As a compromise for the now 3500 hours I have spent building the boat I often finish early on a Sunday and we go for a late afternoon pizza at the Entrance on the central coast. It is a seaside village that attracts weekend visitors from Sydney and has pelican feeding every afternoon and as a result is busy all year round. The Sunday before last we went and there was a classic car gathering. Although we wish at times that the boat was finished already, we dont want to give up living now so we can live later.

I also promised earlier this months Pure Seal images. As can be seen on them there is now tiny crustacean growth. I had a single shell on a previous test but it easily fell off with just my fingernail. As did these. But they are getting more prolific now and whilst still easily removed it wont be long (I think) before they are difficult enough to remove that they will cut my hand. At this point I would say the panel would need re-coating, or the current coat is at the end of its effective life. It is now 3 years old. Maybe another year could be squeezed out of it. By any measure 4 years is a fair effort. However, is it long enough for it to replace current anti foul options. Having heard the noise that the ultrasonic method makes I dont think it is a pleasant option. Unless it can be turned off at night and only run during the day.

Furniture construction work is almost complete on the bridgedeck and the outline of all of it is now in place with only the fridge and pantry to be fitted. Both will have to wait until the New Year. I need to get the fridge home from Brisbane which we should be able to do in Jan and I am also waiting on some fittings to make the pantry and pull out rubbish bin. (The rubbish bin will go into the space saved by not making my own fridge and pull out of the wall in the stairwell and be between the fridge and the electric cupboard in the port hull.

In order to finish the dishwasher enclosure I have made plywood walls that extend from the bridgedeck to the height required to cover it. A ply base was also put in to give the dishdrawer some clearance from the bridgedeck when open. Once glassed in I gave it all a coat of white epoxy to seal it and provide a smooth surface so that the the dishwasher slides in and out easily should it ever need to be removed for servicing or repair.

Next step is to glass in the power and water in and out conduits under the bottom shelf of the galley cabinet before glassing in the bottom shelf in 2 sections leaving the middle part unglassed for removal through the cupboard doors. This is so that the 150mm of under shelf space that the kickboard height creates is not wasted. Rarely used pots such as a wok can be stored there. There are 4 requirements in this cabinet. Water in and waste out, power in and gas in. The gas in comes through the bulkhead and will come in above middle shelf height. It is the shortest distance between the gas cook-top and the bottle that will be stored in the raised duckboard. From there is can be vented out the rear of the boat and run along the underside of the port side cockpit seating which is behind the shower wall and come out through he bulkhead in the cabinet directly below the hob. Power and water in and waste out will travel along the bridgedeck under the bottom shelf and out into the bathroom and from there, concealed by the bathroom furniture into the sump. The kitchen waste will have a Y valve and be able to go directly overboard where permissible so as not to need to trap waste solids before the sump pump. In some places that nil discharge the waste will have to go into the sump, the solids caught in a filter (a synthetic sock over the discharge pipe into the sump) and from their into the holding tank before being discharged at sea. At the moment there are very few places that also prohibit kitchen (grey) water from discharge but regulation will get stricter. Water in is easy enough. There will be water in from the tanks for the shower and bathroom vanity sink and that is directly below the kitchen/bathroom wall so sending hot and cold up to the kitchen sink will be very easy. And hidden.

Then once these conduits are in and the bottom and middle shelves are glassed in, all that will be left on that cabinet to do will be to make the top. Again a wait on materials until mid Jan for that to happen. Soon all that will be left will to do on the bridgedeck furniture will be the fitting and finish. Doors, handles, drawers etc. Next year.

I should be able to get some more work done over the next week to finish out 2010. But I may not make another entry. To all those still patiently reading my blog and watching our boat come together thank you for hanging in with us and I hope whatever your beliefs that this holiday period is a safe and happy one for you. Next year promises to be momentous for us. Hopefully it is for you too.