Hurricane Irene and what to do on a Sunday afternoon (corrected)

Hi Everyone
Well I don't believe it but its happening right now as I write this. After leaving the relitive safety of the boat yard dock, and happy with the repairs and boat planks taking up, I went to anchor yesterday morning and spent a nice quiet night afloat. That is not going to happen tonight, as Catagory 1 Irene hit us at 1400hrs this afternoon! So what do you do on a Sunday afternoon in torential tropical rain, with wind gusting in the 60knt bracket.
Well I thought about seeing if there was a internet connection out here, and blow me I have a solid free connection.
So Yard Work pic's for you all to see.


Pic 1
soon after my arrival in the yard I took off the Bobstay fitting and all the filler old and new out of the stem, then removed quite a bit of damaged wood, ready I thought to fit a new piece here.

Pic 2
I removed all the bolts, hoping to use them to secure the new piece inside, so cleaned this up ready.

Pic 3
Alas this was not to be. Shown in the bottom of this pic is the part were I had removed but not found the reason for the damage yet. So the saw had to come out! And deeper and deeper into the stem I went.

Pic 4
And I was finally left with a large piece of missing Stem, also 3 planks unfastened each side

Pic 5
different view of hole

Pic 6
Inside view of hole and frame ends I have cut back to good wood

Pic 7
The reason for all this work found.
Here is the upper stem scarf joint I removed, left is the broken frame end portside and left is the broken part right across the through bolt of the iron frame support.

Pic 8
Myself carving and shaping the first piece of new oak that would be joined to the lower stem.

Pic 9
Closeup of the bit of oak

Pic 10
First piece lower stem and second piece upper stem now all glued screwed and bolted together.

You can enlarge this to see it close up if your not bored out of your tree yet!

Pic 11
after fitting the interface piece between inner and outer stem laminations, the first three outside pieces were fitted

Pic 12
Half way through fitting the second set of laminations. there were 4 layers altogether, of 3/4" Oak

Pic 13
Inside the frame ends were joined the the new stem pieces and though bolted using bronze bolts, also in this pic you see the bob stay bolts and the stem through bolts

Pic 14
After fitting the planks back and the bobstay fitting, and fairing the laminations, the bow is ready to be calked and painted

Pic 15
All finished Yipee

Pic 16
View of the finished chain locker. I have fitted a lining now to protect the woodwork here.

So on this very windy night I will now post this to the blog, internet is running, wow, best I've had for a long while
enjoy the pics
Roy

Spar Lash

Good news everyone,GL was splashed this morning 1230hrs your time zone.
I have had to work so hard to fix all this stuff I need a break.
The shipwright here Morgan again congratulated me on a job well done repairing the stem on my own. I only wish I could show the photo's.
I found another 2 coach screws on the port side garboard and replaced them by re-drilling the holes and through bolting them. That made 4 missing bolts, all in the mast step area, no wonder it was moving about. It remains now to see if this has stopped the likelyhood of the garboard, and plank above from moving against each other, cos thats were it leaked bad before.
I have a berth for today and tonight and will anchor tomorrow, need a bit more wood for the chain locker, its just to control were the chain goes, its been falling over and jamming when I try and pull it out again.
I have no idea what happens next though, I have an invite back to Coral Bay of course, but now we are in the middle of hurricane season its a choice of were to go to hide. This present boat yard is nearly full to the brim with boats that have been hauled out, and there is still a queue trying to get out.
After quizzing everyone here it is looking like a trip to Grenada, its south anyway, even St Lucia is not concidered safe in hurricanes, so will have to have another sea trial and make sure everything is ok, so Coral Bay first then make a decision.
I can get internet there and will be posting as many pic's as I can.
Roy