25th December 2011 – A Merry Christmas to everyone!
Author: frederic - page 148
24th December 2011 – Friends called me they had seen some nice ships coming to Bruges. They recommended me taking the car and have a look at them, so I did.
It was a Steilsteven built in 1906 at the Boelwerf in Temse and a spits barge from 1893 built in Bruges. Both ships are restoration projects.
22nd December 2011 – My ex neighbour from Sluiskil who has a commercial barge is coming over for the Christmas period with his barge and family. It will be a great Christmas period! Talking about the early days, having drinks and making fun in Bruges!
21st December 2011 – It has been raining for over a week. Water level has raised and lowered on different times. It has been a difference of nearly two meters between low and high water. This means we have to adjust our ropes nearly every day. When the water is on its highest point, rubbish that has been floating around gets stuck on the wooden supports on land. We need to clean this. If we don’t, it starts smelling badly!
17th December 2011 – It had been raining all week. There was a lot of wind. The only water that came in was through the wheelhouse doors and windows. It felt good to know the boat is dry!
In the morning I did some T&G in the living room, in the afternoon I went to pick up my new car. I went for a small van. More useful then an Opel Corsa.
11th December 2011 – Most of they day was spent on the t&g wood in the living room. There is always something I’ve ran out of. It is always something: tape, nails, wood, patience, ….
11th December 2011 – Google Streetview can be a good utility to track down some boats. Here are two pictures of the bakdekkruiser Escapade in Wachtebeke.
9th December 2011 – I had to be in Leuven for a concert in the evening. I decided to get their a bit earlier to look for some houseboats.
8th December 2011 – There was another meeting of the board of Vlaamse Woonschepen. This time it was on the Watergeus. If only we had enough money, we should have our own barge as a club house…
7th December 2011 – I mainly worked with t&g on the Hornblower. If you like this kind of style, it goes quickly and gives a nice finishing touch!
5th December 2011 – I started on the other side of the living room. I didn’t get as far as I planned, but following the curve of the ship takes a lot of time.
I wonder how much time the bathroom will take. This area has several corners, and different curves….
It took me five years to convert the Watergeus with the help of my parents and some friends. The original plan was to convert the Hornblower in three years. If continue at this rate, she might be ready by next winter. I’ve now run out of wood and money, so this might stop me for some time…
4th December 2011 – In the afternoon I worked on the living room, putting on damp foil, tape and tongue & groove wood to finish the sides. This little job turns the living room straight away into a livable space.
3rd December 2011 – I painted the bathroom and finished some remaining parts of the woodwork.
3rd December 2011 – On Thursday I bought some sheets of steel for the engine room of the Hornblower. On Friday I went to Rotterdam for the water tanks and fittings.
Today I painted the bathroom.
Owning a boat also means driving around to collect some pieces. It is very hard to convert a boat without owning a car.
2nd December 2011 – I found some affordable water tanks in Rotterdam (Rotterdam Plastics). I went to collect them today. They are the right size for the Hornblower. I needed some tanks that are not more then 54cm wide, since the door opening is that size.
