Re-fitting the Finesse 24 centreplate

Just after re-commissioning 'Enfys' I booked a lift-out at East Llanion Marine on The Haven and the day before we were due to take the boat up I delivered the de-rusted and painted centreplate by road to the yard.
On the beach at Angle I had laboured long and hard to extract the ends of the severed bolt - it was a heck of a job! I actually had to drill and chisel the nut off before driving the bolt out with a drift. A new bolt, nut and washers had been obtained and such is the nature of these things, on a certain online auction site, I ended up buying them from three different sellers! The bolt on our F24 is an M24 and is 180mm long.

Job done - waiting to re-launch

We delivered 'Enfys' to the yard on a morning tide she was lifted and positioning the plate she was lowered onto it and onto temporary blocks. The 'plate was jacked up into place and the new bolt inserted. I used a trick that I do on mooring shackles and that is to wrap several turns of PTFE tape round the threads in the hope that the nut will delay rusting on! The recess was filled with some Sikaflex and the 'plate was jacked up again and the winch wire reconnected. Job done I had to wait for the evening tide for the yard to pop her back in the water.

Positioning the centreplate under the keel.

Mooring at Saundersfoot

After a few years on the waiting list Enfys' name finally came up for a permanent 24' mooring in Saundersfoot harbour. After a short season on the Milford Haven Waterway we eventually got a chance when the weather was OK and we were not working and had some holiday time to make the passage round. Saundersfoot always dries and on the row where our allocated mooring is we have water for about two hours either side of HW so our trips are going to be even more dependent on the tides than at Angle. A different local cruising ground for us to explore now...

Spot the only wooden yacht amongst all the plastic!

Battery Stowage Improvement 2

To make enough room to fit the new boxes I removed the original battery trays and mounted them direct to the supports attached to the boat's framing. The boxes are firmly clamped by broad stainless steel straps bolted through the bulkhead. The lids are a snug fit and have pegs arranged to keep them wedged in place.
These have done a season now and gone is the 'thud' of the batteries sliding around when the boat tacks!

Original battery tray removed

Port battery - engine starting

Starboard battery - boat's 'house' services

Battery stowage improvement 1

Enfys has two batteries both of about 100Ah stowed low-down just abaft the cabin bulkhead in the engine space, one port and one starboard.  They are connected via a BEP cluster switch and arranged so the port one is for engine starting and the starboard for 'house' service. As built she has a tray in which each battery sits held in place by a loose stainless steel strap and a basic plywood drip shield to protect them. Like this did not feel that they were well enough secured or protected - the Finesse does not have a self-draining cockpit.

Starboard battery in original stowage arrangement

I made two boxes out of 9mm marine plywood sheathed in glass mat and resin to make them stiff and watertight. With lids and cut-aways for the leads, the batteries are held down by webbing straps and the whole box can be lifted in and out with battery in situ.

Battery box under construction