Since we installed the new bowsprit last summer, we haven’t had a pulpit platform on the boat. Or a windlass. Or chain. Or even an anchor.
The old teak platform was worn down from years of weather and sanding, and the tips of the screws holding it together were starting to poke through. Not good when standing barefoot. Also, with the windlass now mounted on the sprit the old anchor rollers no longer lead fair to the chain gypsy.
Once again it was off to MacBeath’s where Jeni and I found a couple of planks that would work nicely for our next project. The boards were routed, splined, and edge-glued with thickened epoxy to create a slab of teak roughly 20” wide by 45” long, then I used the old grated platform as a pattern to cut out the basic shape. I cut the holes for the chain rollers after measuring and templating the shank on our new 55lb Rocna Vulcan, and routed some slots up front to make the new platform less of a “canoe paddle” when waves break over the bow.
Of course with this new anchor hanging below the sprit now, I needed to add some metal to protect the wood from getting beat all to hell. Paper patterns, some 16 gauge stainless sheet, a handful screws, a lot of sparks, and presto: bowsprit bang plates. Before we could put any ground tackle back on the boat we first had to cut a hole in the deck for the chain to fall through. The stainless deck pipe with hinged lid came from Bosun Supplies. A little on the expensive side but very well made, and the lid can never get lost.
So yet another item checked off the to-do list. It’s starting to feel like we’re making some progress this season.