25th August 2021 – Such a beautiful morning…. I make a walk every evening, but decided to make one this morning as well. So nice, it reminds me a bit of the first days in April when I started working for the Canals. I know it is still summer but it already feels like Autumn.
24th August 2021 – Today I finished the floor of the living room and started sanding the planks for the wheelhouse.
23rd August 2021 – I continued sanding down the planks for the floor and already made half of the living floor, including one coat of oil.
22nd August 2021 – I made a small trip but had to return. It was to windy. At full speed, she can handle the wind, but if I’m just cruising, it is not the most stable boat to hold a course.
In the evening I mounted two more light fittings and I started sanding some wood for the floor.
21st August 2021 – I added some flags to the site of Tordino. I no time, people stop and have a look. One reason to hang up even more flags in the future!
21st August 2021 – I removed the frame I once welded around the skylight. It was ugly and not really straight. Looks much better without. Two more light fittings were mounted and I started measuring for the floor.
19th August 2021 – I tried making a support for an outside table that can be switched to a bracket for supporting the mast when it is lowered. I was happy, painted the welded metal and then realized after a walk, I made a mistake. When the metal support is mounted to the table, I can’t put the table anywhere. The metal pipe that needs to welded on deck of the ship looks more like a chimney then a support. Stuff to think about.
18th August 2021 – I wasn’t feeling great, maybe a little to much stress to finish the Stern, while it is actually a hobby boat, I don’t know…
Anyway, I built a table, did some small additions on the inside and continued with the sanding of the door. I will give it up at some point. the varnish is so hard…
16th August 2021 – In between the rain I continued sanding down the living-bedroom door. When it was raining, I started making a planning. I have no storage in Oudenburg and I need to drive around with my tools to gain some space…
I ordered the lights for the bedroom and living room. I also bought a fridge so I can start building a table in the living room. The table will be built around the fridge. This means, only two people can sit on the table, but at least I can have a big enough fridge. On the other hand, the living room is not that big anyway.
The last item I bought was a VHF. I now use a portable one, but I always take it with me. So I need a fixed one. This one will stay aboard.
15th August 2021 – What started as a boring day sanding down a door, ended in a great moment of pleasure where I just decided to start the engine of the Stern, undo the ropes and started sailing. I picked up a neighbour underway and we made a trip to Stalhille and back to Plassendale.
14th August 2021 – While Tordino was open, I mounted the namesign on the Stern and fitted the door at the back of the wheelhouse. That last one will need some adjustment.
13rd August 2021 – A lovely day and I had to catch up with yesterday… I finished welding the frame for the hatch, made a kind of a hole so I have access to the battery. The winch is welded on deck and the anchor is safely attached to 8 meters of cable. Lifting the anchor will take some time, but I have no intention to use it in the near future.
I removed some of the rust and gave it a first coat of primer and finish. I patched up some paintwork in the bedroom and the day was gone….
12th August 2021 – It started early in the morning when the owner asked me to have a cup of coffee. When she entered the ship, the floor was wet. The bilges were filled with water and at some floor parts, water was coming over it. Something seriously was wrong. We quickly figured out the toilet was the cause. Once it was solved, there was no other option then to empty the bilges. First with a bucket and then later with a hoover.
The engine started and we left for Nieuwpoort. My plan was to join in the lock, jump off and start working on the Stern. Plans changed and I joined for the whole journey. It was just great! A nice sun, calm weather and a good crew. In Nieuwpoort, we had some rain, but it didn’t stop us from making a tour in the harbour, moving between the expensive sailing boats and people wearing uniforms they don’t know what they stand for. Everybody was watching at us, thinking we were the lower class who just bought a sailing boat with no knowledge…
In the late afternoon, Baron was drydocked and restore can now start!
11th August 2021 – Today was welding day. I made hatch for the back of the ship where I can lower the batteries. I also made a heavy support for a winch so I can now drop and pull up my anchor.
10th August 2021 – My holiday (three days) has started. Last working day until Monday. A beer with the friends of the Baron, sanding down the last bit of the skylight, putting a coat of varnish on the sanded doors and steps. The evening was quickly filled. I also glued new tiles on the wall and did the surface of the kitchen.
