Oftentimes, things work out all right … better than feared.

Perhaps the anticipation of difficulty, and the fear of making a mistake – or of failure – has a part to play. I suspect that the subconscious mind prepares and plans our next steps, charting a way to succeed.

Then there are conscious thoughts in a sleepless night too!

I left you last time, contemplating the keel rabbet with some trepidation, and its end at the transom in particular. I wasn’t even daring to start thinking about the stem! The angle of the bevel changes along the length of the boat, but this is especially so at the two ends, and more so at the stem!

I decided to tackle the port side first. At each of the moulds, I beveled the hog, such that a plank would lie against the mould. Using a shoulder plane and a scraper with a square blade (enabling me to keep the inner angle of the rabbet at 90 degrees), I worked between the moulds, then headed to the transom.

Here is the finished rabbet at the transom on the port side, with the hog beveled and tapered in a smooth (fair) curve to meet the transom.

With the keel rabbet almost completed, the time finally came to tackle its transition into the stem. The keel rabbet must run smoothly from the keel up and into the previously cut stem rabbet. In doing so, the hog is blended three dimensionally. The width is reduced to fit the 1st mould; the thickness is reduced progressively to blend with the curve of the stem rabbet; and the bevel is adjusted so that the plank can twist from about 80 degrees at the 2nd mould to nearer 30 degrees at the 1st mould and into the stem – it’s a nerve-racking process, so I took it very slowly, gradually, and carefully.

in order for the garboard plank to lie against the first mould, the width of the hog has to be reduced, again with a smooth curve, down to nothing at its forward end,

So, the port side rabbet is completed, subject to any minor adjustments needed when the garboard plank is being fitted. With one down, and one to go, I can turn to the starboard side now – more confident in having done one side already!

Sylvia and I have just had our second trip to Lyme Regis in the space of a few weeks. The first to split a week in a nearby cabin with our great friends, Mandy and Craig; and this time to spend a few days in the town itself, so that we could attend the biannual launch ceremony at the Boat Building Academy today.

We have had a very enjoyable few days, and today’s event was the icing on the cake.

Due to the blustery conditions, proceedings started in the boathouse, which gave an opportunity to look at the three boats to be launched and chat with others present. Visitors included students’ families, past graduates, the Mayor and Mayoress, and the local sea shanty singers – the Lyme Bay Moonrakers.

The 14′ Paul Gartside-designed traditional clinker outboard launch is very roomy and sturdy, and very nicely finished:

The 18′ strip planked dinghy, ‘Zinnia’ may not be completely finished, but she was definitely ready for a dip. Her hull is SUPER smooth.

How’s that for a bowsprit?!

The third craft, possibly my favourite, is the 15′ 6” glued clinker Westray Skiff. The design for this double ender with its pronounced flare midships comes from the islands of Westray and Papa Westray in the north of the Orkney Isles.

After a couple of sea shanties and a couple of short speeches, the boats headed out to the nearby harbour slipway.

In the harbour, there was a very stiff breeze. Spray was being flung over the Cobb’s wall by the incoming waves:

For the students and their families, this was clearly a fantastic celebration of their course, their learning and the quality of their work. I am sure the instructors and staff get a huge sense of fulfilment too, seeing finished boats being launched twice a year.

I think we might well go again!!