Busy, Busy, Busy.

Wednesday.

having moored up earlier, there was no time like the present to get on with some jobs. With us being moored up for a few days so that I can get some jobs done on the boat, it was time to set to work and the first thing to get my attention was the bow locker cover. The white paint had been cracking for a few months and the old paint was showing through, so I scrapped away all the loose paint and gave it a good old going over with a wire brush.

Then I rubbed it down.

First coat of primer/undercoat.

The hinges then got a coat of red undercoat. That was it for the day as I waited for the paint to dry.

Thursday.

We were up a little earlier than of late in order to make a start on the boat jobs. First on the list for the day, was the stern fenders.

Keith and I then took our old stern fenders off, because they have seen better days. They have lasted 6 years so they have paid for themselves. Before doing any more work, I made us a coffee and got the chairs out, so we could relax for five minutes in the sunshine. There were plenty of boats on the move, so I was kind of glad we were stationary.

 

With the fenders off, I then got on with painting the first white gloss coat to the bow locker. By the time this was done it was time for some lunch, I made us some hotdogs and a coffee, which were enjoyed in the sunshine.

Lunch enjoyed it was back to work. With the stern clear, I got on with painting the blue and later in the day the red.

It is all looking lovely and fresh now. The bow locker cover was dry so I managed to get a coat of red gloss on the hinges and so now it is looking lovely.

Paint work done for the day, I got on with cleaning the brass and then polished the towpath side of the cabin. A very busy old day for me and I was feeling pooped, so a nice hot shower was called for.

Whilst we were busy with the boat jobs we did have some entertainment, with a plane taking off from the field opposite. The plane later returned to the strip. Earlier on a microlite took off but never returned.

Friday.

Over night we had some rain, but by the time we were up the sun was out, so Paddy enjoyed his run along the towpath. After breakfast, I wiped down the paint work I did yesterday to get rid of the droplets of rain. I needed to get a final coat on so drying the paint work off and the help of the sun soon got the surfaces dry enough for me to put the final gloss coats on the stern and bow.

I am pretty happy with the way they have both gone, although it is not a professional job, so no one should look to close. As my Nan would have said “A blind man would be glad to see it”. Whilst that all dried, I turned my attention to the engine room floor, which had not been painted for a good three years, so I emptied the engine room of its bits of bobs, got down to scrubbing the floor with the wire brush and I used a scrapper to get rid of larger loose paint. After rubbing the floor down, I gave it its first coat of red deck paint.

Whilst I left the floor to dry, I looked out of the engine room door and looming large was the cloud of doom. Yes there was a hunking great black cloud heading my way and I was fearful of it raining on my nice new paint work. I stood on the towpath and begged the cloud not to cry all over the wet paint and I was heard because there was no more than a few drops of rain as the cloud of doom passed over head, phew was I ever so grateful.

With all the painting done for the day, after lunch I got on with sweeping the saloon chimney ready for Winter. Keith did have to give me a hand because I could not unblock the chimeny, there appeared to be a mass half way down the chimney which would not give way, to we used a large crowbar to see if that would shift it, Keith even used a sledgehammer on it as well. I used a flue brush from the other direction and eventually hey presto we were through and a large amount of soot fell into the fire place. I then had the lovely job of cleaning up the mess. To get rid of the smell of soot, Keith lit a Joss Stick, with the smell of white musk wafting through the boat, a much nicer smell than soot. Chimney swept, I moved some coal in the hold, to free up some space at the bow, so that we can get to our wood store when the time comes. I also need to find some empty oil cans ready for an engine oil change, which is due to take place very soon, we like to change the oil every 200 hours on both the engine and the generator.

After all that I have done over the past couple of days I am feeling ever so slightly shattered, but very happy with the work achieved so far.

On that note I wish you a very good weekend, mine will be spent doing more painting.