| Alma Doepel Newsletter – February 2021 |
| We hope all our supporters are staying safe and well during these challenging times. The Covid restrictions have slowed down progress on the restoration, but we have come through it and full steam ahead! Here is our progress report. |
| Restoration News |
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| Alma with all but 1 plank in place. Caulking 90% complete with caulk sealing now underway |
| Work on completing the hull has progressed slowly during the Covid lockdowns and restrictions. There was a time when donation funds literally dried up through hardship and uncertainty – when along came a small number of saviours who could see the value of the project and were in a position to help out financially. I am delighted to be able to report the planking stage has been completed. A total of 350 planks have been used. The final plank (known as the “whisky plank”) is about to be ceremoniously put in place as I write. As this is a traditional occasion for shipwright celebration the event requires as many of those involved as possible to be in attendance to witness the final nail! |
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| All the while the caulking phase has been underway – calculated at approximately 3 kms of caulk to seal the hull. Volunteers have been trained to assist with the sealing of the caulk to give an effective watertight finish. There is probably another month of work left to do to complete the remaining 10% of the caulking. |
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| The caulk sealant is applied with this Bosch sealant gun generously donated by Bosch who have donated many power tools to the project over the past few years. Thank you Bosch |
| Other work that has been in progress – the ship’s rudder is ready to be put in place. The stock has been faithfully re-created from grey gum and the old blade, still in good order, has been reassembled with lead sheathing to protect the stock from attack by marine borers. |
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| The new engines have been delivered and the gearboxes are on their way from Germany. The bow thruster tunnels are in place with just the flanges to be welded in place. The propellors have now been made and delivered to be fitted to the new shafts – we are in a good place! The engine beds are being laid down as I write. The existing bolts are being refurbished and will be installed to hold the beds in place ready for the engines to be installed once Alma is back in the water. |
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| The engines, under wraps, sit in the shed for the day when they will be fitted to AlmaThe bow thruster tunnel under construction. This is now complete |
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| A shipwright skillfully drilling a hole through an engine bed, frame and plank to secure the engine bedsThe bronze engine bolts used to secure the engine beds, undergoing final refurbishment |
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| Water lines have been marked on the hull. These have been calculated using old images and regulatory approved formulas. |
| Notwithstanding funding, COVID-19 has presented the project it’s challenges. Unrelated, but presenting challenges, remedial work is underway at North Wharf to repair piles making access to the site difficult. This work is expected to take several months and during this time North Wharf has been closed to the public. Development Victoria and the Alma team have developed a safe working plan that enables the Alma project to continue throughout the remediation works. Plans are underway for the Alma’s hull to be refloated around April/May. The exact date will be advised as soon as possible. It is important to distinguish the “Return to Water” of the hull and the completion of the project. The hull needs to be refloated as quickly as possible to prevent drying out of the timbers and new caulking. The next phases of the restoration involving completion of the deck, rig, engineering and accommodation will then commence. The estimated cost to do this is $1.5m and is expected to take 2 years. This final refit is an expensive and complex task as it requires the ship to be compliant with strict maritime regulations and still retain as much as possible the historic character of the original vessel built in 1903. The refit requires:Repairs to the deck beamsRefitting the masts, booms, gaffs and yards. 16 of the 17 spars are fully restored or rebuilt Rigging and fitting of sails Plumbing and electrical installations Fit-out of bunk rooms, wheelhouse, mess rooms, navigation cabin and engine room |
I have posted a section of the Alma Doepel Newsletter to inform as many people as possible of the great progress being made in the resoration of the Alma Doepel.
CORRECTION OF INFORMATION There is one starboard plank is still being shaped to size ready and fitted. This last plank will be fitted in the near future and photos will be posted to show when this has happened. There is still much work to be done on the outside of the hull eg fairing and caulking that has recommenced since the Christmas break.
The photo above shows the space that the plank is to be fitted into. The photo below is the plank in the shed ready for the shipwrights to work on.
Before the shipwrights and volunteers left for a break over the Christmas – New year period, all unpainted timber was given a coat of primer. This protects the timber from the elements that can either excessively dry from the heat or swell the timber from being wet.
The engine mounts are being modified and reinstalled in the engine room. The specifications of the two new engines are known and the mounts can be changed appropriately. Port and starboard mounts are being simultaneously modified and attached. The photos are looking towards the stern.
A beautifully built 12ft wooden clinker dinghy is listed on an ebay auction with the proceeds being donated to further the restoration of the Alma Doepel. The dinghy is situated in Fairfeild, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. If you or someone you know is interested in wooden dinghies have a look at this link. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/293889700309?ul_noapp=true
The centre section of the bow thruster has been bolted into place. The bow thruster is now ready for the drive unit to be fitted in the centre section.
As previously noted the bow thruster tunnel had been delivered to Shed 2. It has now been installed into the hull of the Alma Doepel. The bow thruster mechanical components will be installed at an appropriate time in the fitting out of the ship.
Two port and two starboard mooring posts have been refurbished and refitted.
Custom brackets have been fabricated to securely attach the mooring posts to the frames
In an effort to minimise any future teredo worm infestation the rudder post has been sheaved in lead. The timber was coated in a mastic sealant and the lead sheeting covered this and was attached with copper nails. Copper and lead resist corrosion and will provide a barrier to infestation in the small space between the rudder and rudder post.
The thruster tunnel has been fabricated and has arrived at Shed 2 ready to be installed. This is the tunnel that the bow thruster unit will be housed in.
