Gallery/Workshop/Chandlers

The gallery has been converted into the storage for boat bits and workshop for the cutting out of ply. polystyrene and fabric.
A great place to work when the weather is wet and windy as it is today with a major storm covering the most of NZ.

Earthquake Proofing

Saturday and the big earthquake in Christchurch today has prompted me to go around the house to secure things that may take off in a earthquake, something I have been meaning to do since we moved into the house.
They are still saying that we are still to get the big one!
So armed with angle brackets, all move-able items are now screwed to the walls and/or fixed to the floor.
I think I will put an extra edge on the shelves in the pantry (fiddle) to help if we have a quake, it may stop the glass and crockery from hitting the floor.
The house should be OK as I added extra bracing in all the walls when I built it.
I did the calculations and it gives us double the current earthquake requirements.

Bulkheads

The new bulkheads have now been completed replacing the ones that were damage by the fire.
The biggest mess/damage maker in the fire was the smoke.
The toxic smoke produced by the vinyl, coated everything with a thick black stinky sticky mess.
Being a production boat the woodwork in most cases was only screwed so by clearing this, it was a fairly simple job of ripping out the linings, exposing the glass hull, which was only dirty and cleaned up well with detergent and water.
The transformation from black to nice clean new timber and glass has been quite dramatic.
All the bulkheads are now Maple which will make it look a bit lighter, I will be fitting insulation throughout which will help extend our cruising, so together with the heating system (Wallas 2400) that was in the boat we should be able to use it all year round.
I was surprised that the hull was solid glass and not a cored foam and glass, when working at night with the light showing through the hull it look quite spooky.

Spring - It's Official

Winter ended yesterday and today it's officially 'spring' so I thought I would show you a picture of our blossom lined drive.

Quick Update

A short post to let my many 'followers' of the boats journey.
It's starting to look a little less like a coal-mine with the new bulkheads being installed.
The next big thing will be to get the engine out of the boat, which is sitting in the companionway taking the place of the steps inside, the crane should be here this week so it can be serviced - I hope there are no nasty expensive surprises!

Fibreglass Itch

The boat stripping still seems to be an endless task, now with the added enjoyment of having bits of fibreglass finding ways into ones underclothing making life a little itchy!

Although I wear a full disposable coverall, still enough of the fibres get to places... already a number of clothing items have been consigned to the rubbish as being too uncomfortable to wear.

This week the engine will be removed for a full service/overhaul as the aged Volvo probably hasn't had anything done to it for 24 years..

As I go through the boat deciding what needs doing, I have come to the conclusion that the past owners were very lucky people making it from Trinidad through Panama and across the Pacific to NZ.

The front hatch was only a simple day sale type with 2 small catches not suitable for ocean sailing in it's new home of the Wellington Cook Strait area.
Glass boats can flex quite a bit in heavy weather and it's easy to pop the wrong sort of hatch, plus the boat had only one very small electric bilge pump which in test moved a cup of water every 2 seconds!, which could make entertaining sailing.

These of course are going to be fixed as I tend to be a bit of a belt and braces person.

Although the boat has been built to Lloyd's specs I will be glassing in some extra beams under the deck as we can get some big seas around this part of the island.

The new panelling for the bulkheads has arrived, so fitting of that should start by early next week.

I will post some pics as soon as this stage is reached, maybe next week.

Thursday's Child Arrives

The day arrived when our new project arrived.
All delivered on time with the crane arriving at the exact time the transporter arrived from Auckland, "just perfect"

We had to make the cradle props insitu but this was achieved without to much stress.
now all we have to do is the refit.

At this point we have had TC for about 2 weeks and it's already been stripped out and the burnt and smoke stained interior is being brought back to normal, it's moving faster than we had expected and at this point we 'might' have it in the water by January 2011.

Thursday's Child of Lee

We are now the owners of a yacht! a Westerly Corsair, it's looking a bit sad at present, as it has had a fire and the inside is in need of a total refit.
It's a little like going down into a coal mine when you go below.

I am bringing it back home, a trip of 817 km on the back of road transporter, it should take about 12 hours.
We will set it up behind the Cedar hedge, luckily we have plenty of space, plus a spare sea container that I can turn into a workshop while we work on our new project. ( I told Mrs DIY it would come in handy one day...)

The launch date has been set for May 2011 (watch this space!)
Note: Thursday's Child - has far to go...

While I Was Away

Before I left for Auckland to look at boats. We had 4.5 cub M of lime chip delivered for the side outside courtyard.
Mrs DIY stayed at home, as someone had to look after the dog.
While I was enjoying myself in Auckland looking at yachts, Mrs DIY moved and spread the huge pile of chip by herself!
What a great effort.
The next step is to build the pergola and install the stone (concrete) table ready for next summer's long lunches. (i hope)

Easter

Easter is now past, great weather, lots of work done in garden, with Mrs DIY in her usual style, did not stop gardening all weekend, with only a light break reserved for walking the dog.
We had the daughter and partner with us for the holiday really good to see them again, a little easier now they are not on the other side of the world, (we are going to be grandparents again in about 3 weeks!)

It has been a busy few weeks with my sister making a flying visit from Perth, one of the jobs we had to do was to scatter the ashes of our much loved aunt in the sea along were she used take her walks on the beach.

Makes you think of your own mortality, so it's now full steam ahead to get another yacht while we both are fit and can still both handle a sail boat.

None of us is getting any younger!