The Birth of a 'Centennial Spray' in New Zealand!

The rudder has been fitted into place, together with the cast aluminium bronze rudder shoe. The shoe was fixed to the deadwood using 3/4" copper bolts (rivetted over), bronze screws and epoxy.

The saloon seat backs are in the process of being glued into place. Note the large holes cut into the backs. These are to facilitate ventilation, and to enable electrical cabling to be run through the cavity in the seat backs. The silky oak corner post has been wrapped in plywood to protect its corners during construction. Note the starboard pilot berth behind the saloon, and the freezer under the aft end of the berth (centre right of the photo).

All of the seat backs have been glued into place. The ventilation holes in the backs have been taped to keep dust out of the seat back cavities. The small square opening in the face of one of the seats is for a cabin heater vent.

The galley has been largely framed up, and much of the plumbing has been finalised under the sinks (the forward bench). The face mounted waste pump and diverter valves have been removed to allow for painting. The refrigerator is under the bench to aft of the stove tray (outboard of the three pivoting drawers). The end of the aft bench has been given a curved face to provide greater access through to the aft cabin down the port side. For this reason, pivoting drawers were the best use of under bench space.

Much of the navigatorium has been completed, including the instrument cut-outs. The chart table has been constructed, but will only be fitted after final painting. The three drawers under the chart table have yet to be painted.

The chart table has been built with solid Silky Oak sides and trim, with laminated Kauri top.

The oval leg for the saloon table has been constructed from wide boards of Tawa (a New Zealand timber) and narrow boards of Silky Oak. This will match the final timber overlay that will be applied to the cabin sole (in contrast to the more traditional Teak and Holly sole). The arms are solid Kauri, and the foot is solid Silky Oak. The saloon table will be a feature piece crafted by a local "timber artist", with a background of Kauri and an intricate inlay using a variety of figured timbers.

The sampson posts on the bow have been glassed with 600 gm/sqm cloth to prevent deterioration and enhance durability. Robust aluminium bronze caps have been cast from our patterns, and fitted to the tops of the posts to protect the end grain. The posts have been wasted on their corners, above where the bowsprit will be placed, to give a fair surface for lines.