Frustration Ahead !

Oh dear.. For the first time in this build, my enthusiasm started to wane...

The masts, the shrouds and the booms... :(

Cutting the mast to length is straight forward, the main mast is actually the correct length.

Then comes drilling a multitude of holes.. These really to take some fathoming out from the plans.. some are drilled on one side only, others through both, some from the front.. various offsets too..

I checked, rechecked, checked again.. and still I managed to drill one extra in the wrong place !
This is NOT a job to do if you feel a little under the weather..trust me !

The Shrouds.. are so simple.. but the threading of them thro the lower left hole, up the centre of the mast, then through a brass sleeve , back thro the mast and exit the upper hole on the right hand side...



Sounds easy ?? Dont you believe it !! It has taken me nigh on 3 hours to thread 4 bloomin shrouds !! its the exit thats the problem.

I tried all sorts, pre- threading fishing line, thread, etc thro the upper hole, superglued it to the shroud,,, gently pull back,, nope,, comes off everytime.

In the end I resorted to slightly enlarging the oval hole, and patiently threading the shroud till I could see it over the hole,, then from the opposite side "poked" it with a thin piece of wire.. eventually you will get them,, But incredibly frustrating !!

I had some difficulty, understanding some of the fittings drawings for the mast, I couldn't quite suss the bends of some of the S rings..

I had to ask my good friend Taylor Sparks, http://www.sparksstudios.com/boatyard/atlantis.htm and he kindly took some close up photos of his Robbe Atlantis. Here are the pics, to assist anyone else with this part of the build. :)