I’ve been hard at it again today, well, at least after a lazy morning but it is Sunday, so I’ll let myself off.
Steve popped down to the boat yard to give me some books, then ended up being roped into helping me get the mast up. I’m glad that’s done now. I’ve got my cockpit back and I can start on fitting the new instruments now.
My new switch panel
The picture above is my new switch panel. I made the front cover out of GRP, and Steve gave me free use of his workshop (and wood) to make the frame. This will house all Kudu’s electrics, as well as the new Nasa battery monitor.
I’ve filled the hole where the old seacock was, and sanded it back, so it’s ready for a final gel coat tomorrow. The other day, Steve came down and fitted the new bow roller. What a pain in the backside that job was. I had to get into the anchor locker on Kudu, and that’s not a very nice place. There’s no ventilation, and it’s tiny, and very hot. I contorted and stretched until I could get my hand up to the forward most bolts on the roller, and get the washers and nuts on. I then clamped then with the mould grips and Steve screwed from the outside. Since I took this picture I have finished the bow off with a rather fetch “Rescue Orange”.
New bow roller
That is one substantial bit of kit! The whole metal work and engineering theory is fascinating, and I keep finding myself popping across town to the Kiss Works workshop, and pestering Steve with questions. How does that work? What’s that do? etc. He was making a pushpit today, and I couldn’t resist to opportunity to watch the welding, since I’ve never seen anything being welded before. I mean, I’ve been under cars with oxyacetylene torches before, but I’ve never seen a TIG welder in action. I grabbed a spare welders mask, and watched on, as the green screen turned to black as soon as it detected the piercing white light. You still can’t really see anything though, just a white light.
Nath the Welder... although, maybe not. I was just watching.
Kudu is coming back together though. Not long now, and when she’s finished I’ll be happy in the knowledge that she’s totally safe and ready for the rest of the trip. I’m not gong to be ever so happy about leaving Wells though. This place is beautiful. The sun has been shining this afternoon, with a sea fog hovering on the horizon, shrouded trees on the coast. The sandy creeks, and proper working boats all make it a tranquil place to be, but the people really set it apart from the rest. Everybody I speak to, from shop keepers to local fisherman and residents, are friendly and welcoming. It’s such a refreshing place to be.
I was on Rob’s boat on the quay the other day after we had fish and chips, and ended up showing the most pleasant and well behaved 7 year old girl on the boat rafted next to us, how to tie a spinner on the fishing rod she had. Small distractions like that seem to fill the day, and reduce life to a perfectly peaceful pace. I am the poorest I’ve ever been at the moment, but I don’t care. I’m far too content to let anything worry me.
Still, I hear Whitby is even nicer, so my time here must soon end. I will be back though, I’m certain of it.
Nice bow roller – got any more pics I can rob from you?
I’ll be uploading some when I get the chance. I’ve got more work on than I can shake a stick at. At night I’ve been doing web development, in the day I’m working on the boat, or, like today, somebody else’s. I should stop taking extra work on :p