Pottering On

As planned on Thursday, spent a day with the Grantham Canal Society. Hard at it tidying the depot and mowing the grass.

Out on the canal in Centauri in the afternoon

Picking up a bit of rubbish and checking on Mudlark

Ended up just being a passenger as the creaky knee was making it awkward to get into the hold, enjoyable trip none the less. Still managed to end up a scruffy blogger.

Friday it was down to T-A for a few hours in the afternoon, finishing off a few minor jobs but mainly measuring up for the supports for the top step down into the galley and the wheelhouse door frames. It looks like they will have to be replaced as well because water is still coming in, some between the frame and metalwork and some because the step is wide and flat so any list encourages water to collect.

Today has just been keeping the dogs company while Karen was at her painting class – must have been good because she painted the drive gates when she got home. Still managed to modify a bit of trim for T-A’s bathroom and make and fit the supports to the top step ready to be offered up on the next trip down.

The labels for the battery switches are here from America – got a card through the door this morning to say they were at Melton post office with an extra £14 pounds import duty to pay – these are turning out to be very expensive labels, should have opted for dymo tape.

Scruffy Bloggers Meet

Not a lot to mention over the last few days with just a few boat bits made up in the workshop and the rest of the time catching up with the gardening. Until Tuesday that is when I met up with Chris from Tops Tarpaulins to measure up for our new top. Should be ready in about three weeks.

Today I met up with fellow blogger and fellow BH devotee Tom and Jan off nb Waiouru

Now this seems familiar

We had been vying recently as to who was the scruffiest and it looks like I won because Tom was forced to present me with a New Zealand T-shirt – just wondering where to sew the union flag J. Pleased to meet Jan for the first time and managed to have a good old doggie natter while Tom sorted out the neighbours. Spent the afternoon comparing boats as you do, great to meet up with you both.

Got a GCS work party tomorrow so I’ll definitely be the scruffiest blogger after that.

Anyway the morris men are performing outside the pub over the road right now so it’s time to go and watch.

We Have Water

Yes and you can drink it too.

Well on Tuesday I continued cutting an access into the side of the sink and guess what was there. Yep, off-cuts, sawdust and general detritus as was under the deck and kitchen cupboards. Tried to take a picture but the batteries are low so the flash would not work. While I Was down there in a destructive mood I also opened up the access beside the oven. It’s not brilliant but it will give us a bit more storage and enable us to get to the blind spot in the long cupboard, though I think changing the old panel into a door may be a bit of a challenge.

Wednesday and now having access to the back of the sink we can finally get rid of the old tap.

It just doesn’t go with a Belfast sink or for that matter the rest of the fittings. New tap acquired and fitted along with the General  Ecology spigot.

Did a bit of tidying and called it a day because I needed a couple of adaptors for the tap connectors.

This morning was an hour in the garden trying to keep the weeds at bay and starting on the framework for the batter switch remote panel. In the afternoon down to T-A to plumb everything in and checking it out, only had one leaky joint which was soon nipped up.

More varnishing next on the agenda – got away with it for a week, but the insides of the cupboards have never had a coat up to yet so they are in for a big surprise.

Gas fitter arranged for the second week in July all being well so the oven will be coming out for that.

That light at the end of the tunnel keeps getting brighter.

Not Much To See

Busy day in the garden mowing and hoeing yesterday.

Early start (For me anyway) today. Packed lunch and set off for Ilkeston to get additional wire for battery switches.

Came back via Trudy-Ann and set about installing the battery switches for bow thruster and winch along with all the extra fuses for solenoids and remote indicator lights..

Completed that bit of a job and switches working on manual for the moment. Still have to make the panel for the control desk but will not do that until it is time to wire in the battery switches for engine and domestic batteries but the wiring is in place with just a few spade terminals to fit.

Refrigerator removed to start cutting out beside the cooker. Looking at the sink with a view to fitting the new water purifier tap I realised that the kitchen has been built around the sink so the is no way of removing it without removing at least the worktop which also means removing the hob and splash back. Blinding flash of the obvious and have now started cutting an access hole in the fridge alcove to give me access behind the sink.

Isn’t it strange that the things you don’t see take all the time but if you don’t do them they stick out like a sore thumb.

A Bit Like Christmas

Well the new strimmer arrived on Tuesday so spent most of the day playing with that. In fact the garden has been the centre of attention for three days on the trot. I doubt if it knows what hit it with all that hoe, hoe hoeing.

Yesterday was and early start down at Trudy-Ann running the cable for the battery switches but managed to run out after the long runs to bow thruster and winch so it looks like another run to Ilkeston next week. While down there the heavens opened a few times but the new skylight stayed watertight so I’m pleased about that. Also looked at the long cupboard behind the cooker. The panel to the left of the cooker has been removed and I am looking to turn it into a door to make access easier but that gap will have to be opened up a bit.

You can just make out the gas pipe running across the floor of the cupboard which I think must be a hazard. The electric supply ran with it, but since the rewire it now comes in from the top.

During the week multi connectors were fitted to the battery switches in readiness for installation and I noted that the labels for the switches did not cover all the uses that they were intended for. An e-mail to blue sea systems  resolved the problem and they are sending out additional labels at $1 each – the only trouble is that postage comes in at $29.95. Ouch!

Been pottering about today between the showers making new backs for the key racks which were pine but are now ash. Just waiting for the varnish to dry.

Progress

Trimmed the wardrobe doors down this morning and loaded the motor, then over to Nottingham to get some roofing felt for the shed and a longer TV bracket for T-A. Re-felting the garden shed is on my list of to dos before winter and I decided that the swinging arm for the TV would be better if it were two inches longer(Now where have I heard that before?) to clear the curtains.  Straight down to T-A , TV mounting replaced and wardrobe doors hung.

Pot of varnish out again for the wardrobe doors and another coat for the lounge floor.

So now the bedroom is complete as is the lounge and the bathroom just requires a bit of trim and sealant applying around the base of the shower.

Think it’ll be an easy day or two doing jobs around the home before starting on the galley, a change is as good as a restJ

Bit Here Bit There

Friday was spent doing a few odd jobs in the morning, mainly trying to sort out the strimmer which has been playing up. Ended up throwing my toys out the pram and ordering a new one. Going for a four stroke engine this time as two strokes always seem so temperamental, so if anyone wants a Mculloch Cabrio for spares or repair they are welcome to it. Popped over to Ilkeston in the afternoon to get some bits from Vehicle Wiring Products to make up the feed cables for the remote battery switches.

Yesterday (Saturday) was spent making up the new cable. 30M in all and it smells very nice because I used talcum powder as a lubricant to reduce friction as it was all pulled through, it always used to work for rubber so I am assuming it will be just as effective with modern plastics. To avoid confusion it is the same colour code as from the switches themselves.

Just got back from T-A.

Took the wardrobe doors down but they need to be trimmed top and bottom by 2mm so they came home again to be trimmed on the table saw, I’m always concerned about splintering if using a plane on end grain. The curtains are back up and at long last the TV is installed along with the DVD which was all promised in the original build.

Only good for videos because the aerial will have to wait until the mast is made, but at least we have an alternative to the radio.

Oh and did I mention there has been some varnishing going on.

 

Sloth Takes Control

Not much to see at the moment. On Trudy-Ann on Monday assembling the corner cupboard in the bedroom and fitting panels to line the back of the shelves to hide the gaps. Tuesday was spent in the garden doing battle with the weeds – forced labour as the car was in for service and I couldn’t escape.  Yesterday working on the bedroom cupboard again but had to stop when I realised one of the doors was flexing when being shut. Bent the frame so that the joints opened up and worked in some glue in the hope that it would hold without dismantling the whole door to tighten the internal screws. To clarify the situation it should be noted that all curved cupboard doors are made with screwed butt joints and the deep screw holes are then plugged with dowel unlike the flat cupboard doors which have already been remade after it was found that they were falling to pieces after apparently being stuck together with expansion foam.

On T-A again today and the cupboard door seems to be holding OK so final fitting made and the varnish brush made another appearance. Only the wardrobe doors to fit and varnish  and that will be the bedroom complete for now. Some time in the future the intention is to fit a bedside cabinet.

It may be recalled that the battery isolation switch for the bow thruster and winch was moved from under the bed to the forward locker. Even so I felt that this was not ideal and felt the same about the main battery switches that could only be accessed by climbing into the engine bay. It has been niggling at me for some time so finally I have given into the urge to install remote battery switches.

Purchased four solenoid switches from Aquafax through the marina.

Once installed any or all batteries can be isolated just by flicking a switch in the wheelhouse. Each has a manual override switch which can also be secured in the off position for servicing. Wired one up to a spare battery and it operates with a reassuring thump, so far they look like the bees knees.

No more scrambling about when we leave the boat, lazy or what.

Pottering Along

Picking up from last Sunday. Monday was spent around home and garden, after all that’s what bank holidays are for isn’t it?

Tuesday was down to see the doc – sods law – twisted the knee on Friday but because it was a bank holiday week-end the next open surgery was not until Tuesday so Saturday at Crick was spent like an old fart hobbling around with a stick, could have done with one of those electric chariots. Anyway, nothing obvious so referred for an X-ray on Wednesday morning but still waiting on the result. Didn’t stop me from getting down to T-A a few times during the week though. The cupboards installed and been wired in with and extra mains socket and aerial point, also included three 12v sockets for phone chargers etcetera.

Rubbed down ready the last coat of varnish. It originally came up to the gunnel and was thinner meaning that the shelf on top was too narrow to be of any use.

Now there is plenty of room for a radio and DVD and it still does not encroach into the lounge area too much. Wall bracket for the TV is up and CO detector and smoke alarm installed but they have been sitting around so long the batteries are duff.

One thing is apparent at Pillings – it may have been a rough winter and cold spring but there are loads of youngsters about this year

I counted 21 young with one pair of geese, counted them twice because I didn’t believe it first time.

Perhaps it’s all those cold nights huddled on the nestJ