Hi all, Brian,
Done nothing the last 18 mths, working with my son's building houses, I'm the Q.S., bookkeeper, coffee maker etc at nights so that buggers up working on the missus. (I give her bum a rub ever now and then though....)
Landlord wants her out of the back yard, so a move is now being organized, a crane to get her over the house onto a truck to a site I'm building a tin shed on - we'll also be using as a workshop for knocking up kitchens & house joinery, looking forward to it as we can then get some good machinery a place to live - with no one to upset at nites.
Going the set a small room up in the corner for a dust free sleeping spot, for those week ends I'll be there, site is only 20 min from home, but working through late nights probably a good idea not to drive.....
Engine is a Cummins 6TBA (worked to 300 - 350 HP) - from a truck wrecker, I will rebuild as required, and marinise it, (think dipping it in vinegar over night works for oysters.... engine too?)
A V-drive is being chased up with the right gearing, chit that's been a new learning curve.....
Going to put a skeg/keel on her to both protect the prop & rudder and help when running down wind & wave for those slow broaches.... freaky situation if you have ever been it that place. We have the Indian Ocean right out of the marina, no safe coves, islands, harbors to race to if we miss the weather and need to run for cover.
The 1000 Lt diesel tanks have been built in ready for the plumbing and lid to epoxy on, issue to resolve is the amount of 1/4 inch alloy inspection ports on this epoxied ply lid, ideally one between every baffle, that's 6 per tank and that diesel seems to be able to creep out every join..... work in progress on this, any ideas most welcome!
Bought all the ply and epoxy needed to complete her, got the laminated glass windows, Teak or Oroko (poor mans Teak) for decking is the next buy.
