It’s been rather a long time since we last posted a build update, but the workshop elves have been toiling away and making rapid progress with the planking which is now complete. Anyone visiting the build shed will be left in no doubt as to what we’re building – rather than a build frame and a pile of wood, Black Rocks is now most definitely in possession of the hull of a boat!
The last plank is sometimes called the ‘whisky plank’ in reference to the tradition of drinking a celebratory dram when it’s installed. And as evidenced by the accompanying picture – who are we to fly against centuries of tradition?!
The final steps required to complete the exterior of the hull involve fitting the outer stems (currently in the process of being whittled to shape) and the keel – after which we’ll be able to apply a coat of protective primer before turning the boat over to begin work on the insides.
We owe a significant debt of gratitude to Jim Day – a local boatbuilder who has been a great friend to the club and has been instrumental in guiding our build over the past few months. The increase in the pace of the build has largely been down to his ministrations!
In other news, we held our Annual General Meeting at Burntisland Sailing Club on Saturday 3rd December – the first AGM we’ve held in-person since 2019. There were no big surprises, and the draft minutes will be uploaded to the website in due course. We’re planning on holding some more social events in the new year; in the meantime, anyone is welcome to reach out to the build team and see how we’re getting on in the workshop!
Article written by Finlay Robertson
