Week Eleven

Monday 13th March 2006.
Another week and more work to be done on Hadar our new home to be.The edging strip along the roof line was tacked into place. This strip with take the dummy rivets.The doorway uprights have been tacked into place between the boatsman's cabin and the engine room.

Tuesday 14th March.
Steve 1 was off poorly. As we are well aware at this time of year, there are plenty of bugs going around.Steve 2 spent the day welding up and grinding back.

Wednesday 15th March.
Much the same as Tuesday.

Thursday 16th March.
No progress today as Steve 1 was still off poorly and Steve 2 was on holiday.

Friday 17th March.
Steve 1 was back at work feeling a little better, but not 100%.Firstly he started out by marking out and cutting out the bulkhead which will be between the boatsman's cabin and the engine room.He then proceded to tack them into place.

Whilst this week seemed like a slow week progress wise, we are still enjoying the process of watching new things happen every day. When all this is over, and we are crusing the system, we will be able to look aback on the diary and photograph album and smile, because we are watching our dream grow. For many they may find this the boring part, but for us it is pure joy. It also makes it more pleasureable because our boat Hadar is being built by a great team of people.So here's to the following weeks, and to more memory building.

Week Ten

Monday 6th March 2006.
Both the Steve's spent some of the day welding and grinding back some of the tacked steel shell.Roger had gone off at 9am to collect our National engine, from Tony Redshaw at Braunston. Whilst he was there he asked for it to be run for a little while so he could hear it, and also take a video of it for us. Roger was back by early afternoon, and they set about taking the engine off the trailer. They had to remove the mounting blocks before lifting and positioning the engine into place in the engine room. Keith and I are so pleased with the engine, Tony and his son Paul have made a fantastic job of her, she looks fabulous with her shiny top and brass.

Tuesday 7th March.
The engine was moved so that the engine bay could be painted out with white paint, and the engine fixing points were welded into place on the fuel tanks, it was then a matter of waiting for the paint to dry before putting the engine back into place.Steve 2 was also busy working on the gas locker. He was squeezed into a small space welding in the floor.We also discussed the position for the water tank.

Wednesday 8th March.
A day tank for the diesel was made ready to go into the engine room when the time comes. Because there is no fuel pump we need a day tank, which we will have to hand pump every morning before setting off. The pigeon box was also made ready for the engine room roof.Steve 2 finished welding the floor into the gas locker.They then put the engine back into place.The final side for the boatmans cabin and engine room was lifted and tacked into place.

Thursday 9th March.
The gas locker was painted out.With the sides for the boatsmans cabin in place the shape was then cut into their tops ready to take the roof.

Friday 10th March.
The roof had its strengthening bars tacked on and was then lifted into place and tacked. So now the boat has its cabin sides and roofs. Hadar does already look fabulous, and we are so very happy with her progress. We feel very priviledged to have the opportunity to watch her being built, and thank Roger and the two Steve's for allowing us access to be able to take photographs, and ask questions about the build.Here's to another week of fun and games, and to further progress.

Week Nine

Monday 27th February 2006.
The start of week 8 and major things were going to happen this week. Firstly the two Steve's tacked into place the roofing for the galley and bathroom, so we have the beginings of a roof over our heads.They then put up the first sheet of steel for the boatsman's cabin, little can be done to the boatsman's cabin, until the engine come's back.In the mean time Roger was working on the prop shaft and couplings.

Tuesday 28th February.
The last day of the month and brrrr a cold day with snow flurries but inside the workshop it was a flurry of work going on as the two sides and roof for the saloon are tacked into place.We also had discussions about the size of the portholes, we are having 7 in all.

Wednesday 1st March.
The doorway and the bulkhead for the saloon opening into the open hold was added. We were also told that our national engine was due to come back on Monday, which will be very exciting, to see it in its new livery.

Thursday 2nd March.
With Steve two off poorly, Steve One was busy welding and grinding back the new cabins.

Friday 3rd March.
Steve One spent the day cutting out and tacking into place the door's for the Saloon, these doors have been done as stable doors, so they open into the open hold. We have also had hinges fitted so that the top doors can be taken off in the good weather. Steve's final task for the week was to red oxide the floor of the engine room, ready for the engines return on Monday. That was it would have the weekend to dry out, as it is very cold in the workshop.

It has been a fantastic week for seeing progress, and imagining where everything is going to go once fitted out.Atfer the the boatsman's cabin and engine room, we have added an extra 10ft of cabin space to accomodate the bathroom and galley, with a further 8ft for the saloon, which will be unseen under the canvas. The idea for extending the cabin top by 10ft for the galley and bathroom, were taken off of Warbler a Willow Wren boat also a Star Class, we saw her down at the Canal Crusing company when we were having Misty Ladys bottom blacked, and having looked at Warbler we realised it did not look out of place and actually solved a few of our space problems, as we had originally decided to have everything under canvas, but they caused problems for the head room in the shower. So now with the problem solved with the 10ft extention, we can have what we want, but still keep the outside looking in proportion. Our excitement is building as you can well imagine, especially with our engine coming back. Look out for the next installment when I will post photographs of the engine in her new livery.