Leaps forward

Lots of things have changed since our last visit, especially in the case of Karen, who hasn't been able to get down to the boat for over a month, this is the first time she has seen it with the wheelhouse on and loves it. The first thing to be seen is the new wheelhouse floor, rear cabin doors and steps down into the galley. Lots of little things are coming togeather such as the mushroom vents on the roof.

Most of the work has been out of sight, the engine is now up and running, Hurricane central heating boiler installed, calorifier in, inlets/outlets for water and black water. All that gives the game away for all this work a a string of chrome 'holes' appering around the hull.

On top of all that the batteries are in and the fridge/freezer is in and working. Whew!

With all this extra loading she is now sitting lower in the water and as steady as a rock. Checked the bilge at the engine which is still as dry as a bone, so she hasn't sunk and is not sitting on the bottom, though she must be drawing about 2' 4" at the stern. We want about 2' 6" to bring the air draft down to 5' 10" so once the gas bottles are on and the tanks full of fuel I don't think we will be far off.

It's not just happening down on the boat either.The anchor and chain has arrived and so have the recliner chairs for the lounge. Can't get into the middle shed for boxes of stuff and the back bedroom is full of bedding and electrical stuff. Think we must have two of everything.
Popped up to Mexborough to take the template for the matress to the Edwardian Bedding Co. - sould be delivered next week.

Did I once say it was like waiting for Christmas? -- Nope it's not a patch on this.

God news - bad news

Sky light has joined the wheelhouse on top of the boat and is looking good.

You can see the ash lining better now that it is in place and there's plenty of glass area to let the light in ad both sides are hinged for ventilation. If it gets too hot then the whole top will be removable but the main reason is so that we can get larger furniture in without having to struggle though the wheelhouse. Before anybody asks - won't it be cold in winter? - the plan is to have a cover that will match the wheelhouse top. The crossways stay is just for lining things up during construction.

Boy does it make the whole lounge area light and airy. The bits lying around are the engine covers.

Yep the engines in with the hospital silencer on the swim to the right. It all looks a bit blue because of the blue tarpaulin over the wheelhouse and to be honest I just haven't had the time to do any colour correction in Photoshop but there will be plenty of opportunity for engine bay shots in the future. Main thing is that the bilge is as dry as a bone.

Been shopping during the week and bought a pair of recliner chairs for the lounge and an alloy anchor which I have had to shorten slightly as it was too long for the hawse hole. Everythings coming along fine. No major changes this visit but lots of little tweaks and jobs a bit further down the line. Karen was working again so it was a case of plenty of snaps to keep her updated.

The bad news - well work is slipping behind schedule, but the big problen is Ben can't get the boat in the paint shop until the last week of August which may mean a completion date towards the middle of September. Now it's a mad dash to rearrange time off work and it looks like we may have to have a split holliday. Ah well hopefully it won't be too long before I start my big holliday and all being well Karen shorly after.