Blog Part 13 - Building the Boat
Around mid November 2015, we fitted some high security locks to all the outward opening doors and hatches - this involved welding some custom made fixtures to the steelwork, so this had to be carried out prior to painting the boat.
All the door liners had been fitted, sanded and prepped for painting and the steel doors were painted internally prior to fitting the liners.
All the door liners are similar to the one above, the only difference is the front doors which are solid oak, security devices were welded on to the side hatches so they can be secured inside, a finished photograph will be added later to show these. We also opted to screw and glue the liners to the door, the penetrated screw heads were cut off outside and filled over prior to painting. Both front and rear doors were fitted with British Standard insurance rated sash and deadlocks from Screwfix at a very reasonable price considering you can pay twice as much elsewhere. Once all the locks were fitted and checked, they were all removed prior to painting.
For some unknown reason the skin fitting for the washing machine outlet had been fitted but not welded, for this to be done without setting fire to the boat an internal panel had to be removed and the insulation removed from the area around the outlet, once welded some spray foam was applied and the panel replaced.
On the 20th November 2015 the boat was transferred to the paint shop dry dock.
For the next few weeks all we could do was wait whilst the boat was prepared for its final finishing, however we made a couple of visits and it was amazing to see the change.
All the brass portholes on the sides, and mushroom vents on the roof were removed, both roof hatches were removed along with the houdini hatch.
The lines on the back cabin really beginning to show now the primer has been applied, the boat looked huge just sat on the floor of the dock
Some final filling and preparation before the first colour coat was applied.
The stern and back cabin now in all its colour!!
The boatmans cabin and engine room visible by the red raddle roof, whilst the rest of the roof is light grey so as to reflect some heat during the summer, the cabin sides in mauritius blue with honeysuckle cream lines, the rear panels and handrails in manchester red.
The front deck in raddle red with non slip throughout and painted in a "board" effect, with Geoffs addition of triangular motifs along the non slip sides, the paint up to the gunnels is satin black, the hinges and other wrought iron effects would be painted gloss black later.
The stern doors and back panels in manchester red and mauritius blue, honeysuckle band at the rear with a manchester red lower band.
Just before Christmas 2015, we got a call to come down and discuss the sign writing with Darren Williams we had seen his work before at Granthams Bridge and without doubt he is a top quality writer. I would have no hesitation in recommending his services.
We may have not mentioned up to this point but the Beer Boat was to have its own name, Miss Ellie No 2, so named after our first boat Miss Ellie and both in recognition of the late Ellen (Ellie) O’Dea, Mother, Grandmother and Great- Grandmother. A few days later we returned to see the signwriting begin.
Then again when it was finished.
Usually the sign writing would indicate the finishing of a boat, however there was still plenty to do, the budget was getting tighter so we would have to complete the final stages ourselves to try and alleviate the initial losses made. The signwriter Darren Williams made an excellent job and would also signwrite the Beer Boat advertising board, I would highly recommend his services to anyone, I know I mentioned it twice but he's good!!
The paintwork now finished, the boat was moved back into the dry dock outside, it was hard to believe just a few weeks ago the boat exterior looked like so many boats half finished and somehow neglected, the holding coat of paint applied at Hudsons Yard had done its job during the initial build but now it had its own identity, thanks to the hard work of Geoff Moore the resident painter at Granthams and his colleague Dave who prepares and makes good the steelwork along with Geoff.
I scrutinised the paintwork, I couldn't help myself, for a moment I was transported back to the years spent at Rolls Royce, considering the size of the boat and variation of colour, it was difficult to fault anything, She looked beautiful, once the brass was polished and all the other additions added, this would be an exceptional boat.
We set a date in the early part of January 2016 to finally move Miss Ellie 2 under her own power back to our Marina at Welton to finish the bathroom, galley and forward cabins, and everything else that needed to be fitted, which was still quite a lot, but for now I couldn't wait to test her with Dave for her first "Sea Trials"