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You are going to do what...?

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It's got a cabin... of sorts....

Yesterday I finished the cabin bulkhead, effectively separating the cabin space from the hold. It is a very basic set up, using exterior plywood, sealed with gaffer tape. But, for a first atempt, I'm happy with it. It's costing a lot less than the £700+ that I keep getting quoted for a steel bulhead. Now to sort the interior...     From the inside. This will be lined with Kingspan, before a thin plywood skin goes up to finish it.   And this is what the rest looks like, I hope to
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

2

A working boat at last. Well, almost there...

I see that I have rather neglected my blog, and indeed have missed out the journey down from Stone to the Kennet and Avon canal... Ooops. Well, for now, I will pick up from where I am now, which is somewhere along the Western end of the K&A, usually around Bradford on Avon/Avoncliff.   Yesterday was a major moment in the transformation of my boat, as the forward cabin sides and roof where finally removed. My original plan, to cut sections with an angle grinder, turned out to be beyond m
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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Progress, and frustration.

Back 'home' after a week at Stone, and much progress has been made. She was dry-docked on Monday, and after I spend Monday cleaning and preparing the hull, on Tuesday the boys from Canal Cruising started their magic on the stern gear and the hull overplating. The original set-up of the stern tube was such that the packing gland could not effecively be used, as it was butted up too close to the shaft bearing. The whole mounting arrangment of the stern tube was a bit of a 'lash up' at any rat
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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three weeks to wait...

Three more weeks to wait, before I can get back to the boat.   At least in the meantime in my absence, the range has been removed, so when I get back I can get straight to work to clear the last bit of debri away. At home I have taken to brushing up on my rope skills, and I'm glad to say that I have not entirely forgotten the knots and splices that I learned when I was a Scout. I've also learned a few new ones, which will come in handy when I am going to make my own fenders.   I have
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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continuing the tour..

The forward part of the boat contained the bath and bed room, and took the brunt of the fire. The heat actually caused a small part of the hull to bent slightly, but the main damage was the total destruction of the interior, and serious warpage of the cabin uppers. The windows in this part were completely destroyed (molten aluminium). This part of the boat will be converted to an open hold, so most of the work is going to be cleaning back to metal, removing the upper cabin, and paint with red
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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Continueing the tour.

Going forward from the engine room (or engine'ole?), we enter what was the galley, this part suffered serious damage, but some of the major structures did survive, due to their solid construction. The wood fired Esse range survived of sorts, but would need a full overhaul, at least externaly. Both the surviving table and sink/worktop are removed and disposed of, as they were to badly damaged to salvage. I have retained most of the kingspan sheets however, so not all is a loss. Both the engin
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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picking up the story.

As I mentioned in a separate thread, I have actualy bought the boat, and have started to work on her. I'll do a bigger update later, but here are some pics of the engine room.   the instrument panel, and the gear lever...   looking back to port side (or should that just be left?) astern. Under the steps is the hurricane heater housed, although currntly I have no idea if that still works.   Still port side, slightly forward, detail of a riveted repair of the hull, under the side ha
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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One step closer.

Went to see the boat today, and it's looking good so far. Did some basic measuring, and it looks like the hatches are all in the right place. A fair bit of cleaning up will be needed, but that is not a problem. A colleage from work can assist me with the cutting and welding, and can also supply me with the tanks that I need. Now I'm just waiting to hear from the insurance, to see how much it will cost, and how they look at the survey... If they will insure the boat for now, and let me d
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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fingers crossed..

I made an offer on a boat, and the owner has accepted it. So now the whole process starts again, find a surveyor, book dock or crane, wait nervously for the result... Still, it looks good, and hopefully I can finally get on the water at the end of next month.   Fingers crossed...
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

3

Why go the easy route?

I have found a boat which looks to have some potential. There are of course a few issues. The boat is a bit longer than I was looking for (70'), needs the cabin removing, is burned out, and a couple of hundered miles from where I am. Did I mention that it is also over 100 years old...? No one in their right mind would give it a second thought, but somehow I like this boat. Maybe, just maybe...
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

4

not happy...

After spending good money on a survey, and several weeks of farting about, the owner of the boat that I wanted to buy decided that the surveyor knew nothing about boats, and did not accept that the issues in the survey were factual. He implied that he had another buyer waiting with a higher offer than mine (sure, and without a survey no doubt..) , and insisted that I decide to pay up. So I replied with my final offer, which he has rejected. Which is a pity, because I liked the boat, but it wa
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

2

The dreaded survey...

Well, the boat yard was booked to lift my prospective boat out of the water, and the surveyor was booked on the same day to do a hull survey, and whilst he was there, do a BSS examination as wel. As I could not be there myself, the owner was getting the boat to the boat yard. I spend the first half of the day in bed, after a nightshift, and after I got up, a few hours in nervous anticipation of a result. When my phone rang, with the owner's number, I was ready for both joy or dissapointment,
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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Stepping on board.

Saturday finally arrived, and after a pleasant drive through the Wiltshire countryside I joint the tedium that is the M4, to go to London, to see the boat I'm hoping to buy. Finding the location was not difficult, and after a short wait for the owner to open the gate, I found out that the pictures where actually rather accurate. Often the photos that you see in adverts, or in emails, are rather flattering, usually taken just after the boat was freshly painted, and not really bearing much like
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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And so it begins

Saturday I'll be off to look at what I hope will be my new boat, which I will then turn into a 'proper' working boat. Lacking any previous boating experience, some might consider my endavour ill-informed, risky, or simply plain mad, but I have a good feeling about this, and although it is not going to be easy or plain sailing, it will be a worthwhile experience if nothing else. I my youth I decided that I wanted to persue a career at sea, and spend two and a half years at a Nautical Engineerin
luctor et emergo

luctor et emergo

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