PLANKING OF THE HULL being finished, work can begin on building up the inside structures of the boat. First the way is cleared by stripping out the temporary building frames. They will be replaced by the four marine plywood bulkheads which, as well as dividing off the different compartments, will give the boat much of her athwartships strength.

At the same time strengthening members and pads are built up where exceptional weight is to be carried, or where the hull will have to be breached.

There are, for instance, the engine bearers, and the view in Fig. 2 can perhaps be usefully compared with the section in Fig. 1. Each of the twin engines, weighing about 1,300 Ib, will be carried on a pair of 3" solid mahogany bearers capped with 3" X 3" angle galvanised steel; the load will thus be spread fore and aft over all the engine room timbers.

Watertight floors will be built between and either side of the two engine beds to give a double bottom, and fuel tanks will be fitted in the wing compartments.

Fig. 3 shows the porthand solid mahogany stern tube chock in place and, on the opposite side of the keelson, the preparatory work in progress for the fitting of the starboardhand chock; the recesses required in the timbers are being chiselled out. Holes bored through these chocks will take the stern tube for the propeller shafts (once again, see Fig. 1). Further aft, padding is being built up over the tunnels to give extra strength in way of the propeller freeing scuppers; mahogany chocks are fitted, barrel fashion, between the timbers and then the whole area is covered with two thicknesses of 6 mm ply, all glued into a solid laminate through which the openings can safely be cut. Similar pads will be built up to take the relieving trunks in the wheelhouse.

Before the floors go on, the bilge keels will be bolted on to the bottom of the boat, Also, all such fittings as drain plugs and ventilation pipes, which will.