S130 Preparion & Research

	These beer bottles below were discovered under the midships fuel tanks, pressed into some strange, and yet to be analysed but could be refined whale blubber, gunk that filled the spaces between floor frames in inaccessible areas of the hull.

Removing the rudder quadrant

Before getting to grips with the keyed rudder stock coupling

Which proved reluctant to part until a custom puller, fitted with a 50t jack, was fabricated and heat was applied to the problem
Then ......
		Hey Presto!
The trim rudder heads also required the utilisation of a special puller and jack

S130 has now been jacked up to allow relatively comfortable access under the hull to repair the damaged keel


and to enable the rudders to be removed



along with the wing shaft blanking caps



then to gain access to draw the centre line propeller shaft.

While repairing the keel we investigated some damage to the timbers in way of the garboard strake which show impact from a sharp object, possibly while going astern and swinging to port?

Investigation of the damage to the port side below the waterline in way of the No 2 engine room did not show signs of any foot print on the hull planking from a hard object. This is leading us to surmise that this could be damage resulting from an under water explosion. We are now planning the how best to effect repairs to the engine beds, hull and framing.