Some older pictures.....

Wedding, Flower power & Cabin top on.......

Well, we have had a busy couple of weeks. We attended our niece wedding in Airlie Beach, we had thought when the wedding was planned that we MIGHT be able to sail up there, but me being as slow as a wet week that didn't happen. It was a really big weekend, we drove to Brisvegas, then flew into Hamilton Island, then ferry to Airlie and finally a bus to the accommodation, 11 and a half hours. We had Nana (85) with us and she handled the HUGE day very well but we were all tired. The wedding was great, weather was great, a place we HAVE to sail to one day. Last weekend, Paul and Trish came up so I could had a couple of days FREE labour. Instead of screwing the top down to glass it on we wedged it down by bracing against the shed roof, it worked really well and no screw holes to repair at the end.

Stanchion Bases & Cabin Roof fitted........

Weelll, what a job. Fitting, glassing and sanding the stanchion bases. I have seldom crawled around on my hands and knees for soooo long. It took so long, by the time I set up all the rails and pulpit, screwed the stanchion bases in place, removed the rails and pulpit, "high strength" filleted the bases on, checked it all again before glassing the bases on, and finally sanded after the glassing it took the best part of 2 days (with a couple of little jobs in between). But it all came up perfect, the shape should look good when they are faired in. I did a final sand of all the last glassing jobs I did over the last couple of weeks and then Sandy's job was to give everything a really good vacuum. Weelll that took forever, she didn't realise that the sanding dust gets everywhere. I have nearly finished the "last" construction job, and that is the cabin roof. It is really nice to go back to strip planking, this time round it goes together very quickly, a couple of hours and it was over 1/2 done. Once that is completed then it is a "quick" fair, paint and fit (and refit) all the fancy bits and we are FINISHED........ Sounds easy and quick, but will take a while yet.

Sandy's Turn

Well it is my turn to put in a few words. I suppose I have been very slack throughout the building of our boat, but someone has to work to keep the bucks coming in. That and the broken fingernails whilst sanding really does take it's toll. Craig has been very busy between his 2 days a week at the "Big House" and the rest of the time in the shed working on "& Beyond". But she is really starting to take shape. Structurally our little home on the water is all but finished. Paul (Craig's twin brother) was supposed to come up last weekend to spend a couple of days helping him finish off the last of the major fibre glassing, but that unfortunately didn't happen. So that and the rain we have had nearly everyday has put paid to the fibre glassing,. But Craig has kept busy with all the other "little" things that need doing. I am very proud to say that I spent some time in the shed vacuuming up all the dust on the boat and also crawling down into one of the depths of the stern (yes being 5 foot nothing I am the only one who fits now)helping my darling (and I use the term loosely) unscrewing bits and pieces and doing my bit. It was very hot, sticky and itchy and I really wished one of my baby boys were here to do that for their Daddy. But I didn't complain (well not loudly) and we only had one domestic (he told me to screw it one way, but being upside-down it should have been the other way). Our garage looks like a store-room for Whitworths, boxes with all the little bits and pieces needed for the final fitout are laying all over the place, and every time I look I find things that I didn't even know we needed. I think Craig is getting sick of me asking, "what the hell do we need that for?" Craig keeps reminding me that I have to start measuring up for hull lining (which is also stored in the garage) and I always find an excuse; the washing needs doing, the lawn needs mowing, etc, etc. So I will make an oath here for all to testify to that I will do my bit starting this weekend. I am going to hold Sandy to her promise, I'm working all weekend so when I get home on Sunday I will be able to check all the hull lining she has measured and cut ready to fit after painting.