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.
This is how it looks when it’s first applied – like icing sugar.
And here’s a section (to the right) that’s been fared.
Preparing The Hull
Yodchai and Sor have been preparing the hull. Here you can see Yodchai with a rounded sanding block.
A section beneath the boat has been cleared and cleaned and a table put aside to cut the biaxial fibreglass.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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The Cat in the Hat lives! Now reincarnated as Tongjan…
Hehe, it’s an automated thing, not my doing. But yes, you really should see the article to read the comment, Emma 😉
Do we have to see the article to read that comment Jamie?
Fantastic workmanship, how long before you think Espar will be completed?
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!
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.
Bravo, getting there surely but slowly, you have still got 10 weeks to go & thats minimum… i will be happy if i am wrong…Best regards…
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!
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.
Fascinating & interesting as always. Thank you! How much longer though until completion? I can’t wait to see new & improved Esper.