On Schedule !

The Roof's On

Our daughter is unable to take time off from work during the week so had not been able to see progress on the boat. Because we thought that the build would almost be complete, we decided to kill two birds with one stone and make a Saturday visit, just three days after the previous visit. The trusty digital camera takes up the story

	The previous page opened with a picture of the rear of a boat that had just been finished. This page starts with a similar view, only this time it is the rear of On Schedule !. Although not visible in this picture, we can confirm that the access to the weed hatch, via the stern deck is now in place. What is also clear, and what gave us a brief concern, is that the rear opening looks too narrow for the 2ft 6in hatch but we're reliably informed that we will be getting the hatch that we requested. On the right is the boat that is to be lengthened. To be more accurate, we should really say that it is the boat that is being lengthened because, although it only entered the workshop yesterday, the lengthening has taken place and work was well advanced on completing the task.
	This is the first picture of the boat with the cabin on. The window and side hatch apertures have all been cut and the handrail is in position. It is also possible to see the part of the hull that had had its first coat of blacking when we visited ten days previously. We were advised that the boat would probably be ready for spraying on Tuesday - just two days away.
	We were able to take this picture from the workshop floor by holding the camera aloft. This picture and the next show the inside of the cabin. The two pictures are so similar that it is only possible to tell that this one was taken from the stern because the portholes are nearest the camera. It seems unbelievable that it has got this far so quickly. We can guarantee that the fit out will take a lot longer!
	This picture makes history because it is the first time that the owner has been on board. Because it was still early in the morning, and a Saturday to boot, it was possible to climb into the fore deck without fear of delaying work. It wasn't until the journey home that we realised that we'd missed the opportunity to photograph the two corner steps that have been installed on the fore deck in lieu of the more traditional front bench seats. We decided to go this way because we felt that bench seats are seldom comfortable and we can utilise the space freed up to allow us to use folding chairs that we hope will be more comfortable.

The following tasks remain to be done over the next few days. Application of primer / blacking, installation of engine, windows, ballast, floor and spray foam and fitting of tiller, doors and hatch cover. We don't have any plans to visit the boat again until the day before the launch as the only difference between the boat then and five days before will probably be the addition of the engine. Our visit that day will enable us to meet our surveyor, someone whom we've only spoken to on the telephone so far.

In the mean time there's plenty to do away from the boat.

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