Living afloat

The story of the Luxe Motor MS Watergeus, the Groningse snik Hornblower and how to convert a Dutch barge into a houseboat.
Also containing one of world's largest house boat gallery

June 2011

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5th June 2011: Preparing the front for new windows

I mainly worked in the front area, cleaning the sides, removing the last bits of wood and cleaning the bilges. I bought six second hand windows and had to clean them as well. By the time I was finished it was to dark to take descent pictures. They will follow next time I'm there.

7th June 2011: Tracing History

While tracing the history of the Hornblower (Ex- Carpe Diem, Ex-Thunderhead) I contacted a few family members. I discovered the Carpe Diem was moored in Groningen at the Bloemsingel (Winschoterdiep).

On a site I found a few pictures taken in Groningen in 2003. Copyright belongs to the woman who took the pictures ('Morgen Ster 3 ' on Picasaweb):

In Groningen with some woonarken in the background

9th June 2011: Windows

I mainly helped placing the windows and cleaning the bilges. My first wood I ordered for the Hornblower arrived today as well.

It is always much easier to fit windows in blank steel. If there are already some holes cut it makes it twice as difficult. Lining out where they should be mounted took us some time as well.

Once the wood was delivered, I painted it to protect the wood from damp and wood worm. By the time I was finished, it was already 5 o'clock.

Windows in position

Windows in position

This side needs to done

More light is coming in

12th June 2011: Floor part I

In the early morning I cleaned most out of the bilges, and started building the frame for the wooden construction. I had to move around twice with all the wood, but I got very far in the evening.

I learned a lot while drilling the holes. You really need to be carefully where you drill. Or it becomes to close to the side of the rib, a rivet is blocking a bolt from entering, etc...

It is good working in Sluiskil. I know a few people there, but at least you can work without having to chat to everyone and be nice. I'm moored third in a row, so nobody really sees me.

13th June 2011: Floor part II

I continued cutting the sheets of Mulitplex and screwed them on the wooden frame. Because of the bad weather, not much welding was done today. I removed the wooden bulkhead / wall between the living area and the engine room. At the end of the day, the windows were not mounted and I had a big pile of wood.

The bulkhead in wood is gone, you can look into the engine room and wheelhouse

A pile of wood is all that remains from the bulkhead

I took some time off, or how else to describe it and went to see some friends in the area. After a while you need to change your mind for a moment.

14th June 2011

The third day aboard wes getting hard. Even you sleep well, it is not the same as at home. There is some comfort like a bed, toilet and shore power. At the other hand it is cold or to warm, a bed smell and a lot of shaking around in an unstable boat.

During the day we welded some more ribs in the boat to have a solid and straight construction. I grained the rib for the bulkhead of the engine room and cleaned some more bilges.

By the end of the day the windows were mounted permanent and glued as well.

As a finishing touch, the new mast was welded on the wheelhouse!

The mast I bought last week through a garage sale website

16th June: Bulkhead

After making a phone call, I heard the bulkhead was finished. I can't wait to see the progress. This means I can now start doing the final cleanup in the front, put grease on and start doing some proper woodwork.

>> Part II