Month: June 2011

20th June 2011 – In the early morning I started cutting up sheets of multiplex wood at my neighbours. Once they had the size to fit my ship, we moved the Hornblower alongside by rope.

19th June 2011 – I had no intention to do a major job today. I just painted the bulkhead and cleaned three ribs of the hull.

16th June 2011 – After making a phone call, I heard the bulkhead was finished. I can’t wait to see the progress. This means I can now start doing the final cleanup in the front, put grease on and start doing some proper woodwork.

14th June 2011 – The third day aboard was getting hard. Even you sleep well, it is not the same as at home. There is some comfort like a bed, toilet and shore power. At the other hand it is cold or to warm, a bed smell and a lot of shaking around in an unstable boat.

During the day we welded some more ribs in the boat to have a solid and straight construction. I grained the rib for the bulkhead of the engine room and cleaned some more bilges.

By the end of the day the windows were mounted permanent and glued as well. 

As a finishing touch, the new mast was welded on the wheelhouse!

13th June 2011 – I continued cutting the sheets of Mulitplex and screwed them on the wooden frame. Because of the bad weather, not much welding was done today. I removed the wooden bulkhead / wall between the living area and the engine room. At the end of the day, the windows were not mounted and I had a big pile of wood.

I took some time off, or how else to describe it and went to see some friends in the area. After a while you need to change your mind for a moment.

12th June 2011 – In the early morning I cleaned most out of the bilges, and started building the frame for the wooden construction. I had to move around twice with all the wood, but I got very far in the evening.

I learned a lot while drilling the holes. You really need to be carefully where you drill or it becomes to close to the side of the rib, a rivet is blocking a bolt from entering, etc…

It is good working in Sluiskil. I know a few people here, but at least you can work without having to chat to everyone and be nice. I’m moored third in a row, so nobody really sees me.

9th June 2011 – I mainly helped placing the windows and cleaning the bilges. My first wood I ordered for the Hornblower arrived today as well.

It is always much easier to fit windows in blank steel. If there are already some holes cut it makes it twice as difficult. Lining out where they should be mounted took us some time as well.

Once the wood was delivered, I painted it to protect the wood from damp and wood worm. By the time I was finished, it was already 5 o’clock.

7th June 2011 – While tracing the history of the Hornblower (Ex- Carpe Diem, Ex-Thunderhead) I contacted a few family members. I discovered the Carpe Diem was moored in Groningen at the Bloemsingel (Winschoterdiep).

On a site I found a few pictures taken in Groningen in 2003. Copyright belongs to the woman who took the pictures (‘Morgen Ster 3 ‘ on Picasaweb):

5th June 2011 – I mainly worked in the front area, cleaning the sides, removing the last bits of wood and cleaning the bilges. I bought six second hand windows and had to clean them as well. By the time I was finished it was to dark to take descent pictures. They will follow next time I’m there.