4am start (half 5 for Pete)

It was a very early morning start this morning in an effort to make some progress on AUS32 - and as you can see we got the carbon on the hull.

AUS31 is still being sanded back - I had a couple of places where the carbon didn't bond to the dancefloor which have been sanded out. I am also still having issues getting this carbon to go around sharp angles (dancefloor to the sides). So I have sanded that off and am going to have another go if it gets cool enough tonight (fingers crossed).

Post Cure

Foredeck and dancefloor carbon is on, but we didn't get AUS32's carbon on the hull, and with high 30's and low 40's (50's in the shed, thats celsius people) predicted all week it looks like we're going to fall behind by a week.

I should be able to start fairing AUS31 in the evenings but I just stopped tonight as i reckon I lost a kilo of sweat after 1/2 and hour of sanding!

Final sanding and clean up, before laminating the rest of the hull this evening

Big Day on Sunday

Well both boats have their final bits of filler on for their respective build stages, and Sunday will see us laying the carbon on AUS32's hull and on AUS31's dancefloor and foredeck. So it's sanding and cleaning tomorrow and a busy dy in the shed Sunday.

It's glued (I hope)

The foredeck and dancefloor are on - so I take a couple of day break while it cures (touch wood) and pete gets to work on his boat making it ready to carbon.

I'm going to go reacquaint myself with my family - I hope they remember who I am.

"Please, dear God, don't let me fuck up."

Just watched 'The Right Stuff' again and I feel the the 'Shepards Prayer' is appropriate as I finish the prepping to glue the deck and dancefloor onto the hull. I've got all my tiedown straps, beams, weights.... so as soon as i get home from work tomorrow it will be a final going over and then mixing glue.

Fingers crossed.

Is it a boat yet?

Well, AUS31 is looking more like a boat - it now has a dancefloor, and a foredeck (though the foredeck won't be glued down until the self tacker stuff arrives.

While we wait for the next package from MECHAR (boom, foils, self tacker, carriage and seat parts) we'll be putting together a Vacuum pump system so we can bag the winglets and the seat.

AUS32 is getting its final filler coat tonight, then rubbed back and ready for carbon.

All the small things

foredeck is laminated, reinforcement for the selftacker is fitted but we've discovered that I'm just on a kilo heavier at this point in the build that I should be - so Geoff is investigating what I can do to get back on par with regards to the dancefloor (knowing Geoff the answers will be emailed and waiting for me when I get up in the morning). I'll use tomorrow to fair in the foredeck and fit out the masts.

AUS32 is still being faired, and is coming long nicely with Pete looking to be ready to laminate shortly.

Making Hay while the sun doesn't shine

42 degrees outside, and a fair bit warmer in the shed but we got some work done. Petes AUS32 is ready for fairing (all staples removed) and AUS31 has its foredeck trimmed and in place (will get laminated on the underside tomorrow). So thats it for today, we've got a couple of days in the low thirties but back into the high 30's by Friday again - so we need to make hay while the sun doesn't shine.

A Long Day

No pictures today, but 10mm foam does not flex around the foredeck (even when heated) - which was quite disappointing as I need to wait til Monday to try some other options. However I got a fair bit of the reinforcing with Uni done so it wasn't a total waste.

Pete got all the foam on the mould so hopefully fairing tomorrow night and carboning by next weekend.

It's now bourbon 'o'clock

Well, I went back to work this week, so not a massive amount of progress on AUS31, but Pete has been working hard on AUS32 with nearly all the foam on and glued in place. I've got the bulkheads in ad with any luck should have the foredeck on by the weekend - with 41 degrees next week I'm not sure how much will get done as it gets pretty warm in the shed!

AUS 32 Begins

Pete has just started on AUS32 as I put the chainplates on AUS31