29/5/2023 0 Comments CurtainsAs I've no intention of sharing a bed with Gareth I've been making the cockpit into a habitable second cabin. The roof insulation I put in a month back was part of the plan, The first photo shows the cockpit in cruising mode. Note the nice clear view through the new windscreen, it used to be like the side windows! The second part is putting in curtains for night-time privacy. They have to be secured top and bottom as the windows all slope and have to be removable during the day because during a cruise the cockpit tends to get wet and dirty with crew climbing in and out with wet ropes, oily windlasses and dirty feet. So I used stretchy curtain wires like granny used to use for net curtains. And finally, an outside view.
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28/5/2023 0 Comments Windscreen 227/5/2023 0 Comments WindscreenFitted the screen this morning, it's amazing what a difference it makes. Just testing my laptop to make sure I can login and blog. Seems I can.
25/5/2023 0 Comments It's coming togetherIt's all going more or less to plan. The windscreen is in bits in my shed at home but I now have all the parts to reassemble it. Tomorrow, maybe. The CH rad has a valve and I fitted a new header tank a bit higher. Unfortunately that revealed that the old 'radiator cap' on the heat exchanger wasn't sealing so the extra water from the header just poured out. Now have a new cap but haven't fitted it and topped up the water yet.
There's a tonne of domestic stuff to do: Linda's making curtains for the cockpit (though I haven't finished fitting the springy curtain wires yet, the shower/WC compartment needs cleaning, also the galley and washing all the crockery that's been collecting spiders since the autumn, then all the seat squabs, etc need taking from the loft at home to the boat. But (fingers crossed) we should be ready by June 1st. And there might be a change of route, short-cutting the initial slog of Middle Level and Nene and GU in favour of a quick cruise across the Wash to Boston. Depends on cost of guide/pilot, weather, tide. Be quite an adventure though and a lot quicker to get to the Trent. Keep following the blog for more news or track us live at https://pthane.weebly.com/tracking-seren.html 7/5/2023 0 Comments DeadlineStrictly speaking there isn't a deadline, we're planning a trip for 'fun' but I'd like to be away by the end of May or early June. The list of jobs to do before then keeps getting pruned as energy levels sag.
The cockpit roof is lined now with calico and paint covering the polystyrene. Ideally it needs more paint plus the edges refining and surplus paint/glue cleaning off the exposed woodwork, which could do with some varnish. probably unlikely. The header tank for the CH system needs replacing and fitting higher. I used an old car header tank which has an overflow outlet so it doesn't keep the level high enough. I think I'll fit something more basic and a bit higher. The rad really needs a valve too, it gets hot even when the pump is off. Probably will do this. I'm still hoping to replace the windscreen. Shouldn't be too time consuming but need decent weather to take the old one out and measure a replacement, then get it ordered. I was planning to clean the outside of the cabin and decks yesterday whilst avoid the coronation, but it rained so I cleaned inside instead. Outside still looks a mess and I doubt the painting will get finished. Maybe we'll take paint and varnish with us! |
AuthorPhil, owner, captain, chief engineer, electrician, carpenter, cook and comms manager of Seren Archives
April 2024
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