After two years in the yard Thea launched this week. It’s incentive for us to get on with Esper’s refit, knowing that the project will come to an end one day. It’s always great watching boat owners’ smiles as they drop back into the water and cast the lines!
Weekly Summary Video
Another quick one this week, starting with us seeing off Thea.
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Thea Launch
All staff on board Thea have been busy putting the finishing touches to this 90ft motor boat. Of course not everything was ready by launch date and even after she splashed down the next few days have been spent aligning engines and configuring hydraulic systems.
Bad Weather
It rained a couple of times this week and let me tell you, when it rains, it really rains. It rained so hard that Peter, our next door neighbour, returned to the yard to find his tent had taken a battering. Fortunately it didn’t scrape his newly painted hull but it set him back a day or two, and he’s on a tight schedule.
Fair Enough
The painters continue to fare the deck, with up to five working at any one time.
Microballoons are mixed into the epoxy, which is used as a filler. This is then fared back.
Floor is Almost Complete!
Very exciting to see the whole saloon floor now laid. Pong has completed around the chart table and is starting in the forepeak.
Reforming The Boxes
Liz decided that the deck boxes, made from honeycomb and fibreglass, were not in keeping with the rest of the lockers at the back of the boat, so Lek and Moo set to with an angle-grinder and reformed the boxes. This involved fibreglassing back the old lid and rebuilding it with epoxy, microballoons and fibreglass. That’s the beauty with these materials, they’re quite manageable and can be formed into pretty much anything.
What’s Next?
We’ve been told the carpenters have at least another month of work. Pong estimated another ten days to finish the floor, and then he has other jobs like the toerail and the galley to do, so you won’t see many changes in the next week. You’ll not see much change on the deck either as the painters continue to fare. What you will see, however, is some colour appearing…
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The yard looks like organised chaos but the quality of the works looks amazing. I am really enjoying seeing Esper being rebuilt and how the work is done. Thanks for sharing.
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Anthony Bourdain you’re not but I actually enjoy your videos more! The only problem is I can’t eat fiberglass and you know how much I like to eat.
One other point. Where’s Millie in all this. I haven’t seen her featured in one of your weekly updates. Has she had a confrontation with a python or has she met her soul mate and abandoned her role in the project?
It’s looking lovely. So smooth. Loving those clean lines. Very much looking forward to seeing the finished article. Hope you’re both really well and not too stressed with all this (doesn’t sound like it from the tone of your posts).
Can’t wait to see where those dayglo laminates are going to finish up!
Another great update
Another great video blog. Agree with Rachel, grand designs it is 🙂
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Hehe. You also get to see our little ginger friend in this clip, Emma.
Absolutely fascinating to watch, really enjoying the posts & can’t wait to see the finished boat. It’s like Grand Designs for boats!