C17 open in France - launched

[OlivierP]

Well, I though I had carefully measured, but I had measured the first frame and had not realized that the following were slightly lower, so I had to shave a couple of centimeters off the windscreen frames... no big deal.

Deck (including all lockers, a pain in the neck...) fully primed now.

[OlivierP]

Well, we've been hit by storm after storm on the west coast of France lately, with winds gusting to 150km/h, so it has been impossible to progress with painting as the boat is outside under a car port. Finally a calm day today and I managed to put top coat on the deck, but I think that's it for this year.

I'll resume the project next spring with a final top coat, non slip paint on the sole, mounting the motor and deck equipment, and launch.

So let's call it a year.

All the best to all.

[jbo_c]

Looks good.

I hate stopping for the year. I think I have a week or so left, unless we have a warm spell between now and Christmas.

Jbo

[Jeff]

Looks good!! Jeff

[narfi]

Looks good!!

I'll bet you could gain a little space by letting air out of the tires getting out.

[OlivierP]

Yes I could, thanks, but I'm ok now, I just have to lower the support wheel of the trailer at the hook. A tight fit for sure.

[OlivierP]

After a few weeks of drying, I thought that the top coat was good enough, only the transom will need touch ups. So I had a go at installing most of the deck hardware.

[TomTom]

Your boat looks awesome. Love the layout particularly at the bow of the lockers.
My only comment would be that you will get lots of wear on your gunwales/ paintwork from the ropes if you leave those front side cleats as they are; perhaps mount them on a sacrificial piece of wood, or a small piece of stainless plate under them that contours round the side of the gunwale a little.

[OlivierP]

Tom

Thanks for the kind comments, and for the suggestion. You're right, the gunwale paint is somewhat exposed around the cleats and more protection would be useful. I doesn't worry me too much for now because the boat won't rest at the dock but will be launched from the trailer, so the cleats will see very little use, only for a few minutes while boarding / landing. I'm also about to add a rubber rail around the rubrails.

[OlivierP]

Back at work and getting closer to the finish line. The motor will be installed on Wednesday, along with the remaining controls.

In the meantime I have installed the rub rail (not finished yet), the swim ladder, the bilge pump and bilge drain, the pilot seat, the steering and a few other things, and touched up the hull paint where needed. It' too cold to glue the keel guard so that will wait.