12th October 2008

Am... hello ... rem me..

To the many who have been checking in all the time thanks for staying with this.

Cam working again, need to get the spider web off the lense.

Now story time.....

I hope you all enjoyed the lovely wet summer we have had here, between the weather and work I am now some months behind where I wanted to be.
The pictures below are really from the last post until the other day so they are not really recent.

Some things that are now done:

All the internal welding is now complete
All the outside main sheets running on the spray rails are complete, as are all the top bulwark edges and all of the flybridge.

The Internal entrance steps are 50% DONE just to wait till the engine lands in and I can finish them to the floor.
The radar arch is up and fully welded except for internal fittings to close the inside bits with white plastic.





Radar arch before fitting




New Re-designed entrance and seat, its way smaller than was as I realised I hadn't any 7 Foot friends. The entrance first step being sofar back meant I could take 4" off the top and rake the front way back to mimic the radar arch angle. (thanks to Edgar for showing me the error of my ways) I had really made a big square box on top of the lovely sweeping lines of the radar arch.....



Here she is in all her glory.
If you plugged the stern tube it would float .!!!!!!



I closed off the end of the flybridge wall and merged the radar arch. its totally smooth once sanded and will look great, I also added a dummy piece to thicken the side sheet. bent a bit of 50mm bar onto it.


About 3 weeks ago I finally ordered all the Vetus kit.

Soon the engine, hydraulic tank, pump and thrusters will be here along with steering and controls.

I have also designed a 1200 litre fresh watertank for up under the fwd floor.

This is a 2 part post..

12th October 2008 Part 2.


Bullwark plating fitted, I added this to continue the thickness up to the aft roof level.
The angled piece is custom and tacked and beated into shape, its actually twisted over two different axis.. not standard but it looks great. I will do the same where the radar arch meets the flybridge sides to sweep it back.




Plumbed fuel tanks, both thanks are fitted with inlets, vents, abalance pipe between each tank and a 20mm takeoff and return .
One tank will feed the engine and the other will feed the generator. both tanks are balances so its really one big tank. 2000 liters in total.






Bullwark plating looking aft.
I'm going to fit 2 stancions along the midships. I will recess these into the side rather than mount on the floor causing a trip hazard, Bits are on the way.. VETUS again..


Bullwark plating looking forward.
Note the gap at the bow..

I am putting a conical shaped bowsprit here to house the anchor ( a 30Kg Bruce)
I have a funky anchor roller bought in Germany and the cone shaped piece is being laser cut and will ne bent by friends of mine into shape.
I will show pics when I'm doing it..


Got a fit Last sunday the 5th October..
did this in 4 hours. then I ran out of gas... always on a weekend!!!!



Before you wonder if the steps are level, they are ...
remember the floor and Flybridge roof are curved...
not bad for a 23 year old Makita 9" grinder....

The kids love the new steps.
I could do the same on the other side but I really don't want to as it takes too much space. I have a life raft canister to put on the other side.

Thats the BIG update to date.

The inside will now need sand blasting and I have the man to do it soon.
The whole thing is going fine just very slow.

More soon as I have some time this week