Bah Humbug

I who never get ill am ill and not enjoying it.

Bah Humbug

To all who follow this blog and to those whose blogs I follow...

MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

A certain festive feel

to the boat this morning as it has been beautifully festooned courtesy of John the electrician.

He had other work to do today so he gave us time to finish re adjusting the ballast. He will be back tomorrow to hang the 12 volt cables decoratively.

Bay to the left with the bricks the new way up and bay to the right the old way. Tomorrow Bryan will be cracking open the last pallet of bricks. He only has one bay to do on this section and then the bit under the tug deck. I can already hear the swearing - I laid the last lot by lieing down on the job. Whilst it is unlikely we can get them all in I imagine we should get at least half of the unused pallet in the boat. Which would bring the ballasting to approx 3 tonne or a little bit over.

I have got my locks today so hopefully Mel will find a way of fixing them to my hatches. My Omni tub arrives 8th January so we can get it on the boat before the door closes figuratively speaking that is. I have got the little basin for the loo and taps for the bathroom and the loo basin. I apparently have expensive tastes. I will pick up the led mirror in the New Year as it hadn't arrived when I called in after picking up the locks. Couldn't be bothered to go back today.

A spaceman came travelling tra la la ...

and here he is sprayfoaming my boat. That wasn't in the song.









So satisfying when it comes off in one pull. Amazingly since it really didn't want to stick in the first place and Bryan had to re stick practically all of it again this morning it was quite tough to remove and I was told to keep the tape separate as it was a pain to put into the bin liners and made them rip and of course it now really wanted to stick to my hands I couldn't get the perishing stuff off my fingers. Bryan also had to towel down the roof etc to remove all traces of damp before Andy could start sprayfoaming. For future reference if sprayfoaming in the winter invest in a dehumidifier.










There is a porthole in here somewhere. At least I have managed to find a starting point. Bryan intends removing the wooden porthole covers and cutting the sprayfoam from the outside. Please note that my gas locker is now also sprayfoamed so the next time Bryan hits his head on it it is a bit cushioned. Apparently I am lucky to still have my lovely gas locker...

I particularly like the neat job around the pigeon boxes. Andy said we didn't have to cover them in plastic as he could work around them.




Impressed I am









I am pooped. But pleased I had a hand in doing the sprayfoaming even if only pulling the tapes off the battens and the clearing up afterwards. My nails are bleeding and very tender. Off to wallow in a bath.

Ready for sprayfoam - almost!

I bet you weren't expecting that! On Friday night I travelled up to Skipton to stay with a very old friend of mine and the following day we helped to build a straw bale temple at a farm that regularly holds week long festivals on their land. As it rained all day the straw building had to remain under its tent to keep the straw dry so I wasn't really able to take a photo. We managed to finish putting strawbales on two corners of the building enabling us to put the roof supports onto these two corners. Good fun learning how to shape the bales and then 'persuading' them to be vertical on the outside (bit difficult as we had to stand between the straw building and the shrouding tent affair) We weren't allowed up to the house for our lunch as it was felt we would never leave again so we set up 'tables' and 'chairs' for our picnic. That little round log 'table' was actually the head of the persuader quite a hefty little number.

I then drove back in time to go to the Wild Women of Woodsetts annual xmas dinner down at the local pub. As it was a Saturday night it was also Kareoke and we normally ruin the affair for everyone else (as they take it soooo seriously) by doing numbers such as Ernie, Tie me kangaroo down etc en masse. This year I actually felt brave enough (or drunk enough) to do a little number solo. I also managed once again to pull my geriatric admirer! I'm so blessed, as I was leaving he stopped us from going because he was going to sing a song for me would I wait 5 minutes. Hmmm he appears to want my head on his pillow... bit too godfatherish for my liking.

Anyway back to Bobcat I spent today masking up the battens for the sprayfoaming tomorrow. Not sure how much of the tape will still be attached to the battens by morning. But hey ho done what I can. Bryan will have to finish the last bit of battening and also re stick any errant bits as well as tape up the battens I didn't have time to do.









The cardboard boxes indicate how far I managed to do. The Portholes are the ones at the back so really only the engine bay left and the missing battens.



As I was closing up I took this picture to pretend I was actually steering the boat. How sad am I?








Will I fit through those trees? BW really should do a bit of a tidy up here. Overhanging branches is one thing but ...

Nice Inspection hatches

Still should be easy to lift and rearrange the b'last!

Poor Bryan took him a day to cut the bricks into 2/3rds and now the other way up looks like they won't be needed!! I'm sure we can squeeze them in somewhere. Attention will now be turned to battens as we need them in by Monday for the sprayfoaming. I can rearrange the floor over xmas. Oh frabjious joy.

More ballast and some flooring

We are putting damp proof course membrane on top of the cross members and also some spongy stuff on top of that to cushion the big marine ply boards (25mm thick ones). We are hoping this will eliminate damp from condensation on the metal transferring to the board and also that the boards won't squeak? Bryan's idea.











This is my little channel where the water pipes cross over to the washing machine and basin which are the only water type things on that side of the boat. I am not including the central heating in that as the towel rad is also on that side but that can have it's pipework at skirting level running up both sides of the boat.





Whilst I helped out this afternoon I didn't have to help get the 8' by 4' boards into the boat in the first place. Yvonnes son was roped into that particular job. Bryan is discovering the down sides of a trad stern with engine already in situ and no front doors!! The boards do just fit in but you have to have them at a very special angle to clear the engine. Hopefully the wall boards will not be such a problem because they will be a tad lighter. Says she ...

Ballast

I won't bore you with all the photos of the ballast you will be pleased to know. Here is the bit where it goes under the tug deck. The bed will go as far as the bricks. The space beyond is for the water tank. This apparently sits on some polystyrene which it beds itself into. Clever huh? Just need to find out the supplier of said water tank locally. Found some sites but one was in australia and the other down south. Apparently there is a local supplier. Due to its position I will also be requiring a clever gizmo to tell me when it is empty ...

Last night I forced Yvonne and Bryan to have dinner at my house and we had rabbit in red wine. It was okay I thought and everyone cleared their plates but Rob was the only one who nibbled his bones until they were squeaky clean. It is good to occasionally go outside your comfort zone you just don't have to stay there!

I was brought up on rabbit as we grew our own when we lived on a mine in the North of Portugal as we had to be self sufficient but I hadn't eaten rabbit since then. When they were little and fluffy I used to play with them. When they were bigger we ate them. Same with the goats, and the chickens and the ... Laura Ingalls Wilder/Heidi eat your heart out.

In discussions with the helpful people of nb.zindagi I have changed my mind about the Envirolet Loo and will be having the Natures Head instead. Also they have pointed me in the direction of Flettner TCX-2 Ventilator (www.flettner.co.uk) for the venting of loo. This cleverly means I no longer have to worry about a chimney on the 'wrong' side of the boat. Woo Hoo.

A ballasting we will go

As I mentioned yesterday I was helping Bryan to lay the bricks for ballast in the boat today when I woke up this morning it was raining. I don't like being cold and wet so I was wearing …

A pair of pants
A pair of tights
A pair of leggings
A pair of tracksuit bottoms
A pair of waterproof trousers
A pair of socks

On top just
A bra
tee shirt
Polo shirt
Jumper
Waterproof warm jacket

A neckerchief around the neck
A woolly hat

A pair of wrist warmers
A pair of gloves

I decided that as I was wearing a woolly hat all day there was no point in washing my hair in the morning. Consequently at lunch time when we popped out to the café I looked a real sight. Where my hair had been bent at a wrong angle under the hat it stayed that way. On the plus side I couldn’t actually see myself so didn’t care! Rob was able to take time out from work to meet us for lunch and he paid. The little darling.

I was lovely and warm all day so it was worth it. Bryan kept getting cold feet and hands.

Me shattered now - going to put my aching feet up. The ballast is nearly all laid but we need to cut 360 bricks into 2/3 ds (Royal we) and Bryan cut about 100 or so. He will cut the rest and slot them into the gaps and then lay the marine ply on top. I forgot to take my camera today so will call in tomorrow maybe to snap the bricks in place before they disappear.

Porthole design

for the bathroom and loo. Hopefully a wonderful artist will be transforming my pencil drawing into a fabulous stained glass porthole. x 2.

I was thinking I was going to have to have a go myself at glass staining and wasn't looking forward to it as the results would not have been spectacular but on a trip down to Beacon Boats to pick Ally's brains there was just the person I was looking for. Seek and thou shalt find you know ...

Examples of her work can be found at www.purpleglass.co.uk

Tomorrow I will actually be assisting in the fitting out of my own narrowboat. Shock horror. I was told to bring sandwiches but instead I think we will call in to Welbeck Farm Shop/Garden centre/Cafe for a warm and some hot soup.

Will now go and look out layers of the thermal variety I am going to look so elegant ...

The fit out commences

Well he has to get into the boat first doesn't he!! So some good steps are required.

Those are my ballast bricks. They are engineering bricks but not grey ones but hey ho once in no one will know.

Called in to see Macuba my horse on my way home. Well she was mine until April 07. She has remained in her field and her new owner lives backing on to the field so she is much better looked after. I wonder whether she remembers me at all or if anyone calling and waving food would do? Since I owned her for 10 years I hope she remembers me. :(

Glad to say she is looking well anyway.

She's out! Hooray

And wasn't it a lovely day for my girls first outing?


Well it was up until lunchtime. Rob and I bought some lunch from a deli and found a layby on a lovely country lane with view to die for to eat it in after a visit to Derby for some bolts (as you do).

We set off again and within ten minutes were involved in an almost head on collision with a large 4x4 pulling a trailer of logs. Minimal damage to cars but still a right royal pain to deal with especially as headlight not working so Rob will not be able to drive in the dark. I really don't like single track country lanes ...

A nice touch

Mel has very sweetly put a bobcat into the rudder. Although some people have apparently been a bit disparaging about it, saying it looks more like a fox etc etc - I think it is great. He has also made the rudder a bit like a schilling rudder so I hope it helps me with my reverse steering?

Thanks to Daniel from the canal forum for bringing the subject up when he converted Emilyanne's rudder http://www.snb-emilyanne.blogspot.com







My engine is in place. When I wondered how long I would be able to keep the engine bay clean I didn't realise it would be dirtied before I got my hands on it!!

















And they have cleverly worked out how to fix the bike lock onto the boat. It can go in either corner so there are two dimples in the deck for screwing into. I have thought of another use for those dimples.

Fix a screw/bolt on the ends of two short poles. Screw into place and somehow fix a table on top for alfresco dining? Sort of like the desmo legs.







Sadly the boat was still in the shed because on Thursday Mel's daughter's horse got colic and died on the way to hospital in Liverpool. Such a shame. I know pretty much how she must feel as Cesca had to be rushed to hospital after the car hit us. At least I was able to get to York to see Cesca before she was put down as I was the one to make the final decision that it wasn't fair to try and mend her. It is far far worse for Mel's daughter because the horse didn't make it.
RIP

Nearly there now

They have started painting the primer on now. The roof is done

and the inside

I am so pleased that my gas locker doesn't take up too much space in the cupboard on the inside. I should be able to have about a foot deep shelf in there.

How long will I be able to keep the engine bay looking this clean?

So basically they think that this time next week it will be out in the yard ready for us to start fitting! (and I mean that in all ways!)

And great news I have a mooring and I could if I so desired walk to it from home. This of course is extremely unlikely especially as I imagine when I want to go to the boat I will have loads of stuff to carry! But I have walked it in the past and I have also cycled it. However it is not recommended as the path goes over the railway (up and over) and then there are several stiles to hoike your bike over and a muddy field to attempt riding through. Very annoying as this is actually a designated bridlepath so you don't expect stiles.

In fact I tried riding it a couple of years ago and the four of us (two humans two horses) milled around on the railway line before deciding that we really couldn't get the horses over the stile on the other side let alone off the line at that point due to the steps and the steepness. At this point a local farmers wife came out to us in a bit of a panic and told us that horses couldn't go that way anymore but the council wouldn't down grade it to a foot path because cyclists could still use it. I ask you ... Bridleway not suitable for horses bit like towing paths not suitable for horses!

Still they have now at least put a stile on our side as well so that no other long distance riders like ourselves can get onto the line and not get off again before the next train comes through. Whoosh kersplatt

I've fallen in front of a train in the past and bruised my little finger I don't think I would get away with it again.

Hatches to the left of them, Hatches to the right

of them etc

So I have a large back hatch (no comments please)

An extra large side hatch

apologies for photo quality



A front hatch (see earlier postings for this one)

two normal side hatches (not quite complete so no photo)

And piece de resistance A gas hatch










open










and closed

for those that know me closed is often the way ...

Ho hum

Very tired now as it has been a long day. Work in the morning, visit to boat in early pm (lunch a packet of crisps and an apple) then visit to Redhill Marina for some useful advice and promise of help. As we couldn't turn right back to the motorway we had to turn left and go via Nottingham in rush hour. So 3/4 hour down 2 hours back. By 7pm I was deciding lunch had not been sufficiently nutritious.

Stressed - who needs a holiday?

Ideally I shouldn't have booked my week away in October. I knew it would lead to trouble ...

So what with my fitters going awol and me suddenly having to do a 'self fit out' (Ok by self I mean Bryan down the road!) October was already proving to be a stressful month. I set off for my weeks jaunt down on the Oxford Canal and arrange to meet up with Bones and Maffi. Whilst trying to organise this my faithful mobile goes weird on me and decides first of all that 3de and f are not allowed quickly followed by 6mn and o. I receive a text which I assume is from Bones confirming or denying that they are indeed going to meet us but my phone keys to unlock the phone also go on 'holiday' so I think okay I will switch phone off and on again. Ooops I have to put a code in everytime I switch phone on and of course one of my numbers is on that side of the phone. By pulling the front of the phone off and nifty use of a pen I manage to get code in and receive message. I also make a note of Bone's number so I can maybe use someone elses phone!! I send her a message without using various 'forbidden' letters which now include wxy and z. By this time Bones thinks I am a total weirdo! On this basis alone they made the effort to meet us and an enjoyable meal was had. Perhaps the food didn't match up to the previous meal I had had there but I enjoyed the company anyway. This week I finally got my new phone. It is lovely has a standby time of up to two weeks and talk time of 7 hours. Together with my upgrade allowance and a £10 top up it cost me minus £5. BUT Best of all it has an alternative colour of Burnt Orange which matches my little Panda and today I decided to wear an Orange Summer Dress over Black jumper and Black leggings. Everyone thought I was a little hyper and giddy today. Still as of today all my Vat returns are done.

Anyway I get back after two weeks of not seeing my boat build fully expecting a complete boat but no. The steel for the sides had arrived 10minutes before I did - in fact I had to pull into a farm gate to let the lorry back up the lane.


So here they are moving the sheets into position at the side of the boat on Monday 27th October









To be fair they had however done some fiddly bits like my finger grips on the hand rails and also they had got their heads around attaching the bike ramps to the boat. The rod fits into a hole in the cabin side and has a drop in doo dah on the other side. The bike ramps (two of - one for bike wheel and tother for feet) slide onto the rod and can be positioned as required. It doesn't matter if the bank is above or below the boat.






I returned today 30th October to discuss depth and size of the big hatch and I now have my pigeon boxes fitted and cabin sides - all the requirements of a boat




and my nifty gas locker. Don't my gas bottles look sweet peeking out? One is a little shy hence it is turned away from the camera. All together now ...

Aaah

To vent or not to vent that is indeed the question...

So while they were waiting for my roof steel they amused themselves putting vents into my pigeon boxes. I am hoping to remove the need for too many mushrooms on my boat.

And they are also now able to form the bows properly awaiting the arrival of the Rubber. See I will be fully protected from unwanted head on collisions!

But even better news the steel for the roof arrived this morning and they are cracking on with it.

From this angle it almost looks finished.

Oh and Jamie Oliver has been visiting the area upsetting the inhabitants of Rotherham apparently and yesterday Rob was told for the third time in recent weeks "don't you look like ..."

He is getting a little narked.

Full Frontal ...

thought that would get your attention!




The roof supports and hatch openings are all ready for the roof sheets to arrive but as yet everything has stalled waiting for these essential ingredients.











So we amused ourselves working out EXACTLY where my portholes etc are going.

Last week I went to see a bath in situ that is pretty much what I am looking for. It is an Omni tub and it is Japanese and I was allowed in it!!!






Works brilliantly as a shower/bath and as the Omni ambassador herself said when you are lounging around in it all the important bits are under water!

I may have to install one of those kiddy steps for the less agile amongst us to actually get into it.

Next I have to go and fetch my D rubber...

Getting there

So we now have a front bulkhead and a back bulkhead. Due to a bit of a mixup Mel had drawn in the front hatch for me thinking I was coming back into the unit after chatting outside but I had gone home. I had to pop back today but didn't have camera so couldn't take picture of the roof bars which have gone on since yesterday. It is really taking shape now.

One of my two front anchor points. And front of my locker lid.






Rob came to see it taking shape as he has not been down for a while. He has not been understanding me when I describe things to him so hopefully he will have a greater understanding.

It's his op tomorrow to take the wire off his kneecap. Only one slice of toast for him for breccy and its not even allowed to be granary. No TEA either. Gonna be a long day for him!

The bows the bows ...

Mel sent me this picture on Friday to check I liked how he had interpreted my bows. I asked him why he felt it necessary to squash the frog!!

Anyway I do so he has done the other side the same. The cutouts are for motorbike access.

I called in today and took this photo. The bit nearest us is in line with the cabin bulkhead.

Not much else to report apart from my weed hatch will not leak!

If it was going to the white chalk would be purple. Apparently ...

Son safely off to University at the weekend I hope he enjoys it and that he got up in time this morning to register!!! I have resisted checking on this matter.

I'm not saying I am paranoid but ...

As well as my double locking devices I also have an anti syphon device. How cool is that?





I got summoned back to the farm again ...

As a problem client we had to discuss the finer points of my bows again. Could they pinch some inches from my living space in order to have a better proportioned locker lid? Nope so lid is going to be the whole of the top of the locker.














The various bars are to indicate where the deck is and where the locker will come out into the deck.

Good job I live local! Apparently most other clients just say I want one of those and leave them to it! I however am taxing their brain cells. But they did say they like a challenge. So that is what they got.






Oh and I have my number. I am boat no 65 built in 2008. I think that is 65 in total not all in 2008. They might be fast according to Bones but not that fast.





Glad I am having my boat early. I pity the boat being built mid to late 2009.

Well he only has himself to blame

If he is going to leave his nice 'new' leather front seats in HER bedroom he can expect hairs.

Extra extra read all about it ...

Well I got called down to the Farm to discuss the finer points of my slightly odd bow requirements.

So here is the torpedo

and the diesel tank

We needed to discuss where the gap will be, how far the bed guzzunder and other little tweaks.

I also got to admire the diesel filler belt and braces anti diesel knicking device

Closed

Open

Oh and also my skin tank - although that is not very exciting in the scale of things I suppose.

But then I also got to see this which you don't normally see at a boat builders.

Go on you can say it - altogether now - aaaahh