SWIFT’S FIRST SEASON
I
have been asked to write a follow up note from my last article on Swift's restoration
published in the Folkboat Booklet 2017 . I did ask if they were short of copy, apparently
not.
Swift’s first season was a sort of ‘works trials’. Traditionally, in my old boatyard terms,
this was when one of the management came down from the office and tried to break
the boat you thought you had just finished.
There were a few things that needed attention. The helmsman’s thwart I had made
from a board of Sapele, and this, although strong, was a bit bendy. This was stiffened
with a shaped oak beam and seems to be working. The halyard cam cleats, while
very authentic and made from tuffnel, were slipping and the sails kept falling down,
like Nora Battie’s stockings. I have made small cleats to back these up and so far,
so good.
Most disappointing was the electric outboard. Recommended by the local supplier it
just wasn’t powerful enough and even at three quarters power giving three knots, only
lasted two hours. I have since bought a five hp Mercury, which is fantastic and we
motored back from Poole to Newtown last season.
Extras were fitted such as the all-important wine rack and hand rails on the coachroof.
I made a cover to go over the boom giving protection to the cockpit and most of the
deck together. Also a sail cover.
Navigation has changed somewhat since I was last boating, 30 years ago, so I fitted
a GPS plotter which required a transducer through the hull, always a dodgy move to
put a hole in the boat and a display on a hinged gadget as I didn’t want to put a hole
through the bulkhead. The boat already had a transducer from the original seafarer
echo sounder. This was carefully beaten out and an updated transducer installed
using epoxy resin. This has worked very well, no leaks and works like a marine sat
nav and even tells the sea temp.
18
‘Swift’ in Action
