Installing and using the original capstan!

Leo as a former mechanic who has a few nice head scars from third members on cars rear axles I have one suggestion to avoid blood loss on Tally HO. Make some sort of box with rounded edges around the motor drive in the capstan. Otherwise someone WILL hit their head on it and then there will be blood all over that amazing interior woodwork. Machined 90 degree corners are very sharp and very unforgiving.

Watching Keith Rucker working on the capstan is one of the most interesting series of videos I have ever seen.

Precision engineering from different people many miles apart is testament to the quality, accuracy and professionalism of the engineers. Bravo to all concerned.

This whole project has been such a brilliant example of how well a team of talented people can bring together their skills and (re)create something beautiful. Well done all!

That Capstan has been on a long long journey, great to see it finally back on the boat.

I bumped into a wooden boat builder from Poole here in the UK today. He says is amazed by all the work on Tally Ho. Especially when it was Leo on his own moving huge timbers for the keel 6.5 years ago.

It was great watching the videos on the restoration of the capstan it's great to see the completed project they did remarkable work. Also the motor drive was a great addition. Tally Ho!

Keith Rucker, Dave Webster and Windy Hill really scored a win . The Capstan is an exotic antique brought back to life. The average builder would have slapped on a modern piece. Really another level of expertise !

That whole build from the Keel up, has been a long process, that many would have abandoned years ago. You have proved that you are not just a Boat Builder and a Sailor, but a Project engineer, a skilled craftsmen, but above all have earned the respect of all the people that have worked with you. I wish you every success for the future, and if you do eventually return Tally Ho to the UK - I would love to come aboard to meet you. Ex Royal Navy Artificer (CMEA1)

Very cool this was posted while Tally Ho and crew are actually at sea sailing !

Really impressive how well that capstan works, how smoothly everything turns!

I remember when you took that capstan off the boat. I’m surprised it didn’t go through the old deck as heavy as it is. The magic she adds by bringing original energy is amazing. The entire crew stood, eyes glued, to the Gypsy, no body movements, waiting to see if Leo’s mods worked. Phew! I am so stoked! The weird thing is that while we knew the build was winding down, it didn’t seem that ready, and then, bam, Tally Ho was in the water. I am still reeling over the fact that you’re motoring and sailing her already. What? Wow!

As you use that chain, the galvanizing will wear in. The difference could be in the thickness of galvanizing,. it will wear to fit.

I've watched as the Capstan was lifted off the deck, and then Keith Rucker and Clark Easterling disassembly, Dave Clark making the patterns, Clark Easterling and Windy Hill Foundry working HARD to get that casting to actually cast! , then Keith Rucker machining everything and the new Capstan top, fabricate most of the modification parts, and marry the motor, gear set, and new mount plate to the Capstan and now you... reinstalling it to the deck and operating it. That is flat out amazing.

Very nice to see how he refers back to comments of viewers. Makes you feel you are part of this teams amazing efforts. Well done.

Leo, you're a magnet for talent. The most talented people have all found they're way into your crew. This is the highest compliment that could be given to your entire team and yourself as team leader. Leo, you're a legend.

Two suggestions: 1. soft metal wear plate to the inlet of the pricey bronze deck elbow. 2. add a decorative weather cap to cover the capstan top nut from water, and avoid pooling in the capstan cover bowl. Otherwise great work !

Fantastic work by Keith Rucker and Windy Hill Foundry for the trials and tribulations they endured with the castings

It looks too me like the pockets for the chain links might be a bit short lengthwise as well being too square. If the pockets are slightly longer than the chain link, the link at shipboard end will rotate more easily out of the gypsy which would be helped by the teeth being more rounded. The gypsy might have been machined too closely to the link shape -the chain when not under load should be able to slip forward and back a small distance within the gypsy -it needs to work like a gear train with a lot of backlash. If the edges of the gypsy aren't nicely rounded the galvanising will wear off prematurely. The hawse pipe also looks out of line with gypsy (a bit high) which will not help the chain strip off the back of the gypsy. My 2c HTH

Mission impossible is done and done well. Congratulation to the whole massive team. Good on Leo giving credit to all the casting and fabrication guys who did the work. Shout out too on the initial trials team who steamed out the little spooling issues.