Weeks Twelve and Thirteen

Fridge-freezer Installed.

Week Twelve started well, with the fridge-freezer being installed and the start of the cupboard above it.

The major news is the start of the painting. At the end of last week, Tina started filling the woodwork in the boatmans cabin ready for painting, which she started yesterday with the primer coat. The cabin doors have been done with aluminium primer, as will all external woodwork which will be exposed to the elements. The mast, stand and top-planks were similarly primed, as was the slide hatch.

Start of Painting in the Boatmans cabin.

Week Thirteen and the whole fit out is moving on at a huge rate.

TV/Computer Cabinet and Overhead Cupboards.

Things have moved on rapidly in week thirteen. The TV/computer cabinet has been built. The TV sits on top of the unit, the printer/scanner/coppier sits in the base of the unit. The 2 lower slots are for the 2 laptops and the upper is for the freeview box and the 2 external hardrives. The smaller slot on the gangway side near to the cooker is for the cd player/radio.

The overhead cupboards will give us extra storage space for the galley and for all the computer bits & pieces. We have chosen to have overhead cupboards to increase our storage space to the maximum to conpensate for the compactness of the living area. Many people would find this too claustrapophobic but I think it helps that both Keith and I are not tall! But from Keith's experience of having lived for 6 months in the boatmans cabin on Pisces he got used to it and we have tried to carry through the same efficient use of every little space for storage in the boatmans cabin into the living area.

Roger is now tackling the display cabinet to go next the TV/computer cabinet which will house Keith's model trains from his Exhibition Layout Holmehurst.

Tina has been busy painting in the boatmans cabin with the undercoat having gone on and the start of the scumble base yellow. Scumble for those who do not know is a painting process used in narrowboats which, by painting, simulates grained wood. The base coat is a very bright yellow, followed by the scumble, a brown colour, which is applied using a scumble comb, which gives the effect of wood grain, then the whole lot is varnished to protect it. The effect it quite good in appearance but gives a very much stronger, colourful surface.

Start of the Scumble Base Coat of very Bright Yellow.