I paid a visit to Swallow Yachts last week. The designer was busy so I snooped around the “yard”. However, his spies ( aka loyal employees) had seen me and I was soon “accompanied” to the office, where we had a discussion about the finer points of the specification.
The layout of the “galley bulkhead” was discussed and photographed. 
Perhaps I should offer an explanation. One of the “improvements” (I leave the assessment of this to later) I want on Riff Raff is a small bulkhead* between the forward end of the galley area and the after end of the forward port bunk. The idea of this is to stop spilling hot water on the occupant** of the bunk and to provide some shelf storage space for some of the galley related clutter (like plates and mugs). The photograph was to illustrate to the designer the nature of the stuff to be stored on said shelf. As with all these half thought out ideas it was immediately obvious the layout wouldn’t work and the order of storage would have to change……
Then it was off (officially) to the shed. Here, John was hard at work fitting something to the “lid”***.
The designer decided to help, too.
It was pleasing to note that there were three new BC23’s in the works:
Lady G (in the foreground) seems very posh. Teak top rail and rubbing string and a teak moulding round the top of the cockpit coaming. Riff Raff is already looking up to her name!
Then off to the other shed where the designers “secret” project is taking shape. Cameras and phone were banned (no, not really) – I understand all will be revealed in April……
I also noted that there were 3 of the 26 footers in for repairs or modification as well and the usual sprinkling of BRe’s and lesser fry (there, that’s upset most of the Swallow Owners in one sentence!)
OOps.
Footnotes ****
* Translation for non sailors – Bulkhead = wall – I’ve no idea why
** Not a serious problem, there are unlikely to be any overnight occupants – see my aversion to crew in “Vagabond wanders around Britain”
*** At the moment, Riff Raff consists of two separate composite mouldings – a bottom bit (the hull) and the top bit (or “lid”) which will form the deck and cabin coach roof.
**** For the writers of academic papers, remember Notes are included in the word count.
RiffRaff at sea. 