We have a stern

Paid another visit to Alexander Boats on Saturday to have a look at progress on AmyJo.  It might look at first glance that not much has been done but looking closer one can see  an awful lot of work has been done as the counter and fuel tank are all fabricated and tested.

We can see the fuel tank and deck are almost complete and the drains for the engine hatch rails are in place as are the fuel supply and return pipes.  The hatch cover is made and will be hinged later.  The weed hatch is also in place with the lid and hold down bar being made as we type.

The counter scroll work almost finished an you can just see the engine hatch channel outlet just below the gunnel.

The smooth lines of the stern are apparent  and the rubbing bands are all fully welded into place.

There is still plenty to be done but all being well AmyJo should be shipping to Fernwoods by end of March if all goes well.

We hope to pay another visit before and work should be well on the way to a completed shell before long.

Its still strange to feel and touch AmyJo's steel and we both still cannot get used to the fact this is our boat and not someone else's.

Bathless

Hi all,
We are having a couple of days of lovely weather here in Chester.  The sun is out and we have our new windows ajar.  It's so lovely to get the feel of fresh air through the house at last and even the central heating is breathing a sigh of relief.

Only problem we have now is we have no bathroom.  Our fitters are here and we have not had a bath since Monday before last.  The house that is!  We, however, are fortunate to have good friends who are allowing us the use of their bathrooms.  Chris is spending time in Essex as her mum has at long last come home from the rehab center so has been using their bathroom.  In the meantime when Chris is home the girls are improvising hair washes in the kitchen sink.  So glad the kitchen is functional.

Was a time Amy was small enough to bath in the sink!

The guys took out the old bathroom suite and to our horror we found the wooden floor absolutely rotten.  In fact it was that bad it was on the verge of collapsing completely.

Looks horrible and it was

Next they took out the floor completely and you can see where it was damp.  We reckon there was a leak and that had been happening for several years.

All cleared out you can see the floor starting to dry out at last by the
light patch in the fore ground

A new floor with beefier beams is now in place and they are well on the way to completing the work

The new floor beams in place

Lagging to keep the floor warm but suspended to allow air flow under.

The tiling is started.

So a few more days and all will be complete.  Can't wait to try the new shower!

Meantime we had another meeting with Fernwoods on Tuesday and met Andy, the new member of the team.  Have to say he will bring another dimension to their designs and I think will make their boats even better than they are.  Ken and Julia made a good choice in Andy and he will be a great asset to them.

We discussed and finalised more details of the build, especially the interior layout and materials we will have on board.  The colour scheme for outside is now set.  I'll not reveal all just yet but will let you know more as the build progresses.

All being well AmyJo will be with Fernwoods end of March so the pace is finally picking up.  We had planned to visit Alexander boats tomorrow but have put this of until next week as its more convenient for Jim and us, what with the bathroom works going on.

Thats all for now, the fitters need their coffee topped up and I'm thinking of going for a stroll as I've not been feeling all that for a while and some fresh air will do me some good.  Hope you are all OK and enjoying this weather.  Take Care

New Windows

Hi all,
We are relieved the weather here in Chester has remained mild and fairly dry.  Since Monday we have had the window fitters in replacing all our windows and doors.

From this, plain and all white.....

and after this......

To this.

The new windows are definitely better and the house now feels much warmer.  Amy has a new door and so does the study

The new study door now means we don't have to disturb Amy to
get outside any more

Not as drafty and now Amy does not get seranaded by the wind
whistling through the gaps, she even had to turn the radiator down.

Now we can get on and decorate the rooms over the summer and give the outside a lick of paint too.  

Its all go again next week as the bathroom makeover is starting so we're looking forward to that.  Think we may be making frequent visits to the sailing club showers for a few weeks.

On the boat front we are going to visit Fernwoods on 12th Feb so may have some more news.  I'm also going to reschedule a visit to Alexander boats when I get a chance, in the mean time I have my hospital appointment tomorrow for my ultrasound on my Liver so hopefully we'll have some answers to why I'm still feeling drained and giddy when standing.

Shoreside work set to commence

Hi all,
Whilst things are still quiet on the AmyJo front the same cannot be said here at home.

As of 1st January I became a Shell pensioner!  Shame I did not stop working, but I need 3 more years in before I can turn off my works PC for the last time so will continue working for my new bosses, Essar UK LTD, who bought our refinery here at Stanlow.  Those of you reading Epiphany's blog will know this is a stones throw from the Ellesmere Port Canal boat Museum where they had been staying.  Fiona has posted a fascinating history of all the boats there, well worth a read.

The retirement package has given us the money to take the opportunity to do some much needed work on the house.

First up tomorrow, Monday, we are having all our windows and doors replaced with new high efficiency UPVC windows and glass. We had our bathroom window replaced already so the bathroom make over could take place and what a difference.  The old windows are double grazed but putting your hand on the glass of the old and then the new you certainly can feel a difference!  The new window has much better thermal properties than the old so we're hoping when all the windows are done this will help with the heating bill.  We're also quite relieved the weather is warming up too!  Fingers crossed it stays dry (for us and for those suffering the floods).

A week later our bathroom is getting a much needed make over.  It is OK and usable, but is seriously in need of sorting out.  We discovered damp on the dinning room wall the other day and on investigation we found the seal between bath and wall was non existent (it had always been that way by the look of it).  There is a plastic edging on top of the bath fixed to the wall (or so we thought).  Each time the shower was used water was getting behind the plastic trim soaking the wall behind it and that is just one of many reasons to get the work done.

We'll post an update of before and after when the work is done.

You may be wondering if I visited Alexander boats as planned?  Well no I did not.  I've been quite ill this last week and have not been able to do anything.  I've lost all energy feeling completely drained and weak, together with really bad headaches with a touch of nausea.  Blood tests are indicating high levels of iron in my liver (too much red vino collapso I guess) and so am to under go further tests.  I keep you informed of how I get on.

Winter Visitors

Hi all,
There is not much to report on AmyJo's progress at the moment.  With the Christmas holidays not far behind I doubt Jim will have done much to her.  I am hoping to visit next Saturday so hopefully I'll have something to report.

In the mean time with the dark evenings I've taken to reading the blogs on a regular basis and realized John and Fiona on Epiphany were heading our way.  Now I read Fiona's article in Canal Boat magazine so with a bit of cheek I arranged to meet them in Chester.

John and Fiona aboard Epiphany

I do wander if I am taking liberties sometimes doing this and do hope my requests to feet up are not too forward but it is nice to actually meet the people whose blogs I read.

I want to thank John and Fiona for their hospitality as we chatted for some time about various aspects of boating and I have to say they are a mine of information which if you ever visit their blog will be apparent.  Their blog is full of very useful information and is well worth a visit,  they obviously have gone to a lot of trouble to make the information available for us all to make use of.

2012, a year of change for us.

Well 2012 has been an interesting year for us. Here is a quick pictorial of our year.

Our new home, we've been here a year now

Getting that awful kitchen sorted

Our regular visit to Crick boat show

No not a group hug but a busy Fernwoods tent

The iconic view of crick

Fernwoods display boat What-a-lark, finished beautifully as only a
Fernwood boat would be.

Weaver Canal festival and a famous boat, Elizabeth

Hadar sporting Jubilee colours for Jubilee year (her normal colours)

Hardly a drop of water visible in the Northwich basin

Working boats galore, such a wonderful sight

Chris and Jo watch on as a boat turns in the running river

Boat parade seen from the main bridge

Ebay  sourced Francis lamp

Hadar visits Chester

Ellesmere Port Festival and a newly painted Saturn

The Girl giant visits Liverpool

Sail Training in full swing

Lord Mayors inspection of the river Dee

Chris an I go on an RYA Helmsmans course with Willow Wren

Angelsey Offshore dinghy camp

A little help for the old crock to get up

Folding bikes bought and a much needed beer

New owners of Caxton visit Chester.  Bombo and Sam their lovely dogs are
blog stars in their own right

Our Visit to Beta Marine

13-Nov-2012 and AmyJo's build begins

Cheeky grin says it all.

Slowly the hull takes Shape

A busy Craig welding the rubbing bands

All that is left to do now is for Chris and I to wish you a year of good health, wealth, happiness, luck, warmth and loads of love of your dear ones. 

We hope the New Year showers you with all that is beautiful.

Happy New Year everyone.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

From Home to Home and Heart to Heart

From one place to another

The warmth and joy of Christmas,

Brings us closer to each other.

May the good times and treasures of the present,

Become the golden memories of tomorrow.

Wish you lots of love, joy and happiness.....

From our home to yours, with lots of love and warm wishes......

best regards

Steve, Chris, Amy and Joanne

Seasons greetings folks.  A Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to one and all.

Chris and I would like to wish you all good health and fortune for the coming year and may all your travels be safe and trouble free.

And a thought for our armed forces where ever they are, may god bless them and keep them safe.

 TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A YOUNG BRAVE SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT

 

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

 

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The
following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.



Welds apart

Took another trip to Alexander Boats to see how AmyJo is coming along.  Jim was in the middle of discussing another build with other clients so I held back until he finished.  

When you look at AmyJo you could be forgiven for thinking not much has been done but you would be wrong.

Um looks like metal spiders have taken up residence

Most noticeable was the stern sides had been wrapped and welded to the counter base plate and the engine bed had been installed.  The metal spider's web above are temporary braces to keep the shape until supports are complete

The starboard stern plate

Another rubbing band had also been tack welded into place and Craig was busy welding that up completely

Jim points out the welding that was taking place

The engine bed and, the water cooling tank, are now done

I understand the principal of welding but for me its welds worlds apart (excuse the pun) from what I do with computers so Jim explained how the process works.   I think I got this right.

The welding set is earthed or connected with a cable to the hull and a high voltage electric current is passed through the welding rod.  When the rod is moved close enough to the metal an arc jumps across from rod to hull completing a circuit melting the flux and welding rod at its tip.  The extreme heat generated from this melts the steel in the mediate vicinity in to a molten goo that fuses as the weld cools.  The flux stops oxidisation occurring during the weld.  This stops a coke build up weakening the joint.  The flux dries to a coke like crust which is then scraped or tapped away leaving a clean metal joint underneath.

Having watched through a welding mask to see the process up close I was fascinated to see the weld take shape.

As there was not a lot more to see I took some video and said my goodbyes.  We may get one more visit in before Christmas and Jim hopes to have completed the stern and made a start on the bows by then.  Anyway here is the video I took for interest.

The hissing and crackling you can hear is not a fault with the video, it's Craig welding the rubbing band on the port side at the stern and the fussy bright cloud at the end is actually  smoke from the weld.