Velvet Glove - February 08

Our paint shed has been a hive of activity over the last few weeks with a vast array of tradesmen swarming all over Velvet Glove.

The varnishing of the rails, doors and other wooden trim has been continuing and the French polishers are adding the final layers of varnish. Osmotech's attention to detail as drawn this process out longer than expected, as some minor flaws were spotted by Mike and his team and the offending areas had to be stripped back and re-varnished to the standard expected. Because of the amount of activity on the boat, the treatment of the topsides has had to wait but work on the hull below the water line has been extensive.

The damage to the core of the GRP hull was more widespread than first expected – and in some areas it wasn't just damp, but saturated – water was literally dripping out of it when the balsa was exposed. A detailed inspection revealed that after-market fittings had been screwed to the inside of the hull, piercing the GRP, and allowing water from the bilges to penetrate the hull to quite a severe extent. This has meant that the team have had to start work internally as well
as externally; including the tricky job of re-coring the GRP that covers the longitudinal engine supports.

Nearly all of the sodden balsa has now been removed from the first sections and the process of drying the exposed areas, patching the offending holes (inside and out) and replacing the core has begun. Osmotech's ingenious angled
mounting for the stern thruster has now been added to the transom, ready to be blended into the new core and skin.

A great deal of work has been going on in the engine room too. Because the boat had had several systems retro-fitted (including the discarded water-maker) there was a lot of superfluous wiring and relays that needed to be isolated and removed, and sorting through the tangle was quite time-consuming. There were also several refrigeration compressors and other electrical components that were unnecessary – often serving the same functions - so much of the
plumbing and wiring's usefulness had to be assessed and adjusted accordingly.

The two engines' inter-coolers have been serviced and re-installed, but much of the pipe-work, both metal and rubber, had extensive corrosion damage and has had to be replaced. There was also a complex salt water system, originally intended to allow the boat to be cleaned without using fresh water. Mike and his team suggested that this
wasn't just an unnecessary system, but a potentially damaging one (there was a saltwater outlet in the engine room!) which may be part of the reason why there was more corrosion and damage than would normally be expected in a boat of this age. After consultation with the owner, the heavy-weight system and all its pipe-work has been removed, which should not only help improve the boat's performance, but extend its life and value too.

In the cabins, the chippies have stripped out all the head linings from the ceilings, made millimetre perfect templates and cut the replacement panels to fit. The new head linings have been installed to check that they are all flush and tightly fitted, and then removed ready to be upholstered. The perfectionism of the shipwrights means that these will be one of the last things to be fitted so that there is no danger of them getting damaged whilst other work is going on inside. The chippies have also been renovating the staterooms' panelling and making the new fascias for the bathroom furniture. The electricians have taken advantage of the exposed ceilings to install the wiring for the new lighting arrays, entertainment system and navigation and control equipment.

The new frame for the fly-bridge's Bimini has been installed and the renovated mast re-stepped to ensure a tight fit, so that the fabric can be cut to the exact size and tightened into its final position. The sail-makers have also been taking measurements for the stability sail that will run up the mast to alleviate roll when the boat is at anchor. However, the whole assembly will have to be dismounted in order for this tall boat to be extricated from the shed, and then
re-stepped before launching.