Wednesday 8 September 2010

The Eagle has landed




It was but a small step,just a few hours work, but now we can move on leaps and bounds.

At last 'boat' has arrived at the farm and is sitting on the raised and leveled concrete slabs that I prepared earlier in the week. Ive temporarily covered the roof hatches and wheelhouse with tarporlins to keep the worst of the rain out untill I can get the windows fitted.

I had an embarrasing moment this morning when I ran out of cash to pay the truck driver so I had to make a final trip to Stourport this afternoon to settle the bill.
Ive lost count of the journeys ive made up the A 449 over the last 6 months.

Not never no more shall I miss running the gauntlet of the sneaky speed camera van on the 449, or the school run traffic jams in Worcester but I will miss the ever changing manaquins in the window of Promesse in the Tything, which are always decked out in a variety of gorgeous dresses and I have but a fleeting moment to take a peek before im ajacent to the windows of Machine Mart.
Dresses, tools, tools, dresses, I want so much but only have money for one. Decisions, decisions.....Ahemmmm, .....tools it is. I never go anywhere nice enough to warrant haut courture anyway.

So, in the bright light of a rather hot September day, I had a good look round the boat and am dismayed at the work I have in front of me. Ive made a start this afternoon by spraying a thick coat of red oxide in all the joints and corners where the 4'' roller didnt reach. I must remember to take some pix tomorrow as I know how much you all love to see pix.

9 comments:

  1. So much work but you will have something really unique when you finish - As to the photos - We love them. It is a human trait to enjoy watching others work. You are progressing very nicely. Any time you march to a different drummer the path is more difficult.


    john

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  2. Yeah we all love to look at the pix before reading the text, like eating the meat before the veggies.

    It will be unique but not much different to a growing number of widebeam boats out there.

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  3. its only a canal boat

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  4. Ames,

    Wow, really pleased for you.

    Joy, stressy bit over, well that bit anyway. Check the welds, I found one or ten that were not good or just plain not there. Paint, what paint, they painted over all the welding wire and tut in the bottom and it all had to be cleaned off, but hey, now it's down to you and I look forward to some excellent stuff.

    Don't forget, it takes ages and then it all comes together at once. I remember working for a couple of years and then getting a coat of paint on the outside and people saying "made a start then" not knowing the labour just to get that far!

    Good Luck,

    Billy

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  5. Aint that so Billy

    When you think your 99% done, your about halfway through.
    Problem im finding is, forget chicken and egg, there are so many jobs which overlap other jobs so its hard to get any single one finished.

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  6. Wonderful that you can make a start, no matter how daunting it looks. With your skills you are at least a head above most people who undertake a job like this. After the winter there will be sailing weekends, if their not to much of a bus mans holiday :)

    P.

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  7. I failed in the spelling stakes :) One hundred lines they're, not their :)

    P.

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  8. No worries about the spelling. Theres lots of kids out there who have had a more recent education who cant spell at all.

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