Progress Update: July 10th

 (Eric putting the lathe together)

The projects have resumed with the wood shop having top priority. The lathe beds had to be cut to length for the space available, assembled and a new switch wired in. The overhead installation is moving along steadily but slowly. The first outer panels needed patterns for accurate fits and that took some extra time. Plus, each panel has to be sealed under the insulation and three coats on the other side and each coat has to dry several hours. Then they are clamped in place, drilled and tapped through the aluminum frames and finally anchored with machine screws. Its a bit of a process to be sure.
We are also continuing to prep the hallway, door frames and two large closet/storage sections that open into the hallway.

The lathe partially assembled

Making patterns

Painting overhead panels with close supervision by Penny

Bonding insulation.

Lots of objects come in handy when you have to weight things down.

Carefully drilling so the bit doesn't snap off in the aluminum.

The same care must be taken when tapping through the aluminum. Tapping threads for the machine screws.

Starboard (right) side outer overhead installed.
 

Port (left) side overhead installed. 

We are using 1/2 inch plywood for the outer sections to give extra strength where the cabinets and shelving will be added. The inner overhead will use 1/4 inch because it won't need to be weight bearing.

 Doors for lockers under the crew cabin bunks getting refinished.

Progress Update: June 24th

We are on the last few days of cleaning out the storage unit. We have filled many of our lockers!
The wood has been stacked on one side of the main salon and will be used for rebuilding the interior. We have upper bunks to build. A lower head to redo and another guest cabin to rebuild. Not to mention installing overhead (ceiling) everywhere! Cabinet interiors in several cabins need to be rebuilt and/or reconfigured. All the counters on the boat need to have fiddles (a raised rail on the edge to keep things from sliding off at sea) made and installed. By Wednesday of next week we hope to resume working on the big projects up forward.

Its been a long month of sorting and organizing. We will have to create a data base of just where everything is stored soon!

Progress Update: June 11th

The previous few days have seen several smaller projects completed as well as continuing to sort, organize and store the various items from the storage unit. 

The metal pulls from the dressers in the forward crew cabins were salvaged and hand scrubbed to remove soot and touches of corrosion. 

The painted doors have been installed and have received new hinges and handles.

Our new magnetic door screens are now installed but had to be cut and re-sized to fit the ships odd-sized doors. Very grateful thanks to Dyann Noles for her perfect sewing alterations! 
 

Sorting the many old woodworking hand tools. 

 

 

Eric is very proficient in their use and will be cleaning and repairing them for the wood shop and the future needs in the many remote areas where there is no electricity.

Much thanks to our friends Dave & Tammy Acorn for their help with some projects, a bit of heavy lifting and donating food for the galley!

Tammy helping Mary install the new magnetic door screens. Definitely a two person job.

One for the double doors leading to the aft deck

One off the galley and two more on the port and starboard doors off the helm (steering station).

Progress Update: June 6th

The painting in much of the aft crew cabin is completed. There is still one closet next to the doorway that will be worked on once the old plumbing and wiring has been removed. The floor still needs sanding and painting and the overhead is not installed. 
There is a lot of space under the bunks and we have begun to fill containers with various items as we sort through the stuff brought over from the storage unit. We are planning on being out of the storage unit by the end of this month.
God has provided the funds to complete the wood-shop! This will entail putting in an overhead, building tool storage on the walls and installing the lathe. Some of the containers are the perfect size to place under the lift-up flooring in the shop. These will provide lots of precious storage for our many tools and shop supplies.

The windy/rainy weather was really slowing us down so some of the painting was done in the main salon.

 First coat of paint on the crew cabins' dresser drawers.

These are the doors for the opening under the bunks. They will be lightly sanded and coated with a clear finish. 

These holes will be hidden by blank electrical outlet covers.

The wood around the overhead edges will be cut flush with the walls.

The floor still needs sanding and painting

A lot of wonderful storage space under each bunk!

 The aft crew quarters

A sampling of stuff from the storage unit needing to be organized into the ship. The five containers in front are the perfect size for under the floors in the wood shop.

Progress Update: May 25th

The aft crew cabin has a coat of Kilz primer. The doors for both crew cabins have been restored, painted and set aside for future install. 

We ran into a small termite problem in the galley but hopefully caught it before too much damage was done. We have removed two shelves in some lower cabinets and the granite top from the small cabinet next to the stove. We went after them vigorously and infestation signs have ceased. We are cautiously optimistic and very grateful to have caught it early!
Three trips have been made to the storage units and the smaller of the two is almost empty. We have a lot of stuff to get stored away!

Mary wiping down the aft crew quarters before it was primed.






 

Eric applying Kilz primer

This side of the cabin was particularly nasty when we began the whole process. Looking so much better!

Going after termites!

Progress Update: May 18th

The last of the long distance hauling is over. Eric flew out Sunday to Sanford, (Thanks so much Denny and Sharon for picking him up at the airport!!) and then drove the truck and utility trailer straight through the night to Madisonville. Work has now resumed on the crew quarters along with various odd jobs and routine maintenance around the ship.  


(DJ installing new A/C ducting for the main salon)

Eric sanding in the aft crew quarters with his new full face respirator. When he first started sanding last week he had a respirator but his eyes were burning really bad from accumulation of old layers of paint and soot residue.

Eric sanding salvaged doors from the crew cabins.

 We removed the drawers for sanding. Everything will be coated with kilz primer and then painted. 

These foam mattresses were salvaged from the crew quarters. They have been sprayed with fabric freshener and will be covered with mattress pads.

Finishing the painting on the shop floor. Eric will install the permanent overhead when the funding comes in for more insulation and 8 sheets of plywood. Once installed, the overhead will have racks built into them for overhead wood storage and tool cabinets will be built onto the walls.

Progress Report: Update May 12th

More areas that were damaged in the fire that we will be able to bring back. Eric is grinding, scraping and spackling the door trims, hallway walls and one of the crew quarters. The trim is black walnut and the outer part is singed but not very deep. Not a problem for Eric's skills. Black walnut tends to form a shallow, charred surface but then insulates the rest underneath. it's cleaning up well.

 Mary cleaning out the lockers on the back deck.

After a long, hot day, Mary and Penny now have a place to relax.