Living afloat

The story of the Luxe Motor MS Watergeus and how to convert a Dutch barge into a houseboat

May 2008

1st May

Today I put the insulation and anti-damp foil on the port side.

Starting to look more like a living space then a hold....

2nd May

I woke up with a headache and fever. yesterday was still fine, but now I just couldn't do much. I decided to sleep, but my parents, will they decided to continue removing paint from the roof of the ld accommodation, right above where I sleep. Hammers bashing, tools scrapping, well I didn't sleep at all.

4th May 2008

Today, most of the old paint was removed from the windows and wheelhouse.

Sanding the old paint on the frame of the window and cleaning the copper entrance to the water tank

5th May 2008

Maybe it is because I work to hard or only work on my ship that made me ill, so it was time for a little break by making a little trip to England.

6th May

Today we painted most of the ship parts in primer, some of them already in their final colour. Items painted today were:

Frame of the windows painted red like the colour scheme as she was a water supply ship. Also painted the navigation light holders in their red and green colour.

All vanish was removed from the skylights. An oil was put on later that day

The only colour on the crane, a little red...

The sides are back in white instead of black

Taping where to paint and where the Dutch flag will be painted

In the evening I went getting a propeller of a spits barge. It will be used as decoration on the front cabin. After putting this heavy piece on deck, I started painting the hull with tar. It was already less hot, so it was nicer to paint it black!

7th May 2008

I mainly painted the hull today, since I use a brush it takes much longer then expected. Why a brush? Well with a brush you can get the tar more deeper in the corners and rust places on the plates and overlapping's.

Boeisel painted white

In the morning I helped my neighbour to help her hanging her Tibetan flags. Life is so much easier with an aluminium mast instead of a full metal one like mine.

The Tibetan flags hanging on the Upendo

8th May 2008

My skin completely burned from the sun and the tar, I decided working a little slower today by sanding the wheelhouse, painting the stern and giving a final coat of paint on the front (boeisel).

Again some nice vessels passed by...

A nice Hagenaar passing by

9th May 2008 *more information will follow *

In the morning the Zeevaartpolitie came to inspect the paperwork of the ship. They are checking every vessel in the dock.

In the afternoon I continued painting the ship.

A spits barge and a Luxe Motor...

The back accommodation

Most of the elements have now received a first coat of paint. Two more will follow

The Watergeus seen from the other side of the Canal

11th May 2008

Mainly worked on the wheelhouse removing old vanish. Also painted the gang way on port side near the back accommodation. The main entrance to the hold is no longer in black, so the ship looks a little bigger again and will feel less hot inside.

Nearly all of the old vanish has gone on the wheelhouse

In the evening a yacht got stuck between two bridges. They had to wait till the next day before they could continue their journey. Since there was no decent place to put their ship and go on land, I allowed them to moore alongside. We had a nice chat and the evening passed by quickly...

A little visitor, Swish people hiring a yacht for sailing around

A little visitor, Swish people hiring a yacht for sailing around

A little visitor, Swish people hiring a yacht for sailing around

12th May 2008

Today we welded small pieces of metal underneath the hatches. With a bold through the hatches and this little piece of metal, they are attached to the den and can't no longer blow away. A simple system, but very efficient.

Wheelhouse nicely sanded down to original wood

Wheelhouse nicely sanded down to original wood

Wheelhouse nicely sanded down to original wood

Wheelhouse nicely sanded down to original wood

Part 2