and layed over the plate to cut. This all worked out nicely and the curve was correct. We'd both forgotten though how heavy 1/4" plate is! The sounds of bones cracking as we flipped up the 12'x4.5' piece were never heard in the chiropractors office!

	The top edge was marked and cut as was the forward edge of the keel. As most of this was my responsibility, it took pretty much all day before it was ready to tack in. Gena (left) did a fine job on the bow which took her all day. Here in Canada this time of year the sun is gone shortly after seven so our day ran out. I wish all days were as perfect as today, no wind, lots of sun to see while welding and not cold at all. We can only hope :o)

Day 49:
9 hours:
Put up first keel plate ( but not tacked in yet ) , filled bow and smoothed over