Chinese Puzzle

Beer, Folk music and swearing...

Well, Friday I was supposed to be up at the Old, for the Langdale Folk Festival. Raising money for mountain rescue support dogs. However, due to the IDIOTS driving on the motorways, and the holdups on the A1, M1, M6, etc. I didn't get home till 7:00pm.
Grabbed my rucksack (permanently packed!) and dived back out the door. When I crossed the M61 it was at a standstill. I crossed the M6 and it was also at a standstill. Last time I was late heading to the lakes, and both motorways were at a standstill, a motorcyclist was killed on the sideroads in front of me. Not wishing to tempt fate, a quick U-turn, and back to the pub.

Saturday morning I managed to finish cleaning up and blacking the Port side of the hull, which I couldn't do previously due to the boat next to me being painted. Don't think he would have appreciated the sparks off the wire brush.

Dinnertime, and Mr. Kedian turned up with the stainless water tank. It looks a lot bigger than it did on the drawing (well, the drawing was only A4).
The tank was put out of the way, while I got a lift from mr Kedian to Birmingham to pick up a new car for Luke. I'm getting quite good at buying cars that I've never seen off ebay! Stuck on the M6 again, so I got back at 6.00.

Grabbed my rucksack (permanently packed!) and dived back out the door. Got to the Old at 7:40 to find the campsite was full. Only seen that happen twice before. Never mind, had a pint, and some superb food. Bought a couple of T-shirts and won a painting in the Auction. The pub was heaving, and the fund-raising seemed to be doing really well.

Nowhere to camp, so said my goodbyes and set off home again. So much for a weekend off in the lakes!

Sunday, and luke joined me in the great chinese puzzle. We have to get a 6 foot by 5 foot by 20 inch water tank through the rear hatch (5 foot by 26") into the Back cabin (6 foot long), swing it around and through the side doorway (5 foot tall, 18 to 20 inch wide), into the boat interior. ****!, *****!, and ****** **** ***** ***!. We got the tank on the roof, dropped it diagonally through the hatch and into the boat. Don't know how, but it worked.

Note to self, next time (!) put the water tank in before the shell is finished.

Hatching out

Do I hear Bells????

Well, this weekend lukes baby sister is getting married, so we have to have a stag night on thursday evening/Friday morning don't we....

Anyway, I don't suffer from hangovers, so Friday Morning, brilliant sunshine, I start cutting out the old hatch. The problem with the current hatch is it is two, badly fitting, bent bits of metal welded to hinges in the side of the boat. There is a channel at the bottom to allow rain in, but it slopes inward. Besides which the rain will just go through the 1/2" gap on one side. Only on one side because the Stilton Cowboy could not be bothered cutting a straight door anywhere on this boat.

Never mind, I have a new prefabricated hatch from Martin Kedian, and it is superb. Properly formed doors, rain channels, and a 50mm flange to cover up the bits where I haven't cut the hole quite straight!
Several hours, and even more cutting disks later, there is a hole. I cleaned up all the edges and offered the hatch up to fit. Yipee, it fits!. There is a slight gap at the top, however, because the boat sides aren't straight. The hatch is well built enough that when it is bolted in it will pull the sides straight though.
Quick splash of primer on all the exposed metal, put the hatch in temporarily, then I'm finished for the night.

Saturday morning, a bead of silicon around the hatch, and it is bolted in for good. A bead of silicon around the join just to make sure and... bugger me its 1.30 pm, the wedding is at three and I haven't got a present yet!
High speed dash, Clitheroe shops, Shower, change and at the Wedding with 5 minutes to spare! Fantastic reception afterwords with Hog Roast, music, beer, and all.

Sunday morning its quiet, Am I the only one who still gets up early after a night on the lash ? Cleaned up all the welding on the port side of the hull and blacked all the welds. Decided to have a short day and watch the formula one. Great Result. I'm still rooting for Barrichello and I think he is in with a chance this year.
Sunday night was wasted waiting for a train that did not appear. When I rang, I found out it was cancelled. Taxi back home (£6.50) taxi back to the train station in the morning (£6.50) and then get told I have to buy a new ticket! £72.00! Then the train runs late, and does not stop at my station, dumping me in London! I ended up getting to work at 3.00 pm instead of 7.30 am., and it has cost me £85.00 for the privelidge!. Adolf had his bad points, but at least he got the trains to run on time!

The rainy season is here...

It might as well rain until September...

Saturday morning - rain. I have to deliver some beer up to the lake district, so I might as well do it while it's raining. It might clear up later.

Really slow journey up to Great Langdale stuck behind tourists. I don't mind if you like to drive at 20mph down the road admiring the view, but some of us on the road are working. At least pull over occasionally and let us past so we can finish work and get on with the boat! You know you are holding people up when you are driving a mercedes sport or saab turbo or something, and I am in a brewers van full of beer stuck behind you !

Sorry, rant over.

Dropped the beer off, and finally got back to the boat. It has just stopped raining, and it looks like brightening up.

Yipee!

The hatch opening at the back is now finished ready for doors and a lid. The stern tube is arriving Monday, and then that should be all the welding finished.

The remaining 'dry' time on Saturday was spent cleaning up all the welds on one side Then filling any indentations. Rain set in again at six, so all done till tomorrow.
I discovered the mini roller sets at B&Q for £1.95. Wow, the painting takes no time at all with these. A couple of hours of sunshine on sunday, I have got up to the gunwales on one side with primer.

Bloody Weather

"You can look at weather forecasts all you like, all that is certain is that there will be weather. Usually lots of it. It is then merely a matter of how hard it hits you"

Well, the shell is starting to look more like a proper shell now. I have been working on it fairly full on for the last couple of weekends, together with Kieth the Welder, and the long list of snags is now almost gone. At first glance it doesn't look like much has been done but...

The dished rear deck that was holding water is now fully drained. I have also added a hinged section to allow perfect access to the engine and weed hatch.

The rear door is now slightly wider to allow the engine to fit in, and as an added bonus, it is the same width at the top as at the bottom.


The rubbing strakes are now fully welded, and the tacky little brackets for holding the fenders on have been replaced with more substantial brackets made from steel bar.

The gas locker now has drains/vents and all of the dubious welding at the front has been redone.
The hole in the front deck has been welded up, and a new top has been put on the cross beam at the front of the well. Now all the front end needs (other than a load of paint) is Lady Penelope's son to build me some nice hardwood front doors to replace the useless and bad fitting steel ones fitted by the Stilton Cowboy.


I have a tiller bar made from 40mm bright steel bar.


TIP: If you like feeling light headed try dangling upside down with your head in the gas locker while painting it!.

The engine beds are in, and there is loads of paint waiting for some painting weather. One whole bank holiday weekend, and all I have got done outside is eight feet of boat!