Quick update from the builder... and crane hire costs.

Sorry about the other day folks - I must learn to handle lazy cretins colleagues, with more grace and understanding...  it's not them it's me ... ... ... I think not!

Anyway, ignoring all that (in-spite of it taking up 16 hours of the 17 I'm awake each day) for a moment, I had an update today from the boat builder.

At Easter, I'd sent an email asking a few things - namely when did he want us to meet up and pay some more money over.  I used my email as an opportunity to also enquire whether the boat might be ready in October - this because having now spoken with the boat yard at Stanley Ferry (where the mooring is), it turns out they schedule their main "Crane Out" of the grp's in October... and if we can tie lifting "Ellis" off the truck and into the water then, it would save money.  Quite a lot of money - it's circa £1500 for a solo crane hire or £350 for a share...that's 1150 quid back in our pocket... well when I say our pocket, what I mean is 1150 quid to spend on more useful stuff.

It transpires we've had  wires crossed somewhere along the line and the earliest expected completion date, is the period between the end of November and the End of January 2017 :-(

As you can imagine this is a bit of a bummer.  On the plus side, he did half suggest they might be able to bring things forward but decisions would need confirming ASAP in regards porthole positions.  I thought we'd already agreed on that.  I got back to him straight away and we now need to try and get a trip over there arranged asap - which isnt easy given the state of things at work AND the fact he's tied up for the next 2 weekends anyway.

During a few more email exchanges, I also thought it a wise option to remind him about a bigger water tank.  Initially we'd agreed to have the standard one  (stainless steel 300 litres) but having visualised this (by looking at the hot tub half full) have agreed to increase it to a 500 litre stainless steel one - at an uplift of £250 (ish)... it's very hard to tie him down to prices.  THAT said, he has agreed to glaze the side doors/hatches at a reduced price of £500 each instead of the quoted £600 - which I suppose almost offsets the cost of the bigger water tank.

Meanwhile, I'm waiting to hear back from him again to firm up which Saturday afternoon he can accommodate us and as you know, I'm the most patient, laid back chap in the world ...So that's good!

Until next time...