22nd February 2018 – I’m holding my hart what will happen next week. If they are right about the temperatures, it will be very cold. I’ve ordered a heat wire for around the water pipes in the bowthruster area since there is no other heating option in that room. I’m sure the Watergeus is heathed enough.
21st February 2018 – I mounted my two VHF antennas on the roof of the wheelhouse. This was one of the last things on my list. Now I just need to close a bulkhead and make my anchor winch work again!
The whole conversion of Tordino is now in this new weblog!
18th February 2018 – Having worked a little to much the last two days, progress was slow today. I did a bit on the second part of the ceiling. Some more t&g was done in the corridor and some plywood was mounted against one of the supports.
17th February 2018 – The wall is finished with t&g, so is the last wall. Now I only need to do one side of the wall near the wheelhouse and I’m finished with t&g! Looking forward to that moment.
My mother helped me out painting the ceiling in the old accommodation and a few walls in the hold. At least, there is now a coat of primer to protect the wood.
16th February 2018 – I finished the ceiling today, at least one length. The other side will be for later. I still need to build the frame to hold it. Therefore the wall needs to be finished with t&g first.
The result is a good looking roof and I’m satisfied. A lot of energy and planning went into the concept, but it feels good. You keep the lines of the hold and the height.
15th February 2018 – Besides using my time in converting a ship into a museum, I also need to look for content. This evening, I continued scanning old postcards for the Picture Library on the site.
12th February 2018 – We had our annual drink to celebrate the new year. Each of us brought some drinks and we had a good chat while some fire was burning!
11th February 2018 – While my parents painted the small beams for the ceiling, I mounted a second support and cut some wooden planks in the right length for the ceiling.
10th February 2018 – A beautiful day. The bowtruster started after, I had an issue with the starter motor last week. It is a dry day, just what I needed.
23 wooden beams of 6.10 meters long were delivered. They will become the ceiling of the hold. It took us some time to get them aboard.
9th February 2018 – The old cabin wouldn’t look right if there was no skylight. I found one near Maaseik. It is some distance to drive to pick it up, but it was the right one. A round skylight is older and would fit better with the interior.
4th February 2018 – A friend is having his ship in Zelzate at the yard. I had a look. While I was there, I drove to Ghent to take some pictures and to see how the houseboats and its community is changing.
3rd February 2018 – Probably one of the most dangerous parts of the conversion was lifting one of the wooden beams 3.6m heigh and secure it.
This beam will be used to hold the ceiling. With the two of us we managed to get it in position. Once secured, it gave the right impression on the height of the ceiling. Now I just need to order the wood and I can start building the roof.
2nd February 2018 – I’m still working on the old accommodation. There will be a bedroom and kitchen. I spent most of the day finishing the kitchen. I’m glad it doesn’t have to be a functional kitchen.
We did some painting in the afternoon. Knowing how many square meters that will be painted in the next couple of weeks….
I just moved the whole story of the conversion of Tordino to this new website. Now I only need to move the Watergeus, Aquarel and Hornblower…. Three ships, covering a period of 9 years in total. It might take me some time…