Dear Friends
Another week ... another update. Being back at work obviously means much less time on the Haarlem, but given the circumstances, I'm happy to be back at work and with what I achieved this week.
The week started nicely with a package from Kolderstok delivered to my door. As you will remember, I stupidly destroyed my keel and had to order a new one along with 6 x extra cannons.
![Build 259.jpg Build 259.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136353-2dedd58832f7610e7054b6c922132f7e.jpg?hash=Le3ViDL3YQ)
To my surprise, Hans did not just send me a new keel, but a new rudder, galleon, galleon beak and a host of other parts as well! (I don't know if this is a serious lack of confidence in my ability, or if he was just very nice
![Big Grin :D :D](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png)
!) Let's go for the nice.
![WeChat Image_20200508034623.jpg WeChat Image_20200508034623.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136354-879024aa1e27fcfd1c02370135f3e221.jpg?hash=h5Akqh4n_P)
The extra six cannons with carriages, blocks and hooks represent one of the two main differences between the Haarlem and the Batavia.
And then it was back to planking the hull section above the wales on the starboard side and taking both planking levels up to deck level. As you can see from the picture above, the replacement keel has been fitted.
Whilst waiting for the glue to dry inbetween planks, I started with the wall of the forecastle.
The door frames glued and in place.
![Build 263.jpg Build 263.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136361-3da1bdb4f2795548c12308b409ea7a51.jpg?hash=PaG9tPJ5VU)
Doors test-fitted in their frames.
![Build 264.jpg Build 264.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136362-0c8f51fe45d311531c3520774da0a92e.jpg?hash=DI9R_kXTEV)
The wall was planked with overlapping 4mm walnut planks.
![Build 265.jpg Build 265.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136363-d30657731135c18f42df22b950692f15.jpg?hash=0wZXcxE1wY)
As you can imagine this was quite a precise little exercise.
![20200402_131946.jpg 20200402_131946.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136364-959e3a497700f1bae185754794755bbb.jpg?hash=lZ46SXcA8b)
The doors were sprayed with extremely thin layers of paint (3 in total) so as to maintain the laser-cut lines and grain of the wood.
![20200402_145935.jpg 20200402_145935.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136365-cccb88ad506b020c6dddfb3bfb9350f3.jpg?hash=zMuIrVBrAg)
The wall was then sprayed black (as per the Batavia). Obviously, I still have to fit hinges and ring-handles to the doors and the whole assembly was put away for later fitment.
And so, it was back to the planking.
![WeChat Image_20200515152531.jpg WeChat Image_20200515152531.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136366-80e7f9540bc2d77b0b5b7d8e578cabb3.jpg?hash=gOf5VAvC13)
Starboard side completed up to deck level. Absolutely no sanding has taken place yet.
![WeChat Image_20200515152542.jpg WeChat Image_20200515152542.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136367-8a9958df3c5edcf0a98796daae7a6959.jpg?hash=iplY3zxe3P)
Port side completed to deck level. Now that I look at the picture, I see that I have still have to open the sternmost gunport fully!
![WeChat Image_20200515152537.jpg WeChat Image_20200515152537.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136368-029a5bd107d466b8e3c49e0afe0ac1da.jpg?hash=Appb0QfUZr)
Another shot of the starboard side.
![Build 271.jpg Build 271.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136369-f9a81b9c8b1af101af6ed6765b65277d.jpg?hash=-agbnIsa8Q)
Test-fitting an (as yet) untrimmed and much too long bowsprit.
![Build 272.jpg Build 272.jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/136/136370-893aa841f0f7b40b69551e9cc009ecae.jpg?hash=iTqoQfD3tA)
I am very happy with the progress thus far so I can start with the lower planking next week.
That is all for now. Thank you so much for following and for reading - it is much appreciated.
Kind regards - Heinrich