The task for today, or one of them was to fit the tabernacle in place. I put butyl tape on the underside and put it it to [place. Then I used the substitute mast I made yesterday to check the fore hatch clearance, if any.

As you can see, it just clears the hatch.

The other edge of the mast also just clears the hatch.

So I stood back and was mentally patting myself on the back when I noticed this. The tabernacle is not vertical. The backing pad I put on the coachroof is sloped forwards. Now the solution is simple. Add another packing pad with a slope on it that counteracts the existing one.

But...

The slope is 4.5 degrees and there is no way that I can accurately plane or sand that into a block of wood.

So I took my remaining mahogany and planed it both sides.

Then I cut two pieces 220mm long from this board and from those two pieces I cut nine sloped pieces.

That slope there is about 4.5 degrees cut on the mitre saw which conveniently has a protractor on it so that you can make angled cuts. You notice that the thin end is not a feather edge. I decided that since I was putting a pad on anyway, I'd raise the tabernacle a bit as well and make certain that the mast clears the hatch.

This is how the pad will fit.

But first the nine pieces have to be glued together to make on piece. Then it will need to be sanded as the cutting wasn't quite accurate, and the bolt holes drilled. Finally this and the tabernacle will be mounted again. I won't glue this pad down as I make need to make another one once Naiad is in the water since what I think is vertical now, might not be once she is floating.

After that I tidied up the new front end of the centreboard case box and put the fairlead in position.

The outside of the hole was rounded.

And the piece was screwed into place. The fairlead needs to be this was round with this new end so that the steel insert touches the rope when the plate is raised or lowered.

And the flat top still fits!

Now I can continue on with was I was intending to do when the issue of the plate fitting in through the cabin arose.

But not today.