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CREW 2002

REFIT 2002

CREW 2003

REFIT 2003

60th BIRTHDAY

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THE REFIT 2003

During the 2003 season, a great deal was accomplished on Dolphin: sandblasting and epoxy coating the keel, rudder, shoe and porthole plates; fabricating and installing 33 new frames, floors, knees and several sections of longitudinal stringers; spiling and installing 40 or so new hull planks along with a few thousand fastenings, a number of butt blocks and caulking a few thousand feet of seams.

Shipfitter Jim McKinnon heating the frozen bolts holding the winches onto the masts to remove them
	Robert paying a twist of oakum caulking into a seam
Julio cutting bung plugs out of planking scraps for plugging hull fastenings
	Albert hammers bung plugs into the fastening holes
Jim Welding and reinforcing the rudder gudgeon shoe after sandblasting
	Julio grinding the welds on the rudder shoe prior to painting
The Keel freshly painted with epoxy after sandblasting
	After sandblasting and epoxy coating, the rudder was removed for repairs and removal of the prop and shaft.
Jim welding the seam of a newly fabricated frame
	Damian grinding the welds on a newly fabricated frame to prepare it for epoxy coating
Three freshly painted frames ready to install
	Freshly painted frames, knees, floors and plates ready to install
Julio lifting the new frames into the boat for installation
	Shipwright Drew Maples taking the lines off an existing plank in preparation to begin spiling new planks
Close-up of a section of the bow stem on the port side with a few planks removed. This section of the oak stem is in good shape after 60 years, just needing the old fastening holes plugged, painting with red lead and new planks fastened in new holes. The stem was repaired in other places as needed.
	The planks arrive. 2500 board feet of 12/4 live edge Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine is delivered for planking material
Drew and Julio help the truck driver to stack the planks by the boat
	Drew making out a plank
The first new plank (13 on the port side mid-ship) is clamped into place for fastening. The keel, keel rabbet and bottom planks 1-12 are good, strong and solid after 60 years with no signs of rot or worm damage. Replanking is mostly being done from the turn of the bilge just below the waterline to the shear.
	Port side, forward, showing new planks below, gaps where old planks have been removed and old planks above which will be removed for replacement in sequence.
Shipwright Kieran Day makes out a new plank
	Nate, Mark and Kieran bending and clamping a new plank into place for fastening
Sequoia, Mark and Nate lifting a new plank into place
	Mark caulking the seam of a new plank while Nate makes spiling marks on the spiling batten
View of the port side bow planking in progress.
	Port side planking in progress ahowing the new white painted frames which have been fabricated and installed
Port side bow planking almost complete, just five more strakes to go to the shear. The dark planks are old Iroko planks, still in good shape after 60 years, which were removed from the boat and then reused in new places
	Albert power planing the new planks on the starboard side to fair the hull
The belly of the beast
	Mark caulking on the starboard side
Close-up of the stem and hood ends on the starboard side. The stem was repaired here and all of the steel frames, floors, deck beams and longitudinals in the bow have been replaced.
	Bow section interior showing all of the new steel frames, floors and planks installed with new butt blocks prior to painting
New longitudinal stringer installed on the port side prior to painting
	Interior looking forward showing new work after first coat of primer
The chain locker in the bow showing all of the new frames, floors, plates and planks which have been installed.
	Bow Stem detail showing stem repairs and new steel frames in the forward most section of the chain locker.
Port side showing new frames, planks and the new longitudinal stringer which has been tacked in place but not yet painted.
	Starboard side showing new frames, planks and the new longitudinal stringer which has been tacked in place but not yet painted.
New and repaired frames on the port side with new planks and butt blocks installed prior to final painting.	)
	New port side hull frames and knees which have been installed and painted ready for planking above the waterline.
Starboard side forward in the chain locker showing the new floors at the bottom and new frame sections and planks which have been painted white. The gray frames are original which have been retained and will be epoxy coated.
	Starboard side mid-ship main cabin/galley area showing new frames which have been fabricated, installed, painted and are ready for new planks from the waterline up to the sheer.
Almost sunset after a long day of work, Dolphin looks like a giant sea monster or shark hungry to feel the waves in her teeth.