A dark day....................

I stripped back some paint on the top-sides and to my utter dismay the dreaded rot has reared it's ugly head again. I can't dscribe how gutted I felt. Nothing else for it but to get to the bottom of the problem........literally. All the new cabin structure has to come off. A proper inspection of the hull has shown extensive rot to a complete hull panel on the Port side. A small patch forward of the chain-plates and some small areas close to the deck on the Starboard side.

I've decided to renew all of the decks while I'm at it. I've removed the bridge-deck and the rear bulkhead as they just won't be acceptable now.

***NOTE: IN A WAY THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED HERE WERE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. ONCE I'D REMOVED EVERYTHING I REALISED I'D BEEN CUTTING CORNERS AND HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRCTION ALTOGETHER. IT'S IMPORTANT WITH A PROJECT LIKE THIS TO YAKE PROPER STOCK OF THE SITUATION AND NOT RUSH IN. THEREFORE FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS, THINGS TAKE ON A MORE LOGICAL AND PROFESSIONAL PATH. HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING MY JOURNEY! Jim. ***