Mizzen mast compression post

Today I completed the new mizzen mast compression post. The original had a complicated arrangement to allow you to walk from one side of the cabin to the other underneath the mizzen. This was necessary because the original layout had one huge aft cabin. In my opinion the cabin was too big for ocean passages. Too much room to be thrown about in.
I have opted for two aft cabins and decided to redo the compression post with a single steel tube (75mm outside) extending down to a heavy plate in the bilge which takes the mast loads out to two main ribs.

The new cockpit well

This is probably the last job that will see Kaipuke weather proof. The original well was a real dog's breakfast. The steel sides were just butt welded to the deck. This left a sharp edge and was ugly as well as having great humps and hollows in the deck surrounding the cockpit well. Also, the original had not been completed in that there were no cockpit drains. So after the project had been abandoned the well filled up with water and rusted right through the bottom.


I have completed the framing of the well using a 30mm steel tube for the upper edge. This gives me a nice rounded edge which will be comfortable on the back of your legs if you are sat on the edge of the well. It also looks great and has given me a very straight edge to work to, to take the humps and hollows out of the surrounding deck.

I then framed up the rest of the well with 40mm angle iron ready for plating. I have still got the plating to do, and the drains to put in place. Once all is done I'll post a couple of photos.

All that grinding

The grinding of the old deck welds and fittings wasn't really as bad as I thought. I've ground back all the old welds, cut old fillers and vents out, and got a coat of primer on everything. I got it all down in 3 days.
I still have the gunwale to trim in readiness for it's stainless steel capping. And I have also designed a cradle/scaffold arrangement (yet to be built) to hang off the gunwale to make it easier to do some of this new work.