Restoring the Vela: Episode 8 – Joinery

The Vela restoration team is in full swing fitting small details pieces like the cockpit coamings, the bow stem fitting and the vital carbon fiber main beam. The bulkheads are reinforced and new chainplates are installed. These are important jobs that not only tighten up the aesthetics, but are vital to the engineering of a reconfigured rig and cabin house.

With the main beam installed, the team can open up the cabin down below by cutting away some unsightly bulkheads. Follow along in episode 8 where we continue showing you this amazing transformation of a great older fiberglass hull into a Wednesday Night “Pocket Rocket.”

Vela is a classic 1965 Graves Constellation sailboat undergoing a full restoration in the TotalBoat Workshop. The theory is she has a fast, beautiful, well constructed hull that is worth saving. So from the hull up she is all new, reconfigured for near coastal overnighting and plenty of day sailing and “beer can” racing! Meet Vela – soon to be OLD and improved!

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