Easter Sunday started calm, sunny and clear although chilly first thing. I have to admit that I waiting until the temperature began to rise before going out the the workshop and getting started on the day's tasks.

Today's first task is to clear the workshop by moving Naiad out. To do that I needed to complete the trailer by installing the second cross bar. As you can see by the fact that the cross bar is still lying on the floor of the worksop, I was not able to do this because the bar is about 3mm or 1/8th inch too wide to fit and I'll need to take some time to sort this out. Time I don't have right now so I had to improvise.

The temporary fix was to cut two lengths of hardwood the correct size and put those in pace of the crossbar. Here you can see the wooden filler securely bolted into the space in which the metal crossbar should be.

The other wooden filler piece was bolted into the other side. This fix will only need to survive the trips down to West Mersea and back again and then the return journey will be unloaded so the only stress this will have in the trip down. It will be a slow and careful journey I can assure you.

Having done that, Naiad was carefully wheeled out. I made a few adjustments to the trailer after which I noticed that the wind started to get up and with the forecast for tomorrow being wet and windy I cleared a space in the hay barn before Naiad was wheeled into the shelter.

I only have a few things to on Naiad and these can be done in the hay barn.

The spars were move to the workshop where they will be dressed before putting the onto the boat ready for travel. It will be much easier to work on them in the workshop than in the hay barn. They did need to be washed a bit since the birds outside have been sitting on them and they were not covered exactly but had a number of droppings that needed to be removed. Thank goodness we don't have seagulls round here. Their droppings are corrosive!

To finish the day I inspected the spars dried them where necessary, rubbed down the areas of the varnish that are damaged and applied a new coat of varnish to these areas.

Time for a cup of tea.