A week Ago

This was how I left the Arctic Tern a week ago before heading south to see old friends, two weeks into the build. The photo was posed so as to impress our owner with the extreme accuracy of our methods, hence the spirit level. Since then the moulds have been braced to the ceiling and levelled to within a millimetre using a laser.

While I was away my partner Mattis was keen to put on the fourth strake on his own, without my, er, help. He emailed me to say that he had beaten his record: two strakes in two days, which is pretty good, especially as I could find no fault with either the fitting or the shape.

More photos after the weekend when there should be five of the seven strakes up. Then we'll have to see if there is enough larch for the sheer strake, or whether we will use a nice piece of Scots pine, which should look superb in contrast to the darker timber.

For the record the planking is 11mm and the copper nails, 12 gauge, have been set 4in apart, the lands being 3/4in. Note the mix of metric and imperial. The apron will be married to the separate stem once planking is complete. Framing will be traditional Shetland style, with no steamed timbers for a change.

While we build the hull, Collars are making the spars and Steve Hall at North Sea Sails will stitch the canvas. Launch date is set for the end of April.