Art Thys Thyinge Workinge?
It’s been a busy couple of months, but particularly August, I don’t know where it went.
Oh. Yes I do, but I haven’t documented it, so did it really happen? I’m beginning to wonder if this is the question we should all be asking ourselves in this internet age.
At the start I was mostly too stupidly busy, then more recently overawed by the task of writing it all down. That bit’s easy, but what’s happened lately is that I’ve sort of gone cold on the whole blog thing. I read something a couple of weeks ago that was all about living in an information saturated world- and people in our society feeling that if they didn’t blog or facebook about something they've done then it wasn’t worth doing, about us 21st century folk losing grasp of the concept of having a private life, you know, the one where you get on with things quietly on your own without the need to shout 'look at me!' all the time. And that was it- I suddenly just didn’t fancy sitting down in front of this computer and telling the world about my silly little victories anymore. I mean, who really cares if I’ve had the busiest time on board Wendy Ann 2 since our launch? When I’m there I can appreciate the huge recent changes that I’ve made happen and the benefits they bring, surely that should be enough? Blah. I don’t really want to rant any more about it either, and since I can’t really think what to do with this blog except carry on anyway it’s all a load of bollocks. So I’m trying to sidestep the issue by writing the following statement:
Shit loads has happened.
I’ve been fortunate enough to dedicate a large chunk of the summer to our vessel, and have been on board for at least 4 nights out of 7 on average. There’s no computer there. As you’d expect, enjoying this kind of regime has meant I got quite a lot done.
In no particular order, we’ve:
Completed the battening out with a hilti gun, then applied the rest of the battening with gripfill throughout the boat
Laminated up eighteen circular porthole liners from fancy ‘AA’ grade ply and fixed them into position around their respective portholes.
Put the mast up. Which ought to be in capital letters. It looks wicked.
Made up some hefty bosses and welded them onto wendy’s decks, into which we put the davits, and now they actually serve a purpose rather than being bloody great lumps to stub your toe on.
Moved wendy’s original steering engine into a new position on some bearers that’d been welded down where the towhook used to be. One day soon it’ll become a standby generator set, it’s chief virtue being that it’s a hand starter.
Finally welded some hasps into place so the generator hatches can be LOCKED, thereby removing the ugly truck tarp that’d been covering wendy’s stern.
Welded in five through hull skin fittings, each threaded up to take these 1 1/12 inch ball valves that we had. Found the valves for our bilge line skin fittings too so all the skin fittings actually work..
Welded down the funnel top, then cut a four inch hole in it and tacked a blanking plate over ready for the installation of one of the woodburners flues.
Fitted the teak weatherboards over our sliding doors on the wheelhouse, one of those annoying twenty minute jobs that I’d been meaning to do for months and in the end got so sick of tripping over the parts for that I put them together, duh.
Started fitting the fancy locks to the doors, there’s a bunch of precise woodwork in this.
Removed another IBC. You know what happened last time, well, not like that.
Put the solar panel in it’s place on the roof, more to get it out of the way than anything.
Ditto our navigation lights (well, some of them).
And some other things I can’t think of right now.
Needless to say, I had help.
If I can overcome this desire to kick and scream at modern technology for no more sensible reason than 'oh dear, I seem to have turned into a hippy' then I’ll have a go at presenting a load of pictures of all this, and a bit more detail, soon. For now though it’s all about making ready for one more ‘nearly a week’ trip to the boat to do one final push at this daft project, so I’ve a car to pack instead. And I’m tired now. But yeah, I’ll fill you in later.
Oh. Yes I do, but I haven’t documented it, so did it really happen? I’m beginning to wonder if this is the question we should all be asking ourselves in this internet age.
At the start I was mostly too stupidly busy, then more recently overawed by the task of writing it all down. That bit’s easy, but what’s happened lately is that I’ve sort of gone cold on the whole blog thing. I read something a couple of weeks ago that was all about living in an information saturated world- and people in our society feeling that if they didn’t blog or facebook about something they've done then it wasn’t worth doing, about us 21st century folk losing grasp of the concept of having a private life, you know, the one where you get on with things quietly on your own without the need to shout 'look at me!' all the time. And that was it- I suddenly just didn’t fancy sitting down in front of this computer and telling the world about my silly little victories anymore. I mean, who really cares if I’ve had the busiest time on board Wendy Ann 2 since our launch? When I’m there I can appreciate the huge recent changes that I’ve made happen and the benefits they bring, surely that should be enough? Blah. I don’t really want to rant any more about it either, and since I can’t really think what to do with this blog except carry on anyway it’s all a load of bollocks. So I’m trying to sidestep the issue by writing the following statement:
Shit loads has happened.
I’ve been fortunate enough to dedicate a large chunk of the summer to our vessel, and have been on board for at least 4 nights out of 7 on average. There’s no computer there. As you’d expect, enjoying this kind of regime has meant I got quite a lot done.
In no particular order, we’ve:
Completed the battening out with a hilti gun, then applied the rest of the battening with gripfill throughout the boat
Laminated up eighteen circular porthole liners from fancy ‘AA’ grade ply and fixed them into position around their respective portholes.
Put the mast up. Which ought to be in capital letters. It looks wicked.
Made up some hefty bosses and welded them onto wendy’s decks, into which we put the davits, and now they actually serve a purpose rather than being bloody great lumps to stub your toe on.
Moved wendy’s original steering engine into a new position on some bearers that’d been welded down where the towhook used to be. One day soon it’ll become a standby generator set, it’s chief virtue being that it’s a hand starter.
Finally welded some hasps into place so the generator hatches can be LOCKED, thereby removing the ugly truck tarp that’d been covering wendy’s stern.
Welded in five through hull skin fittings, each threaded up to take these 1 1/12 inch ball valves that we had. Found the valves for our bilge line skin fittings too so all the skin fittings actually work..
Welded down the funnel top, then cut a four inch hole in it and tacked a blanking plate over ready for the installation of one of the woodburners flues.
Fitted the teak weatherboards over our sliding doors on the wheelhouse, one of those annoying twenty minute jobs that I’d been meaning to do for months and in the end got so sick of tripping over the parts for that I put them together, duh.
Started fitting the fancy locks to the doors, there’s a bunch of precise woodwork in this.
Removed another IBC. You know what happened last time, well, not like that.
Put the solar panel in it’s place on the roof, more to get it out of the way than anything.
Ditto our navigation lights (well, some of them).
And some other things I can’t think of right now.
Needless to say, I had help.
If I can overcome this desire to kick and scream at modern technology for no more sensible reason than 'oh dear, I seem to have turned into a hippy' then I’ll have a go at presenting a load of pictures of all this, and a bit more detail, soon. For now though it’s all about making ready for one more ‘nearly a week’ trip to the boat to do one final push at this daft project, so I’ve a car to pack instead. And I’m tired now. But yeah, I’ll fill you in later.
posted by IsmilebecauseIhavenoideawhatsgoingon at 5:27 pm
9 Comments:
Been following this massive rebuilt on and off for (how long? must be years now). Always interested to see the latest, when you get the will back!
Absolutely fantastic 'to read it all about it' and of course when you have attached some piccies we can all go ooh and aah. You're such a worker! I knew you weren't skiving!
With regard to the world net.. it can trap its writers and readers into another life-form!
It's always good to do something different!
Bon Courage
We don't think you're shouting look at me. Your blog is inspirational, motivational and instructional. It's a whole lot better than reading about the problems of a non-celebrity that we don't know or care about (minor rant over, that was the toned down version) keep up the good work and write when you're inspired.
Seb,
Please do keep writing when you feel like it.
I enjoy the blogs about fixing boats the most.
I wish it would make me work on mine more. LOL
Bill Kelleher
I hear you, I'm in the same position at the moment; done loads and loads and completely overwhelmed with the thought of actually putting it all down on the screen. I do love reading about WA2 though, and hope you get tine to put up some pictures, it's always a huge inspiration.
Steve
What Bill said only more so! :o)) Rob
Don't forget us feeble beginners rely on your gathering wisdom. For instance, had I not talked to you guys and was sufficiently wary as a result, I may well have bought a tug with a lot of nasty rust under the deckplates.
So thanks and keep typing ;)
Ditto Ma.
Ditto Loz'n' Moz
Ditto Bill and
Ditto Steve.
It isn't at all being boastful... you are sharing your failures and your success as you learn and grow. And by the comments I am only reiterating this salient fact.
Blogging is hard work on top of just doing all the fixing one has to do. But it is worthwhile and your peanut gallery...ahem fansare keen to keep abreast of your progress for it keeps us going too.
So, if you have a chance to breathe, head over to Waterlogged and check out the last two posts. (MV bowie pilot and Wet exhaust conversion). Of course we sold the Bowie a few years ago, but we did a test pilot and my friend the producer finally published it on YouTube.
Hi Seb
Ditto all of the above.
Cheers
Tim
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