Huckleberry Finn by Robert Jones - A series on Your Boat. Readers are invited to send Afloat their own stories in no more than 1200 words plus at least four pictures.

“Put the kettle on,” Chris yells from the deck. “Sure thing,” I reply. I laugh to myself and think of the beginning when it was not possible to do such a thing. On reflection, sitting here writing this, it really is amazing how little I knew and recall frantically thinking, “What have I got myself into!”
Huckleberry Finn was purchased on the eve of my 22nd birthday, an interesting birthday present. We had seen it weeks before and got our finances together to purchase it. It was a 30-foot hull and deck Supersail, never had a mast and had previously been sunk … if it seems I am painting a grave picture then I apologise but these were my exact thoughts at the time. It was always going to be a challenge for a 22-year-old and 26-year-old, but hey, everyone believes they can do anything when they are young.
“I’m off to the Whitworths,” Chris bellows. “What’s that?” I recall saying. I now know when Chris feels the need to say he is going to Whitworths it means a rather large dent in the bank balance. He arrives back some two hours later, a smile on this face and a car load of things I have never seen before. We set to work but where to start? The boat has nothing. So begins the next three years of hard labour and appreciation for our new yacht.

The cabin of Huck Finn during various stages of restoration.Early Stages

My understanding of slip had always meant to fall or stumble. Not an overly major mishap … these things happen from time to time. In my new world however to ‘slip’ is a hugely expensive and time-consuming operation. This was our very first task towards the creation of our new vessel.
“We need anti-foul, Robert.” “Righto, how much do we need?” I say. A long pause follows as Chris thinks through the dimensions, “about two tins I would say.” “OK!” I shout. I walk into the marina office in Booker Bay on the NSW coast next to where we have purchased and slipped the boat.
The cabin of Huck Finn during various stages of restoration.“I need two tins of antifungal please.” “You mean anti-foul I think mate,” he says looking at me with a smirk and goes off to collect the tins.
“How would you like to pay for it, cash or card?” I think for a moment knowing I have about a hundred dollars in my wallet, “Cash thanks mate,” trying to sound like I have some clue as to what I am doing. He looks at me again and a long pause follows.
“That will be three hundred and fifty dollars.” I pause for a brief moment but not long enough to make it look as though I am shocked, “I forgot to get some paint brushes. Maybe we’ll put it on my card.” “Rightyo matey,” he laughs. I find out throughout the next few years that it is not an easy job being the rookie around the marina but it is a good way to learn and learn quickly.

The cabin of Huck Finn during various stages of restoration.The Fit Out

Both Chris and I have full time jobs in Sydney so our weeks are spent working five days and our weekends start on a Friday evening on the train from the City to Booker Bay.
During the weekend we spend the whole time sourcing materials. We had no knowledge of the area beforehand but we soon get used to the fact that there is one hardware store that has what we need and it’s not the cheapest. The only boating chandlery is Bias Boating in Gosford and our only means of transport is walking, taxi or train. They always say the first year is the hardest and if we could have made it any harder for ourselves I don’t know how.
By the end of 2006, we had the floor gussets in. It really did take us 16 weeks to put the floor gussets in. With the Christmas break over and the hangovers cleared we set about speeding up the process and moved to the Central Coast so we could spend more time on the boat.
Looking spick and span and Bristol fashion.For all of 2007 this proved to be a great opportunity and things were progressing well. People, however, were starting to ask about the boat. Australian Sailing & Cruising Club members were wanting to know how the boat was progressing and when was it coming down to Sydney. It turned out they were really thinking that the boat didn’t exist and we became a bit of a joke for a while, we knew, however, that we were progressing and we would get there.

Rigging

“Hey Robert, I’ve got a mast,” Chris is yelling down the phone. “A mast! That’s great, where is it?” I respond surprised. “Well, it’s in someone’s backyard and it’s a bargain.”
I am an intelligent person and know that a mast could not possibly be a bargain, but I play along, “when can we see it?” I say enthusiastically. “I’m coming to get you,” he says.
So off we go to look at this mast, purchase it and then ask ourselves, “How on earth are we going to get this up to Booker Bay?”
A brand new galley.Two weeks, a barge and a two hour drive later, the mast arrives on the Central Coast. It needs to be painted and I put my hand up to do the task … after all it can’t be that hard to paint a mast. Surely? Two 42 degree days later it is painted and looks a treat, a few runs but it’s all good. One thing about Huck Finn, she has a few things that will always be uniquely Robert and some things uniquely Chris.
With the mast comes the task of finding a rigger. The fit out is well underway and starting to come together. Anyone will know it’s not just about saying “Oh, let’s go and get the boat rigged tomorrow.” Things are never that easy with a yacht.
Having come from Tasmania in 2005 we had no contacts here in NSW so the ASCC really came in handy. Within days we had found a rigger and at the beginning of 2008 the yacht was on her way down to Woolwich, no mast, no rigging just Chris and the good old Volvo Penta.
With Huck Finn down in Sydney it was much easier getting things done. By the end of 2008 and half way through 2009 the boat was fully rigged, minus an inner forestay which we added later. The fit out is almost complete and the journey to the northern waters of Australia can soon begin.
To anyone who wishes to fit out a boat using only one electric drill and the rest hand tools, and with no workshop you need to seriously think about it. However, it is an extremely rewarding experience … but make sure you buy a boat with at least a stove to make lots of coffee.