Saunterer gives up her secrets – Part 7 – Inspection of the bottom of the elm keel
Date: 15th November, 2015The final stage of analysing the extent of the restoration work yet to be done is to examine the elm keel – which we believe has not seen daylight since 1900. In the shelter of the tent now built over the hull, with the ballast keel removed, the wooden keel is drying out and open to the air for the first time in a century.
Reflecting the quality of the materials available to Charles Sibbick and the Albert Yard in the winter of 1899 and spring of 1900, this piece of wood is in the most extraordinarily good condition – while the surface is marked and rough in places, we have found almost no damage and this huge single piece of elm in an overall excellent state.
This is an important conclusion and a major discovery – and reveals the final extent of the work required to complete this phase of Saunterer’s most far reaching restoration. Breathing a sigh of relief we can also now begin more accurately to assess the programme of rebuilding. The picture below also shows the bolts fastening the teak keelson to the elm keel – we think these are good and in their original condition – so these we are not disturbing these as they are fast (see Saunterer gives up her secrets – Part 2 for the description of the conclusions about her construction in this area).
The plan from here will be to fair the elm keel, seal it with epoxy, and make it smooth for receiving the ballast keel back again in due course. The picture below shows the early marks of a plane as this process begins – it is at a very awkward angle requiring great agility from the team!
The Project Team – October 2015.
