Marco Polo Project Gallery

    Here are the latest photos sent to us from Bob Coes, Project Manager taken on June 16th - Project Manager, Bob Coes wants to welcome everyone back for another building season on the Marco Polo Replica! We have been underway since early May. It is now late June. Most of May was spent on start-up such as additional steel beams and other materials needed to secure the hull to the I-beam platform.
    Ocean Steel delivered the two beams required to complete the centre section of the ship's platform. Armand Sonier and Terry Gaudet: Steel Workers Local 842 volunteered their services to install the beams on a Saturday morning, June 16/07. Thanks again to Ocean Steel for this additional donation of I - beams and to Armand and Terry for their fine work in fitting and welding the beams in place. The steel platform for the Marco Polo Replica is now complete!
   Be sure to check back often in the coming months, we hope to have lots to show.

June 16/2007
Just click on the pics for larger view.

I should also mention that the first photo in this session shows the joint of the centre fore and aft beam welded in position to the beams previously installed at both ends of the ship. In the second photo one can see the beam positioned across the platform below the beams on the centre line.Note the brackets welded and bolted to the 2x8 floors (joists) at the top of the photo. More brackets will be welded to the newly installed centre beam shortly.     Bob spent some time shaping the face of the frames on both quarters of the hull in May. Some shaving and planing were necessary to acquire the proper shape of the frames to facilitate the accurate hanging of the planks. The planks must seat securely on the frames before they are fastened. Lining off and the temporary placement of battens help in this process.
The next group of photos show considerable work already completed in the stern area. The first shot in this group includes myself Bob Coes, on the left with Eric Thorne to the right, then Don Bangay and Larry Cosman - all new volunteers. Another new volunteer, not in this photo, Jim Henderson, comes in to help out on Tuesdays.    All of these men bring with them enthusiasm and a desire to help in any way that they can. Specific skills and techniques they learn on the job.     I also want to acknowledge two other volunteers who come in on other days and who have been with me since last year. Ken Sparks and Lou Doyle have contributed countless hours to the building process and are eager to continue volunteering their services again this year.    The second photo in this group shows Larry screwing a plank to a butt block hidden behind. Don is preparing to remove the C - clamp. In the next photo Eric is seen truing up the butt joint where two planks meet on the bend.    In the next photo taken on the port quarter one can see all the planks fastened in the rabbet joint on the horn timber down to the top of the stern post.
The following photo is of the same area showing the planks running forward and meeting up with the planks in the bow section.    Next we have a stern shot showing the planks on both sides of the horn timber and the uniform pattern they present. The following shot taken on the starboard quarter shows Bob standing next to the stern past. This photo gives a good comparison of the size and shape of the overhang in the stern. The sweep of the planks appear to fan out as they turn towards the horn timber.    The last shot in this session shows the port side and the area we are working on at the present time. In the next few weeks we plan to have the last of the steel work completed and the planks down to the steel platform. The main deck beams and planking up to the sheer line will follow. The two deck houses will be built at Simonds High School this fall by students under the direction of Mr Mike Boyle, a long time friend and colleague. Keep posted for more developments as the work progresses on the Marco Polo Replica.

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