31st May 2008 – Today we did some more work on the sides, paneling the frame with sheets of multiplex. In the afternoon, we made the floor for the office space and yes, it took us with four people a whole afternoon to get it done, around 20m2. The result is good, a nice wooden azobe floor.
27th May 2008 – Today we went sailing on the Marie-Galante, my neighbour’s spits barge. She was built in the same year as the Watergeus, but had always been upgraded and even as a house boat she is keeping her standard very height. Having a modern Caterpillar engine, DAF bow thruster and hydraulic steering, she is a beauty to sail on.
On the way back I sailed with her and I really was amazed of her steering, so fluently so nice and that for a spits barge!
It was a great day with a great ship and lovely people! The perfect combination for a good house boat society.
26th May 2008 – Friday evening I noticed water was high in the Canal, not unusual but not for longer then a day. It is now four days, so I had to make some of my ropes more loose. At the other hand it gave me he opportunity to take pictures of the ship from a different angle.
25th May 2008 – We went to get the doors. A carpenter knew where I could find some doors with glass panels. The doors are fine, but handles and frames are missing. Not that bad, since the door is the most expensive part. Also interesting is the height of 1,90m of each door!
24th May 2008 – Today we put the remaining insulation and started putting anti-damp foil on top of it. This will normally prevent any possible condensation from getting to the wood.
It was a busy day, we finished welding the little metal pieces on the den to hold the hatches and the roof of the back accommodation was painted light gray instead of dark green. Not only will it become less hot inside, it looks much cleaner as well.
23th May 2008 – In the evening I put in most of the insulation on starboard side. I started cutting the small green wooden planks and fixed them to the framework. All together, it makes it a very strong construction.
The other wood arrived.
22nd May 2008 – Today, the wheelhouse received a second coat of linitop oil. My father continued drilling holes in the metal roof for the wooden framework.
In the meantime I cut some insulation.
17th May 2008 – The other side of the hold is nearly finished. The wood structure has been made. The first side which had been insulated received a layer of multiplex. I went though the plans for the next couple of weeks and what my intentions where with the rooms.
13th May 2008 – Sad news today, an English house boat burned down in Bruges. The cause is unknown, but it is sad to see such a nice ship to go up in flames. Pictures will follow.
12th May 2008 – Today we welded small pieces of metal underneath the hatches. With a bold through the hatches and this little piece of metal, they are attached to the den and can’t no longer blow away. A simple system, but very efficient.
11th May 2008 – Mainly worked on the wheelhouse removing old vanish. Also painted the gang way on port side near the back accommodation. The main entrance to the hold is no longer in black, so the ship looks a little bigger again and will feel less hot inside.
In the evening a yacht got stuck between two bridges. They had to wait till the next day before they could continue their journey. Since there was no decent place to put their ship and go on land, I allowed them to more alongside. We had a nice chat and the evening passed by quickly…
9th May 2008 – In the morning the Zeevaartpolitie came to inspect the paperwork of the ship. They are checking every vessel in the dock.
In the afternoon I continued painting the ship.
8th May 2008 – My skin completely burned from the sun and the tar, I decided working a little slower today by sanding the wheelhouse, painting the stern and giving a final coat of paint on the front (boeisel).
Again some nice vessels passed by…
7th May 2008 – I mainly painted the hull today, since I use a brush it takes much longer then expected. Why a brush? Well with a brush you can get the tar more deeper in the corners and rust places on the plates and overlapping’s.
In the morning I helped my neighbour to help her hanging her Tibetan flags. Life is so much easier with an aluminum mast instead of a full metal one like mine.
6th May 2008 – Today we painted most of the ship parts in primer, some of them already in their final colour. Items painted today were:
In the evening I went getting a propeller of a spits barge. It will be used as decoration on the front cabin. After putting this heavy piece on deck, I started painting the hull with tar. It was already less hot, so it was nicer to paint it black!
