So, having had a few days rest from the Naiad project I decided to get started on the toe rails not least because the support rollers arrived today. You put two one side of the table saw or planer and two the other side and the rollers support the bits that hang over the edge on long pieces of timber.

I bought a piece of 38mm square section Douglas Fir from which to make the toe rails and this needed to be cut in two long ways to give two pieces of about 17mm x 38 mm or 5/8" x 1 1/2" and 4.8m long. These pieces were then planed and once that had been done I cut the rubbing strakes around the chain plates.

The toe rails will bend around the edge of the deck but I think I will steam them since I'll be drilling screw holes every 12" or so and that will almost certainly cause the wood to snap. If I can get the rubbing strake planed and sanded I could possibly do that this weekend. We shall see.

These also arrived today, the hinge and latches for the fore hatch. Now I can buy the correct size of bolt, nut and washer for these.

The rollers set up with the table saw.

The table saw is not that powerful nor is the blade that sharp so I rested the saw for a minute or so after cutting through a length of about 36". I left the saw running as the rotating motor pulls air through the motor with a fan but I pulled the wood back a little to prevent the blade from burning the wood from friction. As you can see the wood the other side of the saw is neatly cut in half.

The rubbing strake cut away around the chain plated. I'll tidy this up when the chain plates have beed removed.

And likewise on the other side.

This also arrived today for installation in Naiad, a Carbon Monoxide alarm. It is very loud!