Bought another boat.

Glad to hear it @kashurst 👍
My friend with the plumbing fix was here yesterday, we took him and his wife out on the boat for a couple of hours and had a meal onboard, he is walking a lot better now.

On 2nd June we were coming back from our long weekend in Hasselt, boat was running better than expected

Got her up to 17 knots at about 2000rpm when I went back over the trip data.
:D
 
Well done K !
There’s a scene in the film Walking Tall…after the hero is sliced up by the bad guys…someone says..’he doesn’t need a doctor…he needs a seamstress’. You were lucky to get both !
 
I can't believe this. You won't believe it.
I had the big operation at 8-00 am Monday 2nd June
I sat down in my favorite armchair at home the following Saturday 7th june late afternoon.

The surgeon came to see me last Tuesday morning and said the Op had gone well overall. Two great strong grafts. Big leak a few hours later so they went back in the engine bay again, tightened up a few titanium jubilee clips, installed a bilge pump and topped me up with salt water.
The surgeon is proper Yorkshire. He has declared I am fixed! I will have to find something else to die from. He gave my big toe a hearty shake and said goodbye for now. I will see him again for a review in six weeks and hopefully a sign off. I will take my three favourite boat carpet samples along with me. He can choose, it's the least I can do.

Two days after the op, the drain tubes, etc all came out of the various bilges. There was a very long length of plastic tube that would be handy on the boat but they wouldn't let me keep it. I guess the NHS is like me waste not want not. I guess it's food grade so they want it back. Not cheap that stuff. They probably chuck it in the corner of the theatre just in case. You can never have too much 12mm PVC tube can you? It will be just the right length for another patient. edit: Mind you if they use it for transfering diesel, the poor sod who gets pumped out with it afterwards will spend the rest of his life saying to all and sundry "can you smell diesel?"

The two main scars are remarkably straight. Proper job they must have used a steel ruler. A few days ago about 8 surgeon/registrars came to see me. At one point they asked to see my leg where they took the spare piping from. They got very excited as the stitching is excellent. One asked who did it. Apparently a surgeon called Laura.
Laura clearly has a great future in boat upholstery if the ships surgeon thing doesn't work out.

Anyway, I have six weeks to finish my boat cushions. I will fire up the sewing machine in a week or two. Need to wait for the aneasthetic to completely leave my system. I don't want wobbly piping.

I feel amazing, very hungry all the time. I was fortunately and quite specifically told not eat anything Viago cooked.

Hope you are all well and out boating. Salut!
A pleasing read, GWS 👍

How's that car of yours, has it caught fire yet?
 
A pleasing read, GWS 👍

How's that car of yours, has it caught fire yet?
The car is amazing thank you. BMW i4 astonishingly efficient.
I did have some serious stress whilst in hospital though. MrsA has been driving my EV. MrsA was initially very wary of my BMW i3. Understandably they are a bit unusual. She realised with the Polestar we could actually go long distances and remote charging is simple.

She likes the i4 as a car as it is extremely similar to drive and all the controls etc are the same as her 220i BMW.

Whilst I have been otherwise engaged, MrsA has been driving my electric car, and daughter who is staying with us for a few weeks whilst I recover has been driving her petrol car. Now there in lies my stress problem. MrsA parks by "touch."

I think it best I don't look at my previously pristine alloys for a few weeks.
 
The car is amazing thank you. BMW i4 astonishingly efficient.
I did have some serious stress whilst in hospital though. MrsA has been driving my EV. MrsA was initially very wary of my BMW i3. Understandably they are a bit unusual. She realised with the Polestar we could actually go long distances and remote charging is simple.

She likes the i4 as a car as it is extremely similar to drive and all the controls etc are the same as her 220i BMW.

Whilst I have been otherwise engaged, MrsA has been driving my electric car, and daughter who is staying with us for a few weeks whilst I recover has been driving her petrol car. Now there in lies my stress problem. MrsA parks by "touch."

I think it best I don't look at my previously pristine alloys for a few weeks.
Parks by touch !......she isn’t a yachtswoman by any chance ?
 
Well I survived the operation, and nearly eight weeks later I am now "fixed". An incredible experience and a big thanks to the NHS and all involved.
Anyway, back to business again. Next week I am allowed to start doing heavier stuff and will hopefully be back on board. Meanwhile over the last 10 days I have got the sewing machine back out and been busy making new cushions for the external seating etc. Here are the first two. Not perfect a bit of puckering along the edges which I am struggling to stop. Tried thinner needles, basting tape - you name it. But once I do the final assembly I end up with some puckering at the edges. Never mind they will do and I will hopefully get better as I go along. The cloth is quite shiny and catches the light which doesn't help. However once someone is sitting on them you won't be able to notice - so sorted.

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In the interests of continuing to spend as little as possible the foam is from the old garden cushions - which is how I got into the idea of trying to make my own, MrsA wanted the garden seats cushions re-doing. Being of the Yorkshire persausion I thought it would be cheaper to have the old ones recovered. Err no, by a long way. It was much cheaper to buy new ones! However along the way I did get an idea of how much boat upholstery costs so I thought I would have a go myself. Fortunately the old cushion foam inserts are in good condition and have been re-homed into my new DIY boat cushions.
The cloth is from these people. No connection just good value stuff. My Singer 4411 can sew through six layers of it easily too - which is why I picked it. Well that and the jolly colour. It's not going to the Med and the UK UV levels are pretty low so I suspect it will last quite a few years. Waterproof Outdoor Upholstery Canvas Fabric with UV Resistant and Fire Retardant Coatings
 
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Well I am now officially back to normal so have been pressing on. We now have working toilet (bugger of a job took 2 days wrestling with 38mm waste pipe etc), taps, sinks, hot water. fresh water tank sender and working gauge etc. I was surprised/relieved to discover the immersion heater still works too. Getting close to carpet fitting.
Bathroom is pretty much done, just waiting for the space under the sink to dry out properly after todays plumbing activities. 50% chance of getting the hot/cold connections to the taps the wrong way around. With great skill I managed to connect both taps wrong. So pulled the push fit fittings apart to swap them over and made a bit of a puddle. Very pleased with the bamboo slatted floor - Wickes (again) No idea how long it will last but it didn't cost very much. Three separate bamboo shower step thingies cut to shape via a cardboard template with clear silicon bump stops between them to maintain the correct distance apart.

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The ceiling, lights etc are all up and in too. Light is in a bit of an odd place but it was the only place with enough room above it. There is a similar grey wood effect door for the cupboard under the sink too. Then MrsA can fill it with stuff we probably will never need.

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Well I am now officially back to normal so have been pressing on. We now have working toilet (bugger of a job took 2 days wrestling with 38mm waste pipe etc), taps, sinks, hot water etc. I was surprised/reliveed to discover the immersion heater still works too. Getting close to carpet fitting.
Bathroom is pretty much done, just waiting for the space under teh sink to dry out properly after todays plumbing activities. Very pleased with the bamboo slatted floor - Wickes (again) No idea how longit will last but it didn't cost very much. Three separate bamboo shower thingies cut to shape via a cardboard template.

Someone that fit should be working on my boat !
 
That is some top quality wrap work there! Looking amazing mate. Now…for balance…..will that floor creak when you walk on it….are you going to provide slippers for all users of the unmentionable compartment?
 
That is some top quality wrap work there! Looking amazing mate. Now…for balance…..will that floor creak when you walk on it….are you going to provide slippers for all users of the unmentionable compartment?
Yes I am a big DC fix fan now. Trying not to overdo it as it is very tempting to just keep wrapping bits.
The bamboo floor doesn't creak - much to my surprise. It comes fitted with small rubbery feet to stop it sliding about. What it has done is essentially reinforce the bathroom floor. The floor proper is a fibreglass moulding and its a bit thin really and you can feel it flex a bit as you step/walk on it. The bamboo grids only contact at the edges where the fibreglass is stronger so as a result (just luck) the floor feels more substantial. Downside is head room is a tad lower and it wasn't great to begin with. So I recomend "sitting down".
 
You dark horse - when did you start that project? Is it a Fairline 36?
The textured vinyl looks excellent. How long did it take to do? Have you recovered the ceiling panels in the forward bedroom, they look in very good condition?
 
You dark horse - when did you start that project? Is it a Fairline 36?
The textured vinyl looks excellent. How long did it take to do? Have you recovered the ceiling panels in the forward bedroom, they look in very good condition?
Sedan 36. I’m running silent running deep on this one.

Might do a thread in the winter on the journey.

Done the whole interior in 6 weeks (whilst working full time) a few before and afters. Roof linings are in great condition on the whole so nothing done except changed all the down lighters to cob led. £1.16 each on AliExpress 🤣IMG_3773.jpegIMG_3799.jpegIMG_3847.jpegIMG_3921.jpegIMG_4040.jpegIMG_4093.jpegIMG_4139.jpegIMG_2856.jpeg

That last photo looks great doesn’t it. 15 mins later I was stuck in gear and came back in on one engine…gear cable snapped. My own fault…fitted new Morse controls and set the throw too long 🤣🤣

So sorry for the drift…at least it’s the same brand and era
 
Sedan 36. I’m running silent running deep on this one.

Might do a thread in the winter on the journey.

Done the whole interior in 6 weeks (whilst working full time) a few before and afters. Roof linings are in great condition on the whole so nothing done except changed all the down lighters to cob led. £1.16 each on AliExpress 🤣View attachment 198246View attachment 198247View attachment 198248View attachment 198249View attachment 198250View attachment 198251View attachment 198252View attachment 198253

That last photo looks great doesn’t it. 15 mins later I was stuck in gear and came back in on one engine…gear cable snapped. My own fault…fitted new Morse controls and set the throw too long 🤣🤣

So sorry for the drift…at least it’s the same brand and era

You work impressively quickly, I have spent more than 6 weeks purely thinking about parts of mine 😂
 
I have been a busy boy this last week. Got loads done. Nearly finished! Carpeted everywhere. Outside no longer has any stripes. Galley lights and machinery all working.

F30Uois.jpeg


LX4wvg0.jpeg


The kick panels below the cupboards are now all wrapped etc
There is still a few jobs to do/finish. Bedside lights need fitting to the new headboard. A few bits of skirting board in the saloon and some small bits of trim and vent panels need screwing back on. Still haven't fully serviced the engines but all the bits and belts arrived this week so it will be soon. Finish assembling the new sofa bed and hang some curtains.
 
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