WEEK SIXTY NINE

 

Wendera

 

 

What a bonanza this week has been.  We can all see that there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel.  The boy’s comment when they saw Wendera on Friday really sums up how we are all feeling.  To quote them “Wow, we really have a boat now!”

But my excitement has got me ahead of things….

The week started out with more of the same – sanding.  On Monday the weather was blustery and rainy, but the weather forecast was looking promising for some painting towards the end of the week. So plans were made to evacuate the family for the evening of Thursday (thanks Zoe and Brad for your continued hospitality and patience), so painting could be done on the cockpit.

On Tuesday evening Tim and Paul installed the cockpit and anchor locker drain covers.

  The Cockpit drains

 

 

The starboard side ensuite and main cabin were painted with undercoat on Wednesday, after the obligatory masking. 

   

   The paint gun.

Notice the ventilation tubing, to ensure Chris does not get asphyxiated, the unit that Ben assembled and Paul modified.

                          

 

After the paint had dried, what do you think we found???? Remember the bane of our existence? Those PINHOLES again! So the discolouration / marks you see on the paint is the filling bog.

The masking Thursday before the painting of the cockpit seemed to take forever, but a necessary exercise to ensure a clean finish.

 

Paul and Chris celebrated with German beers.  This is fast becoming yet another tradition with Wendera - paint Thursday then drink German beers! But doesn’t she look beautiful?

 

I’ll enlighten you with all the routines/traditions associated with the build of Wendera …

Tuesday	Eagle Boys $4.95 Pizza
Thursday	German Beer after Painting
Friday	Salt & Vinegar Chips and Beer Happy Hour Dinner at the Nelson Bay Bowling Club (affectionately known as the Bowlo)
Saturday	McDonald’s lunch

On Saturday Paul and the boys installed the lights in the cockpit roof and the LED lights in the cockpit furniture.  What a momentous occasion – turning on the first lights!

 

On a roll, they then installed the engine vent baffle boxes that Pop (John) built during his “back breaking” boat building apprenticeship.

Building a boat sometimes involves contorting yourself into some awkward places and positions….

Engine room work…..

painting the bottom of the dagger board cases.

The budget doesn’t extend to a new pair of overalls – it’s a good look, don’t you think?

Next was the installation of the rod holders.

Quite a day’s work! Now that’s progress.

So I’d think it would be safe to say ….

WEEKS SIXTY SEVEN AND SIXTY EIGHT

 

Wendera

 

The side hulls are now ready for painting.  Notice the glossy paint on the back furniture in contrast to the fared hull sides. We are just waiting for a break in the weather – again Nelson Bay is drowning in rain (wish we could share it with the rest of Australia!).

In the meantime faring continued on the inside.  Options were investigated for the colour of the paint inside.  A sample of a possible colour was applied to the main cabin wall and floor, as well of a sample to move around Wendera. to look at in all light conditions.  While we liked the colour, it was decided it would be too dark (it looks darker in real life) for the interior, so it is back to the colour charts!!!

Finally a break in the weather allowed painting of the hull sides. The obligatory masking and drop sheets were applied.

   

And look at the results …..

  

        

                            

          

so shiny and white!!!

Tim and Paul worked on installing the cockpit drains, drilling holes in through the bridge-deck.                             

   

    I spy with my little eye ….. a hole!

            

        

Paul also got Tim working on the calculations for the number of sheets of Perspex we will require for the windows.  A practical way of making use of all those maths lessons.

  

Now the painting of the top coat has been completed, Paul has had some fun installing some fittings.

The bilge pump outlets …..

… the breathers for the ‘poo’ tanks.

 

Finally, we’ll let you in on a well kept secret ……

WEEKS SIXTY FIVE AND SIXTY SIX

  

            Wendera

 

The bane of our existence PINHOLES!!! We paint, we find pinholes, we fill them, then sand back, repaint and what do we find? MORE ******* PINHOLES!

This week, Paul worked on the bridgedeck (yet again!) after finding more of those dreaded pinholes.  A back breaking position requiring a bit of Chiropractic attention by the end.

         

         

 

Tim loves to help Paul after dinner.  This week on one of those nightly sessions he helped to pull cables through from the engine room using the mouse lines.

     

On the home front, the boys made modifications to their cubby.  It has now become the new and improved version – Model No. 2.  I think they might need council approval for its construction.  Note Ben’s new short haircut, just what you need in the winter freeze!

          

Another evening working session involved Tim helping mark out the anti-foul lines.  This required the use of the laser and some minor boat level adjustments.  Ben just enjoyed wearing the “funky” safety glasses!

With sanding under the bridge deck complete, Wendera again now level and the anti-foul lines marked out, the task of applying the drop sheets to stop the over-spray commenced.  Before the painting can begin everything must be vacuumed and wiped down to ensure a clean painting surface.  

Then the painting of the FINAL top coat on the bridge-deck commenced.

                     

 

Chris emerged from this session with a white Zorro mask from the overspray – we couldn’t help but call him the reverse Zorro!  After his shower, much of the paint had been removed.  All that was left was a white strip across his nose, reminiscent of Adam Ant!!  But the result for Wendera  is a glossy shiny bottom! Isn’t she beautiful?

 

    

Now that feels like progress……. so to quote Maxwell Smart,

WEEKS SIXTY THREE AND SIXTY FOUR

Wendera

                          

She looks the same I hear you say …. well, yes and no. The last two weeks the weather in Port Stephens has consisted of rain, rain and a little more rain. Not conducive to painting. So sanding on the inside has been a priority, Chris tackling the port side and Paul assigned the starboard side.

The first coat of undercoat in the port side main cabin has been sanded back, note the tool of trade – the ****** sander!

                 

Chris painting some undercoat on the door trim outside Tim’s cabin:

 

Must feel a little like déjà vu, paint it on, then you get to sand it off.

Paint on ….. Sand off ….. Paint on ….. Sand off, these are the things you must learn Grasshopper!  By the way, Happy Birthday Chris.  The second one celebrated building Wendera, and definitely the last!!!

Paul did his impersonation of Michael Angelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel, and after a couple of marathon sessions the first coat of undercoat in the starboard main cabin and Ben’s cabin was completed.

The hydraulic steering has progressed, with a little tweak and bend here and there.

                           

See the finished result, including the autopilot rudder angle sensor below:

Start battery and associated electrics:

The wood trim for the main saloon door screen is given some undercoat:

                        

A significant milestone was reached this week …..

The first fitting has been attached to a painted surface!!!  The deck shower was installed with Tim’s assistance.    It looks very smart – hopefully next time Tim pulls out the shower head, the boat will be in the water and the weather will warrant swimmers as opposed to a fleecy jumper!

Work was started on the mounts to stabilise the flat panel television:

                           

Chris’ flat pack panels have now been moved into the shed.  Tim’s Herb garden is flourishing and has contributed to some gastronomic gourmet meals.

                     

        The packing then provided some amusement for the boys:  

           

Ben and Tim have even reported that it is waterproof and very stable! With the temperature struggling to reach 14, a light drizzling rain and biting winds, they even had grand plans to camp in it overnight!!!

               

The alternator regulator has been modified to provide a direct field connection for the smart charging system.

             

WEEKS SIXTY ONE AND SIXTY TWO

 

                         Wendera

                      

With the Webmaster away on holidays in the UK, those left behind will try and fill his big shoes.  We wish we could be there with him!

These last two weeks have really been more of the same … Chris and Paul feel a little lost when they don’t have the sanders in their hands.  The job seems to be never ending, but progress is being made.

                      

Further experimentation has been completed with the paint finish.  The back furniture has received another top coat – it’s final one. It’s white, glossy and we are one step closer to a finished boat.

                       

The wood hatch trim surrounds that Paul constructed last week, were given an undercoat.

                    

Further work was done on the door surrounds and the sanding continued inside.  The weather has stalled the painting of the outside, as we can’t paint when the temperature is too cool or too humid. But there’s always work to be done, or should that be more sanding to be done! Hence the sanding continues ….

The Port Ensuite gets an undercoat.  Get out those sunglasses!

                                

 

The Port Main Cabin also gets its first undercoat, and boy does it make everything look more roomy.

                

                                          Dazzling isn’t it?

                        

                            Paul continues some wood work.

                         

Ben constructed a dust/fume extractor which will be used when painting inside to combat the overpowering paint fumes.  Note the use of the tongue in the delicate construction phase.

      

                                           and it works!!!!

                               

On the 21st May 6.20am our site Manager left the building.  Charli has gone to live with our good friends, the Viali family, while the Cochranes sail the high seas.  She is a land lubber and definitely not a salty sea dog. So she is now officially Charli Viali Cochrane!  We’ll miss you Charli, but we know you are being spoilt by the Vialis in Canberra.

Goodbye Boxer!

 

There were a few tears …. but we bravely said our farewells ….

                        

                        as the site Manager leaves the building.

                               

Behind the scenes, further work has been done on the motors and plumbing.

We can now officially and confidently report it is no longer six week until launch, it’s now ….

5 WEEKS 8 DAYS TO GO!

WEEKS FIFTY NINE AND SIXTY

IT’S LAUNCHED !!!

The dinghy, that is. Sorry.

It was christened “Mooch”

“Wendera” 17/05/08

Teamwork is essential

It also helps if you are smaller…….

Work on the inside continues….

….as it does everywhere.

“Herman” is back! I wonder where he’s been hiding?

This is my last post to the website. I have been granted leave

to go on a holiday. Paul will be officiating from now on.

I leave you with this thought……..

WEEKS FIFTY SEVEN AND FIFTY EIGHT

“Wendera”                                   03.05.08

Let’s start this post with a quote from Miss……

“……..Not  many  photos  for the  last  two  weeks, as  it is

all  really  the  same ….. just  sanding,  painting, sanding

and  more  sanding. Throw  in  a little  frustration, mix in

the doubt of “Why are we doing this?” and stir in a pinch

of “Will it ever be launched?” and you basically have the

recipe of how we are feeling.”

Good ingredients, Miss.

For discerning readers and viewers, the following photos will

indicate progress with painting and fitting out.

Not all was hard slog, however……

Look carefully. Notice anything?

Welcome to the world of building yachts!

WEEK FIFTY SIX

“Wendera” 19/04/08

Look what they’ve done to our boat!!!!

Remember last week’s pristine white???

    

 

It’s all O.K. It appears they put on the black paint so that they can

sand it off to show up high and low spots!

More sanding, sanding, sanding!

They’re forgiven.

See?

It will all lead to a finer finish in “six weeks”.

Preparing the daggerboards for a final coat.

WATCH THIS SPACE

WEEK FIFTY FIVE

“Wendera” 12/04/08

Wow, isn’t she looking a million dollars?

This week’s pictures celebrate the painting of “Wendera”,

viewed from all angles, complete with a “pirate”,

dropsheets galore and the lounge – fantastic!.

And then this…… I won’t make it another contest because

I have never said who won the last one……. sooooo…

It’s the Site Manager’s nocturnal abode. It’s a “Dogloo” -

an igloo for a dog!

All that shiny white stuff on “Wendera” is just undercoat!!

What will she look like with the final coat?

TO WEEK FIFTY FOUR

“Wendera” 05/04/2008

The check list to make sure nothing is missed.

All hands to the pumps to sand those cupboard doors.

The dinghy and outboard arrive and are unpacked.

Hot water tank fitted and cockpit shower.

Looking in port door in cockpit furniture – rear BBQ gas and fuel cut-off.

240 volt plug.

Hot and cold water pipes.

Fitting the sink in the galley.

Laser level in action and peeping in a porthole.

Mixing paint.

Port engine and surrounds.

Starboard engine and surrounds.

Port helm station progressing.

Masking the hulls and painting.

Side stay preparation.

Some general views including “At the movies” and “Site manager”

“I’m still watching you – don’t slacken off!” and “Thanks”

More next week. The end is in sight.