Fill 'er up

Finally the first 40 litres of diesel can be poured into the new diesel tanks aboard Op Hoop van Zegen. First we pressure tested for leaks, not wanting to see all that expensive diesel find it's way into the clean bilges.
Later this week we have the Gulf tanker coming with the next 800 litres.
Next job; lining up the drive train.

Saxophone

While we're busy repairing 'Gina's' roof, our man of steel Jeroen has been making stainless bits and pieces for our cooling system.
It's nice when things happen while you're doing something else.

No more surprises, please. #in

We removed the old window frames and discovered a lot of wet, rotten wood in 'Gina's' roof.
Only one thing to do, get out the saws and cut everything back to solid wood, then start building again.
By yesterday evening we had two of the new windows in, before the end of the day on Thursday we should have it all closed up again; if there are no more surprises.

It's now or never

This is first week of autumn but the forecast for the next few days is good so it's out with the old windows on the Gina and in with the new ones.
Hope it all goes as easy as that.

White MWM/Deutz in our engine room

With an inch to spare we lower the new engine through the skylight into it's new home aboard Op Hoop van Zegen.
Now all we have to do is line it up, attach the reversing gear and shaft, sort the water cooling circuit, exhaust and controls, diesel lines and electrics, ...
A long list but it feels good to have got this far.
Thanks to Willem de Vries for the heavy lifting and Lasserij Groningen for all things steel.

I'm a ned

It took the combined wisdom of the ISAF and the Dutch Yachting Association a while to come to a conclusion but it's now official; though my ISAF code begins with GBR I must sail with NED in my sail.
Thanks to Claudia we now have enough floor space to stick letters on sails at home.

My first flexible engine

Working out how to mount the second alternator and water pump on an engine with flexible mounts is a new problem for me.
Carpenter's solution; make it from wood first!

A small radiator

Back in the rear cabin aboard Steady yesterday with a made to measure box for a tiny convector to keep things warm and dry through the winter. I like the remote thermostat knob; want one of those at home too.
Front panel and piping to follow next week.

Low windage hair

I let Claudia loose with the clippers before joining the best youth Radial sailors this weekend at the United4 series in Workum.
The low windage magic unfortunately worked for one race only. After winning the first race the wind dropped and I couldn't find my rhythm in the lumpy seas.
On Sunday a lack of fitness and a Europe coming backwards over our startline put paid to any chance of holding my eleventh place overnight.
Em had had enough so we retired and got things packed away early. We live to fight another day.
Thanks to United4sailing for letting me join in.

Conclusions; I need more top level starting practise, more hours sailing in waves and more evenings on the hiking bench.

Next stop for TeamKwark; Medemblik for the Open Dutch Championships.

Making metres

With Peter rattling away in what will be the bedroom, getting the lining in on the hull, I'm up a small ladder building what we call 'the engine room' on this houseboat.
By the end of the week the central heating boiler, fuse box and air extractor system will be hanging here and i'll be busy in the bathroom.

Less than 1mm

The existing plate that held our PRM reversing gear onto the old DAF engine wouldn't fit the new Deutz. This was a surprise as the gearbox end of both engines have theoretically the same standard dimensions.
It was our lucky day. Not only did the claw of the lathe just fit inside the opening for the incoming shaft but the large disc just squeezed into the lathe.
As Erik soon discovered the old lip wasn't round, but 3 tenths of a mil. later it was and it now fits perfectly. Next job, engine mounts - we're getting closer.

Bathroom mock up

Aboard 'Gina' we've mocked up the spaces planned for bathroom, toilet and 'engine room' to give the clients an idea of the volume of each of these. Also so that we can check that we have enough space for shower drain, black water pump and central heating unit.