Pics From Craig 26th July

Craig called these pics 'nearing completion' (as opposed to the last lot, that he called 'bedlam')

 

Paint booth: slider for companionway hatch, below that switch panel with cutouts for instruments, square-ish cover for something somewhere, and on the right the two halves of the engine cover.

Heads selector tap for overboard vs holding tank for, er, output

A symphony of gear behind the aft bulkhead... (galley, fuel tank, and engine visible through hatch), Nexus equipment in centre of photo, plumbing to right.  Tank centre bottom is the hot water tank for showers etc, heated via the engine.  Weight police please note: hot water tank has a drain tap so it can be emptied.

Galley looking more finished, catches in the doors/drawer now

Rob finalised the design of the keel vs hull junction.  This area is normally quite turbulent, so the fairing should smooth flow through here a bit.  

Keel head to left, with yellow rope through it (yellow rope always makes things better, the Sounds cruising crowd know all about that), fairing in green/blue foam with yellow tape over keel pin, and pink fairing compound on the keel fin

Pics from Craig 20 July

A liitle late posting these, arrived about 1 week ago.  Craig titled the pics "Bedlam" ...

Steering pods, daggerboards being painted

 Engine and fuel tank installed, diesel filler pipe at right.

 Galley bench, electric hydraulic pump, sink, space for Waeco fridge in bench top at left

Starboard ram, under chart table

One of the - now exceptionally shiny - wheels

Companionway steps being built

Last pre-launch visit -- 6 July

This would be the last time to visit Craig Partridge Yachts before the launch.  Next time we see the boat, she'll be about to touch water in Wellington.  

It's been really good to visit Kerikeri, each trip is like a brief, intense micro-holiday, and it's always good to catch up with Craig and progress.  While it's hard to think of a more geographically inconvenient boatbuilder when you're based in Wellington, Craig and his team are awesome so there is no question it's being built incredibly well with no small amount of talent and care that the result is great.   I always feel like I'd like to be able to spend more time there.  On this visit I remembered to look at most of the progress, but there was so much going on that I completely forgot to see the keel and bulb... however, lots to look at...  

The deck and cabintop was being prepared for painting later that day so most of the pics are from inside.  First up, electronics are going in, these are just behind the aft bulkhead.

Behind the switch panel, connections are getting set up

With the interior paint finished, and everything now able to be fitted/mounted inside, the interior surfaces are covered in parts.  

Here's the bit that has makes Vesna grin every time she opens it -- the drawer in the galley has a glorious soft-close mechanism

I was able to tear her away from opening and closing the drawer for a few seconds to get a picture of her near the carbon twill 'feature wall'.  The retractable prod is so long that it extends into the front of the saloon.. not ideal, but an extra something to hang on to, and a very small price to pay for going fast and grinning a lot.

Heads with sink and shower/tap fitting

A few out-of-the-boat pics.  First the keel retention bolt... the yard guys have a different name for it, vaguely to do with retention, but not repeatable in polite company.

Here's the retracting prod, made at C-tech in Auckland.  It's currently 4.7m long, but most of that stays inside the fixed prod and front of the boat.  Apparently it needs to be quite strong.  Glamorous assistants: Dave Roberts and Rob.

And lastly, from the Department of Strangely Compelling:  I had a go at using photosynth to make some panoramas.  There was lots going on with sorting out electronics and having to get out of the way for painting prep, so I didn't spend lots of time on them (and it shows) but they are still pretty interesting ...

Cockpit :

Saloon, from just in front of mast

Interior from bottom of companionway steps.  That's Bob Evans, electrician, sitting in the companionway.

Hall Spars, Silverdale, 5th July

Dave Ridley at Hall Spars met us - outside of normal hours when he'd probably have preferred to be at home, thanks Dave - at the factory in Silverdale.  Saw some pretty cool gear in the factory, including our nearly-complete mast.  Rigging hasn't arrived in NZ yet - it's in the post - so running a bit behind Hall's promised delivery deadline (was going to be on the boat July 4th), but not running as far behind as the rest of the build, so thankfully no impact on launch date.  

The mast looks stunning - Dave says it's very stiff so should work pretty well too.

main track is being fitted, hence the tape and clamps etc.

Slot for upper spreader attachments...

... and lower spreader slot.  Just to the left is the slot for the sheave for daggerboard lifting lines.  

 Masthead

Spreaders

 Forward end of boom, reefing clutches nicely concealed under all the pretty carbon twill.

Hull paint done

Painting finished on nice shiny topsides, deck and cabintop paint is due in the next few days