It has been bitterly cold since Naiad was leak tested last Tuesday, so I've not done any physical work on the boat since then. Today, however, it is already 9 Celsius outside and the forecast for the next week is more of the same possibly as high as 12 Celsius and no sub-zero nights at all. Time to crack on.

The emphasis for the next month is the finishing of the exterior and before that can begin I have to complete the tabernacle mounting pad, add the mounting pad for the through deck fitting of the flue and mount the gammon iron. The first two are critical since these will hold up the epoxy coating of the superstructure. The gammon iron is not so much of a problem but it still needs to be done.

Also, the cockpit seats need to be varnished. It would be a little like painting oneself into a corner to varnish the entire cockpit at the same time, getting in and out of the boat would be problematic. Varnishing the seats first will allow me to use the bridge deck as a step to get in and out of the cockpit. When the seats are put back in to the boat, the bridge deck can be varnished and the seats used as a step.

The mounting pad for the tabernacle received a second dollop of epoxy thickened with high-density filler. With the outside temperature as high as it is and the heater lit on the inside of the boat, the coachroof is warm to the touch, I expect the epoxy to cure fairly quickly, hopefully by tomorrow.

Two of the rounds cut out of the cabin sides for the portholes are being glued together to form the mounting pad for the through-deck fitting. It will need to be made a little smaller in diameter and cut into a wedge but that should not be too complex, not with a sharp new bandsaw blade.

The two cockpit seats and the table top in the container being varnished. The table top now has about five coats of varnish so this may be the last one. The seats will probably also receive five coats this coming week if the temperature holds up.

Lunchtime!