Tongjan faring the teak floorboards

Esper Refit 17 – stainless companionway ladder

The stainless work is starting to take shape now, with a new companionway ladder being fitted. The floorboards are all up and the lads start preparing the hull for her layer of fibreglass.

Weekly Video Round-Up

It’s a short but informative one this week…

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Filling and Faring the Edges

We mentioned last week that the areas of non-toe-rail were being filled. Here we can see Goy applying the filler.

Fibreflass and epoxy filler on the edges of the boat

This is how it looks when it’s first applied – like icing sugar.

Fibreflass and epoxy filler on the edges of the boat

And here’s a section (to the right) that’s been fared.

Fibreflass and epoxy filler on the edges of the boat

Preparing The Hull

Yodchai and Sor have been preparing the hull. Here you can see Yodchai with a rounded sanding block.

Yodchai uses a rounded faring sander to tackle the curvature of the keel
Yodchai uses a rounded faring sander to tackle the curvature of the keel

A section beneath the boat has been cleared and cleaned and a table put aside to cut the biaxial fibreglass.

Lek and Moo laying out the biaxial in their new work area
Lek and Moo laying out the biaxial in their new work area

Teak Floor Boards

We promised to take a proper look at the teak floorboards this week but they’re still being fared and varnished. Here’s Tongjan in between coats of polyurethane.

Tongjan faring the teak floorboards
Tongjan faring the teak floorboards

Electrical Work Starts

We still haven’t received our navigation equipment yet (an administrative nightmare that Liz is battling her way through) but our electrician, Sombat, has started to tackle that snake’s pit. He’s accompanied by Dean and together they’ll install the new lighting first.

Sombat getting stuck in to the boat electrics
Sombat getting stuck in to the boat electrics

Rear Box Lids With Teak

Now that Pong has completed work on the cockpit, he’s moved on to the lids of the rear boxes. We’re putting teak on them too. Here you can see him applying the edges which, after the photo was taken, were smoothed on the corners.

Deck box lids with teak
Deck box lids with teak

Internal Veneer Catch-up

If you remember Ton was stumped with the curved corner in the cabin. Maybe it was because it was a Saturday and he wasn’t thinking straight, but on Monday he came in fresh and sorted it out in no time.

That curved corner now sorted!
That curved corner now sorted!

Tui, meanwhile, managed to sort the saloon coaming. The main problem he had was matching the ends of two long pieces of veneer as the coaming does not run in a straight, flat line. Instead it follows the curvature of the deck and it proved quite difficult to get it right. He managed it though, and it looks great.

Tui and the cabin coaming
Tui and the cabin coaming

Yachties With A Sense Of Humour

Finally, if you thought liveaboards were a miserable bunch of moaners (most of them are), here’s someone with a great sense of humour.

Tui and the long saloon coaming

What’s Next?

This coming week we’re going to see the biaxial being applied to the hull. It’s a three man job and we have our best men on the case: Moo, Lek and Yodchai. That ladder should be finished too which means Yoong, the stainless man, can crack on with the swimming platform, provided we get the Windpilot fitted first.

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10 thoughts on “Esper Refit 17 – stainless companionway ladder”

  1. While we work hard at relaxing and soaking up the west coast weather which has been gorgeous you guys have made awesome gains on moving forward.

    I was sorry to see that Millie has been deposed as the reigning feline star on your show. How many cats are you going to keep on board now and has Millie been relegated to be crab trap bait or has she remained the queen of below decks?

    While you enter the 18th week of the refit we will be winging our way across Canada to Toronto/Ottawa/Kingston/London for the month of June. We may not have good internet access while travelling in the industrial heartland so we wish you the best of progress and look forward to seeing you in Patong at New Years for the fireworks, if not before!

  2. Good question. We were hoping for the end of June but I have to return home in a few weeks (which means the updates will take a break too). I’d like to think we’ll be in the water by July sometime. Having stripped back and refitted a three-bedroomed flat I can honestly say that was far less involved than the boat.

  3. Rachel Has asked my question! How long till completion? I can’t believe the work that goes into it. Exciting watching it week by week and It must be amazing seeing it all come together in the flesh… ( tho I can’t help thinking Its less hassle living in a house!!) more kitten next time please!

    1. To be honest, it’s a question I’ve been asking since week 1. I hope Jamie’s right and we’re out by end July. Any longer than that and the bank will own Esper. I’ll say this now, if any rich philanthropists are reading this, please send us money. We promise to carry on entertaining you, and to make the lives of cats a little easier.
      I don’t know how to edit video, but I’ll try to keep you all up to speed on what goes on while Jamie’s away.

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