JawsOrca

Oh mum them photos of me are dreadful.. You can see the months of stress on me from this boat! I knew she wouldnt do pink lol Dad did say she did try her best to buy a couple!

Thanks Grace (I think lol).. now get to work and stop moaning (Have a good one..don't stress too much! and get that bottle of red open it will help the day will go quicker

I've just seen these posts.. i thought you lot were friends lol.. Them things look soo bad.. and Grace, I'm perfect at mooring up too ( ) so that's not the excuse! Happy christmas everyone.. think of us when its -3 out there and we are trying to do side-lining carpet!

welcome to the forum steve! As others have mentioned. No boat has ever sank from osmosis. I dont understand why people worry so much about it. Most boats will have the odd blister. Just ignore it there's bigger things to worry about.. As Andy said these freemans are just stunning. If we didnt get this boat last year we would without any doubt a freeman owner.(the 32 looks amazing go and grab it before someone else does!)..

Thanks Paul! No pink fenders lol!! Yes it's not cheap stuff.. its roughly £200 a sheet (http://www.hawkehouse.co.uk/plywoods/cabin-sole-laminate.html). We used just over a sheet on this but I ordered 1 and half sheets so £330!.. but the real stuff is twice that.. to be honest because its a finished surface this stuff is better. I'v got some off cuts left though if you are interested (). Have a brill chistmas!

£11 Iain but we thought it adds a bit of character... it's far too easy to go nuts with lots of shiny bits and lose some of the character of the boat (I will sit down with the dremel though and polish it up a bit though

Thanks Dad Thanks Maxwellian if you are passing any weekends let me know and we can show you around or anytime in norfolk! I'm sure we will be up there a few weekends recovering! Thanks Springson, means alot considering the quality of your project , I'm looking forward to seeing her one day Good to hear all well Neil, Thankfully we've only been here with the tunnel, but it's a pain when they shut the tunnel so know what you mean Thanks for the comments there too, I think you have slightly exaggerated there but we are both impressed with the outcome so far. (We would both relocate to norfolk without thinking if such a job was available though lol!) Defiantly must all have to catch up again soon though! (Iain, I'll get the hammer drill charged up! lol) Today, we had to fix the sky dish at home as the gales tour through the cables.. duh, and we had to go get some glue for the floor so we didn't get over to the boat till after lunchtime (But it was nice to have a morning off!) But today we still got the floor glued down which wasn't easy, we went for strong contact adhesive and it worked.. So pleased that we managed to get the lines to match up between the join and its almost invisible (I'm happy with it).. We also noticed that the table leg post socket was off centre (The previous owners really couldn't use a ruler!), so dave moved that and I closed my eyes when he cut the socket out (After taking a picture!).. it's pretty much finished, we need to run a bead of sealant on the edges and put some step edging at some point (although I like it without the step edgeing so may not rush it). Couple of pictures attached. We are back on the project boxing day so I'll do daily updates over Christmas! We have a few bits to do.. Carpet, bit of the kitchen.

Welcome back Jon. Hope all is well. New website looks very professional and very tidy

Thanks mum. Side of the road?? Where they ok? car problems or lost?

Thanks guys! Neil did say these pictures doesn't do it credit (I need to dig out my decent camera) You're welcome anytime Steve (any everyone else ), although steve if you can just give me erm about 24 hour notice to make sure we have erm enough work to do lol!! Have a great Christmas too

Thanks for kind comment guys So in the end we used my tick stick and first board went in perfectly first time . Second board too a bit more persuading but down quick enough, front board was a bit more of a pain but it had some complex shapes although has still gone down well, one step, last step I messed up lol although we got plenty of spare so no problem (I had a drink too as it was getting stressful! - Never drink during working hours!). Tomorrow we will just do the last step, glue them down and then put a bead of sealant around the edge to finish it off. We had lots of visitors today too, good to see Neil and partner again (Speedtriple!) and my folks came down.. all four managed to sit in the dining area and it felt strange to have soo many people aboard but it didn't feel cramped. We also had a couple of visitors from people in the club, All seemed impressed The floor is strange stuff, it's robbins laminate cabin sole, it looks like wood actually and has a nice finish, Although it has coped a bit which is going to make it hard to put down with no screws. It will need some very good glue, but it will glue down. Couple of pictures attached though. Unfortunately it's a bit dark so we put the courtesy lights on and it all looks nice we think.

Very true there Iain! I'm hoping to use the tick sticks although it doesn't help that I broke my little one! I think it doesn't help that this stuff is soo expensive but it will be ok wont it lol

Quick update before another busy weekend. In the week dave did a few little jobs; Spray painted the black plastic trim for the steering wheel (in its past life it had been painted black and white!), put another coat of varnish on the dashboard. Installed the 3 small courtesy lights in the wheelhouse, sanded and put a second coat of varnish on the bunk top timber trims, varnished some of the bulkhead walls, epoxied (The backs) and glued together the oak faced ply for both internal doors (Bathroom and wardbrobe) and expoxied the backs of a few little trims. I went and got an door for above the fridge (B&Q kitchen - I know cheating but it saves time!), I also got my money refunded for the kitchen sink which didnt arrive so can buy again (Thanks again to those above who helped with suggestions, I sort this out soon). The teak and holly flooring arrive as did the sidelining carpet and swimdeck parts! This weekend the aim is to at least get the floor down inside (which we are looking forward to and dreading at the same time (it's going to be hard with all the shapes and expensive/noticeable if we mess up) and put some trims and maybe some carpet up. We hopefully have my folks coming down tomorrow and Neil (SPEEDTRIPLE) so looking forward to seeing these guys.. hope they are all impressed! So hopefully tomorrows update will show some pretty pictures of our posh expensive cabin sole!! (I need a drink!)

No chance Iain! we do saturday mornings (7am!) to the following sunday afternoon! I'm in no rush to get home after time in norfolk!!

It's been a pleasure to read and follow thanks for doing so.. Hope you are feeling ok today. I used to hate that 9 o'clock feeling

Not sure if these are any good but use away Robin (I've got 10mb copies)

Martin, I'm with you on this one.. although I tried to get this post modded earlier and everyone just laughed at me.. appalling... I would try the report button but I don't think that would work... I've been up to the broads in the winter before and I'm sure I've seen it busier than this.. Mr and Mrs Nog have clearly picked the best week! Keep enjoying and keep the pictures coming

I knew there was a reason we insulated the boat and put a nice heater in! I've never seen it this empty you must be having the best holiday ever!

I have a feeling this may get heated...! I understand that some houseboats look a mess (trust me ours does at the moment lol but that's because we are far too busy with the other boat and life!) I know people that live on very nice expensive cruisers and these don't look a mess (it's next on the list!!). So it isn't fair to say that all houseboats look untidy (Joshy.. I'm preempting the replies! I note you haven't mentioned this ). You also get the good and the bad in every walk of live.. I'm a computer programmer, in our residential marina (where we pay council tax and are reconised as residents) we have lawyers, policemen, millionaire business owners etc we also have the odd problem person but our marina quickly puts them in their place! Our marina is a very safe and friendly place to be.. people will do all they can to help each other so I for one will never return to land . I think the broads are special, I think any reluctance for liveaboards on the broads is only because people want to keep the broads special and natural.. Although with house prices so high I do believe we will see more liveaboards here in the UK.. probably not to the extent in holland. I don't know anything about the BA's policy so can't comment... (Please people keep it friendly).

Joshly, I know a few people living on the broads, although as far as I know there are no residential berths on the broads.. If you are discrete some yards will allow you although may still not allow you to collect post.. Manko is a residential boater (I think JillR is too) so hopefully they will notice this and can advise further. I'm residential but on the medway and it's a bit more permitted down here.

Thanks again chaps, Iain.. that one is too bit although theres another (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S49896361/) which may fit.. I need to do some measuring. I've got a voucher for ikea though so it would be good if we can get from there.

All them boats.. I don't know how clive sleeps at night.. its stressful having just these! I notice also no hoseasons logo is this an indication that richardsons are going it alone without wyndham vacations?

Welcome again Paul and Mary. I've not seen your posts on the other forum but certainly looking forward to new ones

Hi Robin, Thanks for this.. I like the little one with the small draining board! Perfect size for pint glasses?!! I think the other smaller one will fit well.. I have a funny feeling too that I increased the size of this cabinet from 300mm to 400mm because I was struggling so that should be perfect. (Ps can you get back out on the river please.. I need a video fix.. I've watched all of yours now

Thanks Grace, I hope the boat doesn't get too Famous up there though! I don't really dress up when im on holiday and shaving doesn't happen so I look like a hermit after 2 weeks! (no offence to hermits!)..oh geez and I don't really tidy hmmm I didnt think this one out lol.. But of course we try and keep it tidy and certainly anyone is welcome to take a look (we have a frequent queue of people her contanstly looking!)! We will certainly try and come to a couple of meet ups too so we can say hello to everyone (I'll bring my razor that day!). Funny you should mention writing about the boats adventures! I'm thinking just the same My dad does a paperbased log and although it can be annoying at times (when I forget and have to "remember", but it's nice to read back and remember what we did. I'm putting in mobile internet and I have a tablet for the boat so I'm thinking of using the forum as a "Orca's bLog" (Quick update: I done some xmas shopping last night; We ordered the swimdeck, we found individual handrail parts which should make it a bit better than the two individual chinese premade swimdecks we was going to use.. I still need to get some timber for it but I priced it up and it will only be £30 more than the pre-made ones and we are doing full width too.. these should be here mid week in time for our xmas week of work. I also ordered 5 meters of sidelining carpet (Charcoal colour) which will be used on the sides of the front bunks, inside the wardrobe and on the walls in the dinette. I was going to order the dek king (fake teak) for the wheelhouse but I think this really needs to be the last job as it will probably get too dirty.. I just need to run over and measure the floor this morning (I have a day off from (both) works! xmas shopping).. so i'll go do that now and then order the timber (I'm worrying about matching the lines of the wood up as I need to cut the board in half and worried that I wont get the lines to match (I know what I mean lol!).