With Team Trim getting their new ride up to speed: Evo has come to live with me in (currently surprisingly sunny) Scotland.
The boat traveled most of the way north courtesy of Rolands extensive travel schedule and then was kindly put up on Hoppy's driveway for a couple of weeks until I finally managed to collect her about 3 weeks ago.
Anyone whos listened to me talking about a new boat over the last couple of years will know that I've been thinking solid 49er style wings are the way to go on an '05 boat for a while and Clive's new design has provided the push for me to go for a conversion for EVO before shes relaunched. To facilitate this the deck is to be removed at or slightly below the rolled gunwales and new sections built from CNC cut flat panels will be fitted.
The shape of the hull and existing deck/structure is being reverse engineered from photographs to facilitate the design of the new panels.
The boat arrived stripped of most of her fittings and the outer wing bars already removed (Possibly Rolands way of making sure I comitted and followed through with my plans!)
Progress so far has seen the rear rack support removed and topcoat stripped from the hull. Since the topsides would need to be re-faired anyway it made sense to go the whole way and take everything back to a base level so a rather vigorous session with the long board followed. The pink is a fairing dye exposing the low spots following the first rough sand.
The flat panels are being made up next weekend and the 'big cut' will be made when I get back from Dun Laoghaire next week. Progress should be fairly rapid to begin with but I expect the details to take a fair bit longer!
I'm hoping to be on the water by the end of the season but the nationals is not realistic. Making the Inlands is a tentative deadline, but don't hold me too it!
