photo heavy final visit before delivery.

Yesterday afternoon, we went over to see the boat for the final time before delivery - which is still scheduled for Thursday (at some point)... I hope it's not too early as we have an appointment at the solicitors to sign our wills off at 9.30am.

It'd been 2 weeks since we last took a look and I was half expecting quite a lot of outstanding work to be done.... and whilst yes, there IS plenty, seeing it yesterday, we can actually see it happening now.  Paul continues to work on it whenever he can and now Mike is giving him a lift with the side glazing and doors - they were in the boat next door when we arrived ... the varnish drying.

Anyway, here are the last set of photos ... the next ones will be "at home".

Apologies to anyone on a slow mobile connection if these have taken an age to load.  

We're quite pleased with how the 2nd toilet has turned out - we were a little concerned it would look like a  loo in a cupboard (which of course it is) but by having the black sparkly splash back (awful thought) all around it, it's given it a purpose... AND will make it less awkward for guests on board if someone is in the shower etc.  The real reason for having a 2nd cassette loo of course is for WHEN the macerator breaks or gets blocked we're not left with our legs crossed.

Whilst we were stood (standing?) by the boat talking with Paul, the boss man came over with a couple who were thinking about placing an order to show them around our boat.  The woman (nice enough on the surface) was overheard making disparaging remarks about our layout - the cheek of her... it's OUR boat and she can keep her opinions to herself lol.  Seriously though, whilst it might not appeal to everyone, when it (eventually) comes to re-sale it can easily be turned from a 4 berth to a 6 +2 by the addition of pipe-cots in the dinette and perhaps a sofa bed in the lounge... who'll be laughing then madam eh? 

It feels strange that in a few days, we'll have no money in the bank and a boat in our possession.  To say I am not sleeping would be an understatement...  this morning I gave up at 4am and began doing lists of things to do in order so we make the most of our upcoming week off work.

The priority is STILL to get the heating system plumbed in - with radiators and fin rads attached to the walls/floors etc. but before we begin that, Friday morning we'll be applying the first of 3 coats of the morrells 10% sheen lacquer.  I know most people prefer a more shiny (shinier?) finish but I've never been a fan of varnished wood.  I much prefer to "feel" the grain .  Paul was suggesting yesterday however that for the lining on the front and rear doors we wipe it down weekly with a light Danish oil to protect against blistering from rain spots.  Thinking about it, that makes perfect sense as every boat we've hired has shown signs of this so it will be good if we can manage to avoid it.

Shortly, I'm going to watch ANOTHER rope splicing video and make YET another attempt at that ruddy anchor chain!

Until next time...

A Trusting bunch...

Boaters that is... well to be more specific, a bloke called "Steve" (aka  the barnacle from canal world forums).  Let me explain.

Last week, I was browsing various topics on the boards and came across one about solar panel mounting brackets.  Within the posting was a link to some brackets on Ebay - oddly enough, I have the same ones already in my 'watch list'...

They were to be a back up plan if I couldn't be arsed ran out of time to make my own.  In short they were aluminium and £38 a pair (we need 3 pairs)...

ANYWAY - back to the posting...  a fellow forum contributor made a post referencing this barnacle chap, saying that at some point in the past, he'd made a batch that were much better quality.  I sent him a message and he got back to me to say he did have a few pairs left and I could have them at £30 a pair.  I duly sent him our address and requested paypal details so I could make payment.

IN the post this week, a rather heavy box arrived, containing said items:

4 pairs of very well made, stainless steel brackets - MUCH better than I could have made and not a sharp edge in sight!

He even included a tub of various fixing that might be useful.

I did of course log on to thank him and request payment details again... to which he's replied there is no rush as he's not gotten around to sorting out a paypal account yet.  

HOW Trusting is that? - Very much appreciated though.  Top bloke!

Also this week, whilst work HAS been (and continues to be) all consuming, I have managed to make a few fender hanging brackets on the band saw at lunch time.  We had a bit of nylon left over from the Ghost train we made last year so I downloaded a photo of one from midland chandlers (sorry fellas), printed it out and then traced it on to the nylon and then cut it out - the result being this:

I challenge anyone to tell the difference between this and one costing a fiver!

The final thing that I sorted this week, is the water-borne lacquer from Morrells.  It was recommended by the joiner fitting out the boat and it was a bit of a struggle via internet means to find a supplier, doing it the old fashioned way, i phoned their head office direct who put me in touh with a local stockist and today on route (strangled I admit) home from work, I bought 10 litres of the 10% sheen - it should give a nice mat finish to the birch lining at the same time of giving stain resistance.  It worked out just short of £80 inc vat.... it had BETTER be good 

You may notice I've still got the anchor rope on the lounge floor behind the sofa... I think it's fair to add "splicing ropes" to the lists of jobs I'm rubbish at.... at this rate, it's going to end up a granny knot!

Tomorrow morning, (Sat) we're making our last visit to the yard to go through the boat handover...  I need to transfer £10k each day to the builder for a few days as it's clear, I'm not going to be able to get to the bank before Thursday now.

Until next time

Index number and window fitting BY dummies part 2 ;0)

The CRT plates arrived in the post on Thursday so the boat officially exists now:

How exciting!

We've not done much boat related other than buy a few more things - a space saving pan set was Andy's idea and this has gone in the attic with all the rest of the gear.

I breifly attempted to splice a rope on to the anchor chain following some instructions... for all the use THEY were.  They reminded me of those on the back of a REAL dickie bow tie... step 1 and 2 easy....  step 3 a little vague and step 4, Tah dah!...  ie,  NOT a chance.  I'll have to "you-tube" it!

It's been  bit of a manic week again though.  I don't know if I'm coming, going or have been and gone at work...  and on Thursday the rest of the windows and front door arrived.

As you might imagine, it was raining when we got home from work but not deterred, we decided to fit a bedroom one anyway (as any sane window fitting person WOULD do)...

It wasn't so bad and has gone from this:

to this

The plan HAD been to start on the bathroom one on Satruday morning, moving on to the big lounge window and then the kitchen and door.  On Friday when I got in from work, I decided to make a head start and did the bathroom on my own.  It went well enough but I did end up breaking a tile AND falling out of the attic, catching a belt loop of my shorts on the loft hatch -  

It may look flimsly but I can vouch it can hold the weight of a 44 year old ginger - leaving me dangling by my pants in the air... it took a fair amount of scrabbling about to get sorted out.  *note to self ... do NOT bugger around in the attic looking for tiles when Andy is out at work*...

No matter, it's done now:

The lounge window WAS a pig - it's just too big at 302cms wide by 140 cm high... it weighed a ton and how we didn't smash the old one taking it out is anyone's guess

It was quite a relief to get on to the kitchen one which was much easier... as was the door.

As you might imagine, I've spent today tidying up inside with upvc strips and applying frame sealant to the outside.  It's been a very tiring weekend but it's done now and we're both very pleased with the result AND the money saved.

If you need windows and can't afford them (like us) then it's NOT that difficult to do them yourself... and we saved an awful lot of money!

Until next time...

Time dragging...

It feels like forever since I was last here ... on the ... er 10th lol.  Oh well.

Can it really only be 2 days ago?... hmmmf.  Oh well,

It's all go this week with deliveries... the rest of the radiators arrived yesterday - in a change from our plan, we went for Type 21's instead of 22s to save a few inches.

Wickes had a "sale" on-line and what with my trade discount there, they ended up the cheapest place to buy them - the exception being the 30 cm high by 140cm wide one (foot of the bed) which they didn't sell.

Also arriving yesterday were the 2 x 15 m 16mm black centre lines (that's a bit of a mouthful isn't it?) and this thing:

Any ideas?

It's a bilge alarm... JUST in case.  I know most folk don't bother with them, but given the bilge pump is manual (our choice) - with an automatic one, it's hard to "know" it's working... until it does if you follow.  At least with a manual one, you can check it daily and be assured it's operational.   THAT said, there is always the possibility you forget to turn the stern greaser and don't go anywhere for a few days whilst the engine bilge slowly fills with water.  This thing has 2 wires you attach to the side a little bit apart and when if water reaches them, it completes the circuit and triggers the alarm.  No doubt it will become faulty at 3am at some time in the future but for now, we'll sleep safer knowing it's keeping an eye out for us.

Today when I arrived home from work, on the step were various other items:

I'm a bit miffed the tiller bar isn't drilled though - I know it's only a hole but I'm bound to scratch it when I drill it out...  the anchor btw is NOT the one I ordered 3 months ago... for some reason, the seller cancelled that order and refunded me. This is a 14kg danforth from Limekiln again along with 3 meters of VERY heavy chain.  I had hoped to have ago at splicing the 12mm red rope I ordered to attach to the chain tonight but alas, that didn't arrive - I suppose it will leave a bit more excitement for another day.

Writing of excitement... remember how happy I was with the collapsible bucket? - well we now have another addition to the collapsible family:

Ta dah - 1 colander.

In none-shopping related news, last night I insured the boat  and then called CRT (with the information on the certificate of conformity to hand) to apply for the index number and license it. 

 Apparently, they make a charge for the index number unless you license it at the same time...  so I licensed it (for circa £840 quid including the 10% prompt payment discount, only to find the licence runs from the 1st of the month (ie October) so given we don't get it until the 27th, a 'wasted month' really... oh well - without it being licensed, the insurance would have been invalid on delivery anyway so it was unavoidable.

Tomorrow the rest of the windows (for the house) are due to arrive and subject to the weather, we'll fit 1 after work and the remaining ones over the weekend.    This means we won't be able to go over and check on progress on the boat until the handover on Sat 22nd... well I say handover - more a run through on trust the outstanding work WILL be completed when it arrives on the lorry the following Thursday.  We've got to go to the solicitors to sign our wills that morning so the first we'll see of it will be at the marina here when it arrives.  Exciting and terrifying in equal measure ;-)

Until next time...

27th it is.... ready or not.

On Saturday we went over to see the boat and check on progress.  The final bulkheads are now in position and a few lights/switches in.  Paul was working away when we arrived and thanked us for the flowers I sent to his wife - She's having a rotten time with the radiotherapy and they had the desired effect so that was good.

There still looks to be lots to be done and we've hit a bit of  a snag with 1 of the glazed side hatches.  WHEN we drew the original plans, we hadn't taken into account the door to the bathroom from the lounge - ergo, half of the glazed panel cannot fold back on hinges on account of the door frame getting in the way.  The options to get around this were either having a solid 2ft "lift out panel" or a half lift out and half hinged one.  We've gone for the latter - ok so it'll be  a bit more of a faff but at least that way when if I break it on the floor, it'll only be half a broken window lol.

We also spotted a 230vac socket missing in the kitchen area ... half my fault, half theirs - it was on the plan but I HAD missed out the one under the gunwale for the washer so Paul moved it down there and neither of us spotted it missing - given the lining is now up and wires cut, we'll manage without OR at some point I may fit a pop up one into the work-top.

I discussed with Paul our crane dichotomy and he said he's confident he'll be able to have it ready for the 27th.  When Chris arrived, he was reluctant to agree yet.  When we came to leave, I had a chat with the 2nd in charge and explained the financial implications of us having to have our own contract crane and he said he'll give Paul a lift to ensure it's done on time.

With this conversation ringing in my head, this morning I booked the road transport - to be finalised when I speak with Ed from Stanley Marina tomorrow to confirm HE's been able to book his shared crane for the Thursday - it doesn't leave him much time as he's on holiday the day after but someone somewhere HAS to give.  I've resigned myself to the fact the boat might not be totally finished when we take her but with so much money on the table, if that's the case - then so be it.

I've now got the certificate of conformity from Chris so I can contact CRT to get it listed and sort out the licensing.  I'd planned to do that today when I got in from work but have just realised it's out of office hours now so WILL do it tomorrow.  It's not right of course but should "do" to get a number from them to make the insurance easier to sort out... we can correct the details in due course I'm sure.

Yesterday, we took a walk up to our mooring to see if our neighbours had moved up yet and although they haven't. we were able to introduce ourself to the woman the other side of us - She's called Claire and has a baby on the way... that might prove restrictive when I want to make sanding/sawing noises but I suppose I can always untie and float down towards the flood lock for the noisy bits.

17 days and counting!

Until next time...