Time only goes backwards on the last Sunday in October...

Spent sunday covering all the battens with Parcel tape, so that they would be easier to clean up after the spray foaming. I also covered where the rear hatch is going with a tarpaulin to try and keep some of the weather out.
When I tried cutting the holes in the shell for the water filler, I found all the teeth snapped of the cheap and nasty B&Q hole saw. Went to Screwfix & got a decent couple of holesaw blades and they are just the job.
The weather is really taking the *!**. The Sun came out, so I removed the windows from one side of the boat. Got the sander ready and - it started raining. By the time I had put the windows back in the sun came out again.
The engine bay had dried out reasonably well, so I managed to get a coat of Vactan on the areas that had started to rust. Hopefully if the tarp can keep the weather out, I can get the engine bay painted, then get the engine in soon, and I will have power and light.

The spray foaming was done during the week, so I could start cleaning up inside. What a huge difference, the inside seems so much bigger and lighter now the spray foam is done. Cleaned up one side of the boat before it started getting dark. Now the clocks have gone back I have to finish earlier.

Who knows, where the time goes...

Forwards is apparently a good direction.

....much swearing later, the Stainless water tank is at the front end of the boat, where it should be. Tight squeeze.

I have some stainless fillers and stainless fittings to plumb it up. I thought, for the small price difference, I may as well get stainless rather than brass to go with the nice stainless tank.

I have been looking at the gauges from MSC on t'internet, and worked out how to fit these now. When finished I should have an LCD readout for Fresh & waste tank level in the living accomodation, and Deisel, fresh & waste in the back cabin. If you are sailing past a watering hole, it is nice to see the tank levels from the "driving seat".

Well, just a bit more tidying up and I'm ready for the spray foam. In the mean time I need to get on with the painting. Decided I am going to have an entire weekend at the boat. Get the windows out, and have a weekend long painting marathon.

However...

Following a quick phone call, and many long ones, a business idea has appeared on the (very near) horizon. I am from a very working class family, and don't generally have money, so this sort of idea has to take priority.

Bugger!

There may be a large pause in the progress, while I earn some money...

Captains Dog September 2009

The plan is this...

1. Give the shell 2 full coats of Phosphate primer. This will help protect the metal and is quite good active anti-rust.
2. Give the shell another couple of coats of blacking. Easier to do now, while it is out of the water.
3. Once happy with the grey shell, and all holes etc are cut, and primed, give the whole shell a coat of Red Oxide. This is a coarser primer, and will give a better key to the top coats.
4. Start with 2 coats of undercoat. I have decided on a two colour scheme, so the undercoats will be the first stage where I decide where the different colours are.
5. Seal the windows, and get on with the remaining fit-out.
6. Once most of the major work is out of the way, two coats of top coat, piping and lettering.
7. Dump it in the water, and its launch party time...
   
   

There, I have a plan, We are heading into winter, what could possibly go wrong...

Last week in September Lady P found a sunny day and (with the help of the puppies) put a coat of grey primer on the roof. The problem then is, when all of one area is the same colour you can see just how bad all the welds are finished. So, I waited until she left, and got the grinder out. Oops, made a mess of the nice shiny roof. A quick lick of paint and she'll never know.

Handy Andy finally turned up to measure up for a set of Hardwood front doors. Decided to go for a hardwood hatch as well. I got these "ball bearing transfer units" from t'internet which will make the hatch slide beautifully.