Another day, another snowfall

Learnt at new word today, graupel, which is the type of snow that fell on Mersea today. I say snow, but it's nearly hail....

Alex did not come with us, as the forecast was never going to get to the 5C necessary for painting, but Julian and I headed hopefully to Mersea. Julian finished cutting the new bulwarks to size, but we have not fitted them. Instead we brought them home to prime in the warm, where the paint will dry fast enough to get a couple of coats on in a day.

I painted the area of the galley which will be beneath the new work surface with locker paint, and hoped to put a layer of undercoat on the hull above it, but the masking tape took off some of the primer, so I had to redo that instead. The good news is that the WD40 worked, and Julian could get the thru hull out. We'll take it home again and clean it up some more, and I'll bring Brasso to the boat and try "polishing" the inside of its housing to help it turn.

There was one dry sunny patch, which tempted me out to paint a rim of tie coat round the whole boat on the line of masking tape Alex set yesterday. It meant I could take the masking tape off, and if the weather stays abysmal we can just slap a layer of anti foul on at the last minute.

I did make some real progress. The heads are now fully installed again, we have a hook to hang the cleaning brush on, and the old kitchen tap is now in place above the vanity unit sink. Apart from a good wash down that's it for the forepeak. (Once the forehatch is back in place that is!)

I wanted the moon, and got snow.

Went to Robinetta today, trying to do a big push to get her ready. All three of us went, but while Alex could wash down the hull and help put on the masking tape for the corrected anti foul line the temperature did not get high enough to paint the exterior. And it snowed.

Julian got on with fitting the siberian larch planks to the bulwarks, while I did some more work on the galley. I trimmed the formica that is being stuck on the boat to fit, but did not glue it. The wood needs coats of paint now, while I can still get at it. At least working inside I could have the electric heater on, (it helps with curing the paint.....).

We tried putting the galley thru hull in place a couple of weeks ago, and although it went in it would not turn, or come out again to let us clean it up more, so I've dowsed it with WD40 and hope that will loosen it up so we can get it out again. Failing that we'll use brute force and a hammer to force it open and leave it that way. We can put an in line valve in instead and treat it as a sea cock.

We headed home the second time it started to snow, with the bulwarks still not in place. There are times when working outside is just not possible!

Collecting bits

The cold weather continues to hamper getting ready to go back in the water. We've got our crane in date (15th April), but whether Robinetta will be ready is a whole other story! Our first trip is supposed to be up the Blackwater to overnight in Haybridge basin on the 20th, which will let us get to two fitting out celebrations, lunch with WOA, and supper with the OGA. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Went and fetched two things to help us get ready today, the main sail from its servicing at James Lawrence, and some Siberian Larch planks we bought off e-bay. Julian's going to use them to repair the bulwarks in the cockpit this weekend, so long as it isn't snowing too hard! So long as its dry and over 5C we  WILL get the anti foul on! (hopefully two coats over a proper tie coat, plus a fresh layer of Toplac, but that feels like wanting the moon right now!)

Work Tops and cut outs

I've used marine ply left over from when Julian made Worm for the work surface, laminating two sheets together for strength. I'm not sure it needs to be that strong, but it seems like a good idea since I've had to make a decent size cut out for the sink, which will be heavy once it gets water in it.

I've also cut another hole to let us access the awkward area beside the cooker; this will have a lid with a finger hole so we can get it out easily. It should make it possible to open and close the sink thru-hull, and let us use the space to store pans. They won't fit under the sink any more, since the new one is much deeper. The surface will be edged with an oak beading, which should look quite smart, and I'll give the whole thing a couple of coats of thin epoxy once its sanded down which should seal the edges and stop the damp getting in. I'm still not sure how to finish the surface, but I expect I'll put some "formica" on it if I can find a supplier.

Apart from that it is going to be pretty much as it was. The crockery storage unit has just had a good wash and will be put back as it was. It might not be very smart any more, but it's still functional, and I don't have time to make a new one.