The weather has turned cold and is forecast to stay that way for the foreseeable, but luckily, I've just managed to complete the decking and get it all sealed up. It can stay that way now until the spring, when I'll glass anything that isn't yet.

So, attention has turned to the interior, and particularly, to getting some basic electrics in. To this end, I've made a start on the electrical equipment bay - basically an area where the battery, charger and isolator/selector switch will be mounted. I purchased a very nice hard plastic battery box and am mounting it on a substantial ply board that will floor the bay under the starboard quarterberth. I've also picked up some conduit and mains cable, so hopefully, initial installation will begin soon.

As the title might suggest, I've finally got the last deck board in position and have given it all a coat of epoxy sealer. I'm now turning my attention to the interior as we plug through the cold months of the year. I've built the chart table, although there's some finishing still to do, and hope to get on with some initial electrical installation next.

Here's the latest vid :-)

I considered simply using a jigsaw to cut the holes for the portholes in the cabin sides, but, given the thickness of the board, it seemed pretty likely that perfect roundness would be difficult to achieve with that method. I'd seen Alex (Tinkerlog - YouTube channel) using a table-mounted router to cut circular pieces of ply, so I decided this might be the best way to go. I built a simple jig, tested it out on a piece of scrap and then let loose on the hull. Now we have 6 holes in the cabin sides.

I've also started building the chart table. I took a lot of measurements to get a useable size for the table top - not too big, so it takes up half the boat, but also not too small, so it is actually possible to work on a chart on the table top. I settled on a size of about 80 cm by 55 cm, with enough storage below to hold a decent number of charts and guide books, etc. I also dug out some old teak boards that I've had in storage since the Miss Molly days and am using them, as far as possible, in this table build. The end result should be basically an updated and improved version of Miss Molly's chart table, also taking inspiration from ideas Scott had for the table I built in Vela. Looking good :-)

I think bulwarks is probably the more correct term for what I've elsewhere described as the combings, so I'm going with that now. This week, Elizabeth and I completed the cabin sides that extend, by their very nature, into the fore and aft bulwarks. This has made a significant change to the appearance of the boat - she's taking on the familiar Benford dory look now :-)

I'm pushing to get her closed in before the cold weather sets in. It's been a mild winter so far, but it'll most probably get cold at some point. Hopefully, I can then work inside the boat with a little heater running. Anyhow, here's the latest episode...