Handrails, cockpit grate, lee cloths bow roller, etc.

Work continues on Maiwar. Every time I think I’m just about finished, another improvement or modification presents itself. When this happens it’s impossible to ignore, and it’s all for the better. Maiwar is becoming a safer, more livable vessel each and every day.

Here I’ll run through a few improvements that I have made.

Handrails:

The other day the plumber came round to fix a tap. He’s another local who’s boat obsessed. Having sailed and owned many different racing dinghies and trailer sailors. I was showing him over Maiwar, he was full of praise but insisted that I install a handrail on the cabin. I argued that it wouldn’t look very appealing and I can rig a jackline for the same purpose. I glad he convinced me otherwise. I laminated up a teak handrail then bolted it to the cabin top and painted it the same colour as the decks. Even with minimal use I’m discovering how handy this new addition is. So much so that I added one to the aft deck as well.

Lee cloths:

Every serious offshore boat needs lee cloths to keep the crew from rolling around out of their bunks. Maiwar is no different. As simple as it looks, I got the cover-man to make up a piece of canvas with some webbing sewn to the bottom. The webbing ties to ribs behind the mattress, and each corner is held up to the cabintop and deckhead with lines. A simple arrangement that will stop me rolling around, and separate me from the items I store on the bunk.

Cockpit grate:

This was a fun little project, a cockpit grate on any boat ads a touch of style and practicality that is universally admired. I made my little cockpit grate out of Queensland Oregon. It’s construction is tradition, conventional, time consuming and rewarding. Other than aesthetics, it helps with grip and keeps one’s feet out of an often wet and grubby cockpit floor. It also becomes a great trap for anything that one may drop in the cockpit. Beer tops, screws, coins etc, all become lost under the fine latticework.

Bow roller:

I’m really not sure how often I will be using a sea anchor. But one this I do know is that when I need it, I’ll be very glad to have it. The other day I set out to figure how I will deploy and retrieve the sea anchor from the cockpit. This will be a relatively simple affair. However, the bow was devoid of anywhere for the rode to pass through. The fairleads were too small for the 14mm diameter rope, and would also lead to chafe. With a hint of sadness I cut down into the lovely stem head, two passes with the circular saw, then a chisel in the bottom to clear the waste, and I had a neat aperture to house a sheave. I then bought a stainless bail. This is used to keep the sea anchor line from jumping out of the sheave. The whole assembly was then bolted through the stem. Another improvement completed. Hurrah!