10th October 2013 – I’m happy the sheets were on earlier this week. I haven’t see that many rain for years coming out in one day! I didn’t have a look yet inside, but some water will have come in. I still need to weld the metal plates.
Welding near wood can cause fire. Welding and fire are well known to me after last year’s incident aboard the Hornblower. I removed the sleeping accommodation at the back of my ship. It was rotten and to close to the bulkhead where I have to weld.
8th October 2013 – After a week of hard work, it was time to put the metal sheets in position on the roof. This was an easy job. We moved the boat several times and lowered the sheets with my neighbour’s crane.
Once everything was done, we had a drink and moved the ships by hand. I’m now near to land and my neighbour alongside. Since none of the engines worked it took some time and a lot of effort to swap the vessels.
7th October 2013 – Owning a boat and maintaining it as a hobby is suffering when there are deadlines!
The last bits have to be done today. Welding another four small pieces and some gaps. That was the plan for this evening. The last effort and energy I had left was spent today. I managed to keep my deadline. If I would ever do it again on such a short time period: NO!
4th October 2013 – Knowing I can’t save the hatches, I decided to remove the roofing felt and hatches with a crane. This means, ripping everything apart. I put a rope through the skylights and pulled the hatches of with a crane. The only risk was that the roof could fall into the ship or my neighbours boat. Once everything was on land, I could start with the cleanup and the welding. It will probably take three days to make the ribs and supports. No time to lose!
1st October 2013 – I have to remove 44m2 roofing felt from my wooden hatches. I want to save them for later. The roofing felt was burnt on the hatches and on the den. This makes it totally water proof and solid. It also makes it a nightmare for me . With an axe, I tried to separate the den from the hatches…
15th September 2013 – Everything starts with a plan. During the journey concepts and plans can change. Where I initially had in mind to keep the rivets visible and show the ship as a cargo boat, I have now made up my mind to insulate her. The costs to put insulation is worth it. Otherwise I will have to heat her in the winter, cool her down in the summer and have trouble with condensation. I will remake or reuse some of the original fittings in her new interior.
14th September 2013 – Where to start. In my environment, people know I live with chaos. It was time to clean the hold. I spent most of the day cleaning the hold and wiring my fusebox. I now have power through a fusebox with proper fuses!
9th September 2013 – When you are back, it is hard to pick up where you stopped. So much work, where to start?
I painted the bow of the ship with a coat of primer. It had to be done at some point. the back accommodation was touched up where it was becoming rusty. She looks good again and I can concentrate on the inside.
In the afternoon, I started working on the engine. There will be a lot of work, but it is savable.
A few minutes before leaving my boat, a big tanker hit me badly. The bowthruster had failed, while every crew member was standing outside the wheelhouse…. I won’t post any pictures but I was lucky to have little damage. I could have been the end of the Aquarel. It made me think, I might start with the metal work on the inside (bulkhead and supports).
8th September 2013 – It has been a while again since the last update. I was on holiday in Ireland to relax, to get away from boats and to clear my mind. Now I’m back and already working again on the Aquarel.
18th August 2013 – Cleaning out the hold after breaking down a ceiling into hundred pieces. This is how I could describe my day. The only thing I liked was the result! A clean floor and wooden hatches. The smell is now nearly gone. I still have to clean the bilges, but that is a job for next week!
17th August 2013 – A heavy job was to remove the kitchen floor. Tiles and cement made it extremely heavy for me. By the end of the day, I filled up my car twice. Not only was I broken, but so was my car. Since she was slightly overloaded, I lost my exhaust….
16th August 2013 – Finally I finished building the shelves for the workspace area. Somewhere last week I bought four shelves. They are boring to mount and it takes me an average of 1 hour to build one… They are not as solid as the people in the shop told me. I have to find a way to strengthen them…
3rd August 2013 – Breaking down some more of the old bathroom
2nd August 2013 – The hull needs a good coat of paint. I tried painting her, but yachts are passing to quickly and at the end of the day my little boat sank because of the waves and the hits to the hull it had to sustain…
Why can’t yacht people be social? I’m angry, very angry!
30th July 2013 – I put a little life or work boat aboard. I had been looking for years to fin a little boat that I could carry on the rooftop of my car. A little boat you can carry yourself and that doesn’t sink.
The plan is to work on the hull in the weekend. I want her to look a bit better.