Stornoway Rowing Club

Following extended winter maintenance and some fairly major repair work to replace the stern post, glad to report our Stornoway Rowing Club St Ayles Skiff 'Madadh Ruadh' is ready to take to the water again... now just waiting for the rain to stop and hopefully some sunshine.

During our skiff workshop today we made up the stern support cage, just two strips of metal so we can build back and keep the same curve and have a frame to work to. Thanks to George for welding parts together.

Removed yet more damp rotten wood. We hope to start rebuilding the stern post at our next workshop.

The Bow rowing pin / post has been replace and refitted and additional work to the rudder for the Gudgons.

We have 4 wood strip clamped to the bow (thanks to George for this idea) to try and pre-form them to shape ready for laminating. If you have a steam wall paper remover please bring it along so we can steam the wood strips to shape.

Soon it will be time to start painting so if you have any usable undercoat paint please bring it along, the following week we could add top coats of paint, will be looking for gloss red, white, black and cream paints similar to existing colours.

Cheers Gerald.

Another good Skiff Workshop... continuing with the rudder adaptation to take the new Pintles and Gudgons, Craig helping to remove more damp rotted wood from the stern post and Annabelle re-fitting the oar posts and repairing the cox seat... Hopefully we can start to rebuild the stern post, looking at March 14th to start this as by then should have some fresh West epoxy, picking it up from Caley marine when we are over next. We have a much bigger hole in the boat but will be better for it as no point leaving rotten wood.

More work on our St Ayles Skiff Skiff 'Madadh Ruadh' today. Work continuing on the stern post which is quite rotten, and the rot has extended into then plank ends. One of those jobs that has to be done but quite a nightmare... Non of us are wood workers or boat builders, and were not involved with the original build... But hopefully we can patch up the holes and make the post strong enough. Have also started on the rudder to fit the new Pintles and Gudgons, this may take a while... The bow also needs some work but that will have to wait, it is not as bad and may well have to hang on for the next season. At least we had nice tea & biscuits to keep us going...