SadlerBootwerk

14 drawers up and running #in

2012-01-27T16:04:00.001+01:00

A kitchen unit full of self closing plywood drawers.

Mmmmm .... chocolate

2012-01-25T17:26:00.001+01:00

More drawers

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001+01:00

I've lost count of how many drawers we've made in the last six months.
I'm sure Kroon, who supply the Hettich runners, could tell me though.

I couldn't 've done it alone

2012-01-12T22:16:00.001+01:00

Imke sands that little spot half way up the door that I must have missed.

Follow that kitchen

2012-01-11T15:40:00.001+01:00

I loaded the car with tools and set off early this morning, heading West towards Zaandam where Dankbaarheid is now moored and where I could find the last kitchen, fit the drawers and hang the doors.

Non-slip bathroom

2012-01-07T17:06:00.001+01:00

Final bit of painting done in the bathroom with a non slip area on the shower floor. ( No it's not; I'd forgotten the doors. Oh well :)

Tide is high

2012-01-04T22:07:00.001+01:00

Heavy rains have left the water level in the Hoendiep higher than we have ever seen it before. The mooring piles get shorter every day.

(Ply)wooden drawers

2011-12-23T09:50:00.001+01:00

An aerial view of Claudia sanding the plywood drawers for the Dankbaarheid kitchen.

Big tug for IJsselmeer crossing

2011-12-22T09:46:00.001+01:00

The Anna 7 arrived shortly after the last screw was driven to take 'Dankbaarheid' to her new home in Zaandam.
We'll follow her in the New Year with the drawers, fronts and doors to finish what we started.

Ship shape

2011-12-22T09:42:00.001+01:00

On Monday we got the kitchen cabinets in place and fixed down so that Eddie could cross the IJsselmeer to Zaandam with 'Dankbaarheid'.

Day of rest?

2011-12-18T20:41:00.001+01:00

Me working on a Sunday?
Must be very unusual circumstances.

Save the best for last

2011-12-16T12:52:00.001+01:00

Of course cabinet number 10 is the most difficult.

(sounds like there's a UK political joke in there somewhere)

5 down, 5 to go. #in

2011-12-15T10:28:00.001+01:00

50 percent of the cupboards are now aboard Dankbaarheid.

One week kitchen

2011-12-12T18:19:00.001+01:00

With a week to get everything aboard and assembled, we've both been working on the kitchen for 'Dankbaarheid' today.
By the way, Dankbaarheid translates as Gratefulness or Thankfulness.

My first jointer*

2011-12-10T14:21:00.001+01:00

Not strictly true but our borrowed jointer has gone back to it's rightful owner and I've bought a 3-meter long Hoffmann jointer, 1960's model.

* We have 2 jointers on combination machines but this is the first dedicated joiner I've ever owned, and probably the last.

Inside and out

2011-12-08T22:02:00.001+01:00

While I glue up four pieces of Guariuba to make a compass window for 'Dankbaarheid', Claudia has set to work sawing birch plywood that will become kitchen cabinets in the hold of the same barge.

Eddie's windows

2011-12-05T19:57:00.001+01:00

Marja's windows too, of course.
The picture Eddie took can be seen on their Dankbaarheid weblog at zeldzaamheid.nl

Overhead cabinets #in

2011-11-25T11:09:00.001+01:00

With a little help in the lifting department from me, Claudia hangs her new kitchen cabinets on the outside wall of the new bathroom.
Then I sawed holes in the lower cupboards for the sink drains and water pipes.

Tents are up, down to work

2011-11-18T13:57:00.001+01:00

With the temperature below freezing at night and the days grey and not much warmer I've spent the last couple of days building plastic tented areas in the workshop.
Now I have the tents ready and the heaters on I can get back to the windows for 'Dankbaarheid' and epoxy on the walnut worktops.

A tale of two kitchens

2011-11-15T09:04:00.001+01:00

Having reduced our living space to the bare minimum by building the new bathroom before tearing down the old one we have now made our lives almost impossible by placing the first four kitchen cabinets on what was almost the last open piece of floor.
We're certainly going to be spending the long winter evenings close together.

Up to a certain point

2011-11-11T15:05:00.001+01:00

So far the window job has been production line stuff. Four top bits, four bottom bits, eight side bits, all with a 15mm rebate for glass.
Next week it's time for the complicated angles.

Four windows

2011-11-10T14:37:00.001+01:00

Started work on the four windows for the rear cabin on 'Dankbaarheid'.
Of course nothing is square and as Eddie want's to do everything as it was done 100 years ago it seemed wise to knock up a dummy from a bit of pine before going to work with the expensive wood.
We solved a couple of problems and learnt something new. Now back to work.

Gluing up walnut planks

2011-11-07T15:39:00.001+01:00

Getting a bit ahead of myself here, but the glued up planks will be just as easy to store and I thought I'd better put them together while I could remember which one has to go where.

Looks familiar?

2011-11-02T13:45:00.001+01:00

Another 2 meters aboard Op Hoop van Zegen scraped and greased before the floor of the new kitchen gets screwed into place.

Back aboard

2011-10-24T17:29:00.001+02:00

The 'Watergeus' is back and Peter and I are once again folded up under the rear deck working on cupboard doors and benches.

Claudia's Ferrari

2011-10-16T15:22:00.001+02:00

On our way with Em to the half-term Optimist training camp.
Kwark safely strapped onto the roofrack of our new 1996 Golf Estate. Rolling Stones 'Voodoo Lounge' edition (as if that makes it cooler :)

Army bathroom

2011-10-13T18:45:00.001+02:00

The 2K primer for thebathroom said yellow/green on the tin, and was to be a good undercoat colour for the orange top coat.
Mixed, it's the colour of an armoured car. Actually quite nice, though a bit strange for a bathroom.
Hope we don't get problems with the orange.

199.998 to go. #in

2011-10-12T13:49:00.001+02:00

This morning I hung doors and drawer fronts to finish a second Laser sailor's kitchen.
with sail numbers in the 200-thousands this might be an avenue worth pursuing.

Won't forget Steve Jobs

2011-10-07T10:23:00.001+02:00

"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma -- which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

A grand day out

2011-09-29T08:46:00.001+02:00

We couldn't have asked for better weather for the door job on the 'Nicolaas Mulerius' in the Zuiderhaven in Groningen. Jeroen fires up the angle grinder and we're up and running.

Good news first

2011-09-27T13:38:00.001+02:00

The good news is that the doors fit the frame just right and close quietly against the rubber strips.

The bad news is that the previously trusty Asser Glas en Verf have let me down (twice) on the delivery of the glass. I'll now fit the doors on Thursday but have to go back in the weekend to put the glass in.

And who pays for that? Piggy-in-the-middle.

Em Club Champion 2011

2011-09-26T10:04:00.001+02:00

Em recieving the trophy and burgee as winner of the Summer Season competition for Optimists at VWDTP.
Next year Team Kwark goes National. This means a lot more kilometers for the team driver.

It's such a perfect day

2011-09-24T10:18:00.001+02:00

... so while Claudia cycles to the market I've removed the hatches.
The roof of the new bathroom container will get a final sanding and a first coat of paint today, while we enjoy the late summer weather.

Good morning Groningen

2011-09-23T11:35:00.001+02:00

I'm not so happy that it's almost dark when my alarm goes off in the morning, but the sun coming up as I walk the dog is a pretty good way to start the day.

I'm done

2011-09-22T16:47:00.001+02:00

But as everyone knows it never works out like that.
Got the lock fitted in it's mortise, the hinges in little rebates and then the last bits and pieces fitted and glued up.
Tomorrow a bit of sanding and the first coat of varnish can go on. The frame has had all four coats of undercoat varnish.
Lets hope it all fits together next week. Somehow things never quite go together the way they were when you took them apart.

Am I on the line?

2011-09-18T16:00:00.001+02:00

Today we practised getting on the line and staying on with the kids from the VWDTP OptiTeam.
Here we are doing a dry run in the classroom, learning about transits through the pin end buoy.

All glued up

2011-09-15T14:07:00.001+02:00

Got the doors together with plenty of glue (except where the panels are loose in their rebates).
Now on to the fiddly bits.

Tenon and Mortise

2011-09-15T10:55:00.001+02:00

Tenon and mortise sounds magical, could be a shop on Diagon Alley in a Harry Potter book.
The Dutch call it 'pen en gat' - pin and hole. Can't get more down to earth than that. Though the mortising tool I use is called a 'square hole drill' here.
Maybe a bit of magic after all.
These are the new doors for the klipper 'Nicolaas Mulerius'.

Surprisingly difficult

2011-09-08T16:48:00.001+02:00

I knew the new doors for the klipper Nicolaas Mulerius weren't going to be easy, but I had allowed for that.
What I hadn't reckoned on was how much trouble I would have making the new door frame to fit the existing opening.
One of our clients always says 'see it as a challenge' in a situation like this.

Sail camp Neptunus

2011-08-19T17:51:00.001+02:00

No card for us (@birg ;)
Not a big surprise, but photo proof that at least Em hasn't been starving.
Had hoped for evidence of a bit of sailing, though we'll hear all the stories when we pick her up from Zeilschool Neptunus tomorrow.

Open top

2011-08-15T11:20:00.001+02:00

With Em and Jip off for a week's sailing in Friesland we've got the hatches off to be able to trim the bathroom roof to size and cut the window openings.
If it'll just stay dry for the rest of the day...

Fillet meditation

2011-08-11T14:58:00.001+02:00

Mix epoxy, add filler, put into bag, squeeze into corner, round off, mix new epoxy, add filler ... again and again and again.

Thirteen years later

2011-08-10T22:25:00.001+02:00

In 1998 we bought a broken mast from a sailing barge, squared it up and planed it round again to become a loading mast for our barge.
We then had a daughter, moved to Gouda, then Groningen and lots more. Slowly though we've been working towards the point where our barge will have a mast and boom again.
This weekend we drilled the hole for the large bolt through the tabernacle and slid the mast into place. We're a long way from getting the mast upright but still moving gently in the right direction.

Bathroom sanding #in

2011-08-09T13:30:00.001+02:00

Second day of epoxy sanding in the bathroom.
A quick check round friends and colleagues suggests I'm the only person in the world who actually enjoys sanding.
Any other happy sanders out there?

A prize for a year

2011-08-04T20:55:00.001+02:00

What really pleased Em the most, on receiving the Optimist A prize at Schildweek 2011, was discovering the engraved names of her two favourite trainers Thomas and Jelmer on it, both past winners.

O brother, wherfore art thou?

2011-07-28T09:09:00.001+02:00

If you don't dare to make mistakes you'll never do anything new.
Having said which, putting black colouring in the second epoxy layer on my new boom wasn't a success. What I had hoped would give it a modern carbon-like look leaves it looking like a piece of impregnated pine you would buy at the local garden centre for a fence post.
No time to do anything about it as we are off to the Schildweek in an hour's time, but when we get home I'll sand it back to bare wood and start again.
Unless of course it turns out to be a very fast fence post.

Solar energy has arrived

2011-07-27T18:52:00.002+02:00

A combination of some fine carpentry on Claudia's part and some fairly simple wiring on mine means we now have 2.5 m2 of solar panels on the roof of the wheelhouse.
On connection they happily started pushing 14 amps into the houshold batteries. Tomorrow we're off for a week's sailing at Schildweek, where the new panels can earn their keep.

Sneek - Leeuwarden #boadskipper

2011-07-23T08:45:00.001+02:00

Boom again

2011-07-21T10:22:00.001+02:00

Trial fit. Sail fits new boom perfectly. More epoxy and varnish then ready to race.

Stainless steel magic by Sjemstra.

On it's way

2011-07-21T09:16:00.001+02:00

The new tiller is on it's way to Zeeland to be attached to the boat, which will the sail North to Terschelling.

IJsselmeer Optimist crossing

2011-07-21T07:14:00.000+02:00

The GPS tracks of the Optimists, who sailed from buoy to buoy, and the Splashes [typical teenagers] as they crossed the IJsselmeer from Medemblik to Workum last Saturday.

Leaving Medemblik Regatta Centre. As they made the 15 NMile crossing the wind picked up and the sea state was very different when they arrived on the lee shore at Workum.

photo and gps thanks: Iris Sappé

One dimension at a time

2011-07-20T11:45:00.001+02:00

Broken tiller

2011-07-20T10:19:00.002+02:00

'Help, I've broken my tiller and I'm going on holiday next weekend'.
Step one - planing and glueing a new ash blank.

Big Boom Theory

2011-07-19T12:51:00.001+02:00

New 16m2 boom is coming along nicely. Reckon it'll be finished just in time for Schildweek.
'Boom' (rhymes with home) in Dutch means tree.

Big Brother

2011-07-18T16:45:00.001+02:00

As of lunchtime today we're sending out an AIS signal, required by new European law for ships longer than 20 meters.
Now everyone can see where we are all of the time.
www.marinetraffic.com
What's it good for? Search me.

Is this summer?

2011-07-15T10:26:00.001+02:00

Wet, windy and grey as we wait for the Oostersluis to open on our way back to the UTD.

LED lights

2011-07-04T15:53:00.001+02:00

These LED lights from Klemko are still my favourite. We've used them on a number of projects, starting with the Cinclus, and now at last get to use them on our own barge.
At 1.2 watts they are more than 15 times as efficient as halogen spotlights, no problems with warmth (degrees C nor light colour) and a hundred times more pleasing to look at.

(at last I've worked out how to put links in my mobile posts - I hope :)

Just here

2011-07-03T11:18:00.001+02:00

Brother David's take on our short lived attempt to become North Nederland Champions in the 16m2.
photothanks to Luwe Strooisma

Boom

2011-07-01T14:51:00.001+02:00

Glueing up a new boom for the 16m2 to replace the one I broke with David during the North Netherlands Champs.
The PRO measured the wind at 6 gusting 8 - too much for the forty year old boom.

Slow coffee

2011-07-01T09:20:00.001+02:00

Fifteen years of living aboard Op Hoop van Zegen and still not finished building?
Time for a cup of hand wound coffee.

IBA wired up

2011-06-22T16:25:00.001+02:00

Spent yesterday and today getting the four pumps and their switches in place and wired up.
All working and switching now so a couple more details and the IBA (individuele behandelunit afvalwater - individual waste water cleaning unit) will be up and running.

Location:Gideonweg,Groningen,Netherlands

A new bathroom

2011-06-13T09:41:00.001+02:00

The first wall of our new bathroom is in. Only all the rest to do now.
We're building a new bathroom to connect to our new mobile sewage plant that will enable us to tie up all over the place and still comply with the European sewage laws.
Next up this summer are solar panels and a wind generator to keep everything running when we're away from our home mooring.

Location:Oude Roodehaansterweg,Groningen,Netherlands

That's quick

2011-06-05T16:54:00.001+02:00

The computer desk we installed on Wednesday has been painted and varnished, wired for electricity and the computer and printer installed.
Always nice when clients work as hard as we do to make our work look good.

Location:Winschoterweg,Groningen,Netherlands

#DYR Day 3

2011-06-05T16:51:00.001+02:00

So many RIBs here and the 4 meter 50 boat we went out in this morning is one of the small ones.
We watched one race and then returned to shore.
Probably Em's worst race to date and nowhere close to her 26th. place yesterday afternoon.
She wanted to make the Gold fleet but will have to have done better in races 2 and 3 to get there.

#DYR Day Four

2011-06-05T16:38:00.001+02:00

Home from Workum, Dutch Youth Regatta 2011, Em's first international event.
Thanks to coaches Han Beverwijk and Menno Sonnema who helped Em through the chaos of 450 Optimists and taught her lots about big fleet sailing and racing in waves and wind.
Em was happy with her 28th place in the Benjamin Silver fleet. Team Kwark will be back next year to race with the big guys.

DYR Day 2

2011-06-03T11:08:00.001+02:00

The white stripe on the horizon is the 150 Optimists in the white and purple fleets.
Em started the day slightly dissapointed as yesterday's first race seems to have been thrown out on rule 32.1(e) leacing her with a 48th in second race.
Another great day of sun, wind and waves and 3 races planned.

Day 1

2011-06-02T13:17:00.001+02:00

Em and 449 other Optimists head out onto the IJsselmeer for the first day of the DYR.

Workum here we come

2011-06-01T15:31:00.001+02:00

On our way to Workum. This week Em sails in the Optimist Nationals at the Dutch Youth Regatta.
Big Team Kwark thanks to Gijs P. - NED 2314 - who has lent Em his reserve mast for the event to replace the one that was broken last weekend.

Half mast

2011-05-29T17:52:00.001+02:00

On the way in, after two days of more than 20 knot winds while training at Workum for the Dutch Youth Regatta, Em's mast went overboard.
Fortunately nobody was hurt and the boat is undamaged but we have to find a replacement before measuring starts on Wednesday evening.

A song from trainer Frans

2011-05-23T12:06:00.001+02:00

Trainer Frans leads the Optimist A kids in 'Happy Birthday to you'.
A well earned 'Hip, hip, hooray' for Em who finished as second girl and 8th. overall in a weekend of very testing conditions.

Olympic Em

2011-05-20T18:28:00.001+02:00

Just collected a tired Em from two days of Olympic games with all the 5th. classes of the Northern Steiner schools.

Tomorrow an early start for two days of Optimist sailing in Heeg.

(Baby you can) Drive my car

2011-05-20T10:14:00.001+02:00

We left our 16m2 tied to the jetty in front of Jaap's lakeside hut, looking as if they were made for each other.
This weekend the 16m2 class celebrates it's 80th. birthday with a three day event and almost 100 boats at our club on the Paterswoldsemeer.
Us, we'll be watching Em sail her first Optimist Combi of 2011 in the A group on the Heegermeer.

Which is why we've lent the big boat to Jaap. Can't have her missing rhe big party.

European pudding

2011-05-15T20:15:00.001+02:00

English shortbread, Greek yoghurt and rhubarb from Katrien's garden in Westerwijtwerd.
European pudding indeed. Mmm.

Printer cupboard for Parcival

2011-05-13T19:45:00.001+02:00

Claudia makes sure that the printer still fits in its cupboard before marking up and sawing the lid and table for a computer desk aboard ms Parcival.

2011 starts now

2011-05-11T15:23:00.001+02:00

At last I have time, sun, wind and two thumbs so I'll glue up one more drawer then it's off to the club for a couple of hours of Laser tacks and gybes.

Hanging cupboards

2011-05-11T08:26:00.001+02:00

The cupboards in Harry's kitchen will hang from a steel frame that supports the concrete worktop. We've borrowed a lo-tech solution from the cupboards in Harry's laboratory.

Jip brings us safely home

2011-04-25T18:30:00.001+02:00

Another quiet evening

2011-04-22T07:39:00.001+02:00

While waiting for the wind Trainer Mark, Dutch national champion in the Splash, gives the Optimist A's some extra racing tips.
the wind did turn up, though a bit late.

Early start

2011-04-21T08:02:00.001+02:00

Another beautiful morning. Early start, big red sun, fifth cupboard for Harry's Kitchen then coffee and further aboard 'Watergeus'.

Team Kwark announces sponsor for 2011

2011-04-09T19:34:00.002+02:00

It's official. Sponsor deal includes transport, lodgings, diet, clothing and boat preparation.
www.sadlerbootwerk.nl

Beginning to make sense

2011-04-08T10:35:00.001+02:00

All the pre-curved pieces of the eggshell-like jigsaw puzzle start to come together below the rear deck of the 'Watergeus'.

Quantum mechanics

2011-04-03T22:00:00.001+02:00

Having pushed Em out to train in her Optimist we hurried to the workshop. Here we washed a winters worth of sawdust off the 16m2, rolled her outside and put up our new Quantum main and Jib.
They cost an arm and a leg but look very smart, with green emblem and sail numbers. The theory is that they will be better suited to our light weight, being able to twist off earlier as the wind increases.
Will this work in practice?

DTP OptiTeam ready for 2011 #in

2011-03-30T06:43:00.001+02:00

Thanks to Tom's dad for the photos and Gijs and Pim's dad for being the motor behind the sailing team.

Watergeus Returns

2011-03-29T13:00:00.001+02:00

Having spent the winter insulating, Marieke and Bas are back with us and we'll spend the next month turning the space below the rear deck into their bedroom.
#in

Training for what?

2011-03-27T17:51:00.001+02:00

Another lovely spring day here at the VWDTP for OptiTeam training.

Up

2011-03-27T17:14:00.001+02:00

Em bakes pancakes for High Tea in tomorrow's English class.

Last two days

2011-03-24T06:49:00.001+01:00

On the No Limit all the veneer runs horizontally, or on flat surfaces stem to stern.
The challenge here was to get it to run through all the galley doors.
Two days left before we hand over to the paint crew.

Sneek spring

2011-03-20T12:24:00.001+01:00

Trainer Frans follow the Optimist A's downwind as they gybe on the whistle.
The sun shines, the wind blows and the season has started.

Brains in a cupboard

2011-03-17T10:42:00.001+01:00

Instead of a whole row of fuses all wiring aboard the NoLimit leads back to this cupboard, where programmed chips run the light switches, circuit breakers, pilot, positioning and just about everything else.
You could almost stay home and let the boat sail off on it's own. Is this progress?

Found the monkey

2011-03-12T19:01:00.001+01:00

Em's new shoes

2011-03-06T17:53:00.001+01:00

Saturday Em bought new sport shoes.
'Will you run with me Dad?'
I dug out my old running shoes and we've just completed our first mile together (in 16 minutes - but it's a start :)
Now we've got a joint Runkeeper on my iPhone.

Anti-slip cat

2011-02-28T17:02:00.001+01:00

I built a dust-free tent around Em's Optimist and put in a coat of anti-slip paint.
When I went back a few hours later to turn the heater off I found four paws neatly printed in the fresh paint. Bloody cat.
Em thought this was really funny and I'm not allowed to redo the paint job now.

What's it all for?

2011-02-24T13:35:00.001+01:00

The first planks that Peter delivered have become a flight of stairs aboard the NL24.

How to make Peter happy

2011-02-24T10:38:00.001+01:00

Give him a trailer load of wood and sharp tools and he starts to smile. Here he's just beginning to plane the wood we need for the door frames, stairs and other bits and pieces on the No Limit yacht.

Puzzled

2011-02-16T13:44:00.001+01:00

First the small white cupboard has to fit the opening in the bed bulkhead. This supports the microwave cupboard; the open door of which decides how wide the staircase can be and how many steps. The microwave has to slide in and out too.
Glad to have sorted that out.

Worktops

2011-02-02T17:45:00.001+01:00

Today the moulds were collected fot the kitchen worktop, bathroom floors and cupboard tops and toilet floors. They will be copied in Merlan, a sort of epoxy stone if I've understood it right, and will be delivered in five weeks time. We should have most of the interior finished by then, if ... don't tempt fate Sadler.

Kom maar op!

2011-01-31T10:51:00.001+01:00

On my way to the hospital to get my thumb unstitched.
Advice from the family cowboy, 'Just be brave, Dad.'

Bathroom 2.0

2011-01-30T16:56:00.001+01:00

This weekend we have started work on a new bathroom.
Because we plan to build the second one before dismantling the first, we'll soon have a house full of bathrooms and nowhere for the dining table.

Dough machine

2011-01-27T16:16:00.001+01:00

Em and Jip make pizza dough.
At six they have to be at the sailing club for the second junior theory evening with our top trainers Thomas Slijkhuis and Jelmer van Beek.

Left handed bookkeeping

2011-01-25T11:34:00.001+01:00

Doing the bookkeeping and getting my tax return in for the last quarter of 2010.
Another single handed job done.