Adding an inner forestay - Part 3

Preparing the bow for the bulkhead

As well as building the new bulkhead we had to shape a lip in the bow, positioned to fit the new board. This provides better sealing and, practically, something we can epoxy the finished bulkhead on to.

There was already a small lip to hold the original piece, which we used to position and cut a template from mdf. This was used to both shape the plywood bulkhead and also cut out to make a backing piece we could apply the new layer of fibreglass to.

Igor and Giulia - shaping the new template and plywood bulkhead

Adding an inner forestay - Part 2

Making the bulkhead

(see Part 1) The new bulkhead is made from 12mm marine ply laminated with a layer of biaxial fiberglass cloth on each side. All structural boltholes are reinforced with solid fiberglass laminate to withstand both radial loads and axial compression. We added two watertight access hatches - you never know when the chain behind a permanent bulkhead will get tangled! Overall, making the balkhead took many tens of hours of work. Here's the "making of".

Marking, cutting holes, sanding

Adding an inner forestay - Part 1

To prepare Auriga for ocean sailing, we want to make the boat as reliable and adaptable as possible. A common modification for offshore-going yachts is the addition of an inner forestay. A small staysail can be flown from it in heavy weather, being easier and safer to set than a storm jib and giving the crew additional options in most conditions.

Storm staysail in heavy weather © Carlo Borlenghi / Rolex

This requires a deck fitting of substantial strength, and we had to face a host of challenges in modifying Auriga accordingly.

Moving Home

This week we upgraded our home. We moved out of the "budget" marina into the slightly more upmarket Fox's. Mainly as we weren't happy with resting in the mud every low tide, but also in search of more reliable electricity and with thoughts of moving onto the boat one day soon. Fox's has a warm shower and a bar. Also, CUYC's boats, Kestrel and Puffin, are moored in Fox's so we can help with work on these boats while we are on Auriga.

Our old home - quaint, but lacking electricity...