I fink it's time Captain Dad - part 30

Well ... is gettin to the point where I is almost back where I started wiv dis bloggy. Mum an dad workin hard to prepare Atlantis for our journey from Kent to Essex to our new mooring.

Mum mainly tidied up the wheelhouse while dad installs all the gear we will need for the journey. The windows are nearly all in place now (temporary ones that is) and we have lighting. Mum is sweeping up tons of rusty bits of steel and generally clearing away trip hazards. I am over-seein proceedings and keeping a ware eye on that broom too!

Just a little more welding to be done on the front of the wheelhouse and then the two final windows can be installed.

She’s looking good eh? Well as good as she can for the trip anyway.

Here’s dad just measuring up to put in that last big steel beam to ensure the wheelhouse is fully supported and there’s no danger of the roof crashing down on us. Not that it would. Dad has welded and welded and put in support beams everywhere!

Course, there were a few fings we didn’t av time for. Like a staircase! Pffttttt. So, it’s still the ladder for us. I tried givin my evils and fort I might levitate up there but it was not to be ;).

Even when I tried to plant the seed that I might go a bit Lizzy Borden wiv ma axe heehee.

I decided to call it a day maself; they were still workin late into the night. So I curled up on the sofa an mum wrapped me up in ma blanket but it was darned cold up there.

There was noffink for it but to retreat to the bedroom where there was a little heater an av a chew!

Next day we set sail- just like that! Here’s dad taking us out of the Medway. Can you believe tiny fing he’s got his hand on steers the boat! No wheel or noffink!

Pals, if you want to read bowt our trip up to Essex, you can see it on dis post from ages ago. So, we are nearly caught up now. Ma next post will show you Atlantis as she is now. Ok, I gots to manage expectashuns ere so don't expect too much! We had a lot of problems (and are still having them) with our moorings so dad hasn't been able to do as much work as he hoped.

See you next time pals!

You have the bridge number one - part 29

Now .... I like to make sure fings are proceedin appropriately so this bloggy is about me keepin ma beady eye on the dad. He's got a deadline to meet to make the wheelhouse (aka the bridge) as sea-worthy as possible for our trip to Essex (yes I am still bloggin about the past, which is really weird).

As you can see, I like to stand on our gangway fingamabob (wot dus av chicken wire for safety purposes for da mum).  Chicken wire very andy for me coz I can do zoomies across fast when I decides I want to chase a rat. Apparently, I needs to practise ma tecnique a bit coz barkin at rats gives em a bit of a heads up you is after em!

I can also nip up to the bow - well sort if nip up if you exclude the fact that mum has to carry me up a ladder heehee - and av a look at the marina next door oh and err .... erm .... check the ropes for dad ;).

Dis show wot appen when you dussnt read your tide tables  an set off in good time! The boat on the right just missed making it into the marina and ended up on the mud until the next tide! Got a bit of a lean on init? heehee.

Time to check the anchor chain. All lookin ok and now the anchors are in place an the chain is on the winch we can forget about that until we is out at sea! A job well done for dad!

The wheelhouse is certainl takin shape. You can see (i ope) how much bigger it is too! Ang on I have to getto you annuva pic to compare. Right ... nip ere and as a look .. don't forget to come back!

Before:

After:

I'm pretty sure I sure somfink down there you know! It might of been a ball, probably jus annuva rate *bark bark*. Oh .. it seems to have gone now ;). I feel like Kate Winslet in dat movie.

Arggh elp!! We as bin invaded by ... oh no .. sorry ... as you were ... is only dad in his funky new welding elemet. He don't av to flip it up an down coz of it knows when you dus be weldin so goes dark when it needs too. Hope that weren't too technical for ya heehee.

Sooooo, we gots annuva ladder eh? Exacly when is you plannin on puttin proper stairs wot can be used by the Lexie! I am fed up of bein carried up an down ladders. Looks a long way down for me to jump tho so I guess I'll just wait ere for ma lift.

Close up of some beautiful seam welds (dad made me say that) for the bottom of the wheelhouse.

Ooops! Fink someone (not sayin it was mum, nope, not at all, not mum) might of measured and drawn this up wrong first time round! Good job dad always follows his own advice, measure, check, measure, check and cut!

Sparks (no  ..... not the 80's pop duo):

Tempry windows on the port side (left). These be ones dad cut from perspex so we dussnt av to spent lots of money on da final ones as these will do for sailin to the new mooring so he can see fings! Always andy!

Inside the wheelhouse is realy takin shape. We gots lights! Well .. ok .. A light! heehee. Still got a long way to go before is luxuriush wheelhouse wiv all da mod cons an dat tho.

Well, dat it for now. See you for da next chapter.

Chain, chain, chain!!!! - part 25

Hello!! Last time I was tellin you bowt how we decided to move to a new mooring. Well before that cud appen dad had to sort out some chain and anchors in case we had to stop any time during the trip! As you may remembers, Atlantis never had no chain or anchor, mainly coz when she was a fishing vessel she used her fishing gear and nets when she stopped. Well that and she probably never stopped much!

Mum and dad had already stripped out the galley so that dad could get to the front wall. This would get him access to the bow which is where the first step wud appen. Installation of the chain locker! There is a lot of chain to be stored! This the wall wot will be cut away.

Next dad cut two holes in the roof of the bow which where the two chains would come down from the bow. He wud also cut holes in the bow but that wud come later coz he had to work out the right angle for the chain. Ere dus be the first hole:

Ere's the uvva hole! One for each chain. we have put some chain frew to make sure it fits and can slide in an out wivout too much trubble. That chain dus be heavy and mum an dad had to knock all the rust off wit hammers first! Talk about popeye-arms and that's just mum! heehee.

Dad starts by building the locker for the chain. He dus be using steel from the walls that he had already taken down from the galley! Good recycling eh? Here's the first of the walls on the right. He also used some old scaffoldin we had holdin up the bow roof (no longer needed I hasten to add) to make the frame for the locker.

He starts welding up plate into any areas where there are holes. This locker has got to be strong and well built to keep the chain in its place. 

Here are some further walls added. The holes are above so the chain will come into the locker when the winch operates (ooohh!!) - all electronically of course ;).

Now, we dus go all well posh and dun a video! Ere's dad dussin some weldin (warning: contains bald head and some flashin stuff).

Dad plated over an old out-of-use hatch too. He as asked me to point out his very neat welding! Ok dad - here is some very neat welding please take note:

I have decided to pay a visit and inspect proceedins as is my right as ship's dog! Yes ... all seems in order, carry on dad, carry on.

Welding sparks! Ohhhh pretty!

And, coz I bin such a good doggie and dad was gettin a bit stir crazy in his little locker, a trip to Old Felixstowe for some fun on the beach!

Next time, more chain, more holes and ..... anchors!!! hurray!

It must be frew da ... round window - part 10

Well hello furriends! Is still 2007 - was a very busy year you know? Dad, never content wiv one or two fings on da go at once, decides to buy the drydock where we was living at the workin wharf.

Before he know where he at, he's workin on Atlantis, Auldyn River, anovva houseboat build and boats comin in and out da drydock. Here he is stick weldin on some fingamabobbies wot is called anodes on a boat in dere. Dat his old weldin elmet he did arsk me to point out! (dog knows why!!)

They decides is time to take on more peoples and dad starts a small boat buildin business. Headin up da team dus be ma favouritest person Jared! We also has is bruvva workin for us he has long hair wot dus be called dreadlocks an he likes to run after me in da yard tryin to steal ma ball! We also has annova couple called Fry and Leela  (like from da futurama - dat is not they real names but wot we called dem for fun). They dus let me eat some of dey samwuches but we dussnt tell mum bout dat! Dat is just between us ok???

Mum dus be workin from ome quite a bit an has set up her office in da galley (kitchen). We is quite cozy in dere although sometime she get wet from da hole in da roof where dad is cuttin away old metal ready to make it easier to remove da wheelhouse. She has to wear her cagule. There be lots of noise goin on too but she dussnt mind, she all fixed up wif appropriate cloavin as you an see! Is dark in there so she has to squint ;)).

When mum is at ome I dus make maself comftibles in da galley as well. Is nice and warm in dere most of da time. We turns the cooker on for extra warmf if it get too cold. Mum make sure she sorts me out wif ma comfy cushion next to her in da galley as well!

Course as we knows, before dad cud take off da wheelhouse, he had to build da bedroom and before he cud do that, he had to finish off da back structure (wot we calls da saloon). Oh, I forgot, fings were made a lot easier wif dad's latest purchase - a big crane! Here he is sittin in da cab.

Dad also used da crane to build the two-storey wooden structure wot would go on top of da lighter he was buildin as a houseboat for a customer. Dey builded da structure on da land by da wharf and then wud use da crane to move it onto da lighter which was moored next to Atlantis. Ere dus be da wooden structure. Dem windows is from China!

Meanwhile back on Atlantis, Dad and Jared was workin on preparing da back structure for da windows. First of all they dun painted da structure so it would be easier to mark out da windows. Then they use a template made of some stuff wot is called MDF and cutout all da steel to form da windows. Here dus be a before and da after shot - can you see dem differences?

Before:

After:

Here's da view from da inside after dey had blasted and painted it.

Maybe you dus remember dat it looked like dis at da start back in 2003 and mum is standin in roughly da same place for boaf photos!

I fink 2007 was their hardest year. They worked really hard and achieved a lot dat year. I hasn't even telled you bout all da ovva fings yet! So I leave it there for now with a lovely sunset over da river.

Bye for now pals fanx for readin ... in da next episode ..... mum and dad get a bedroom complete wiv bed!

Dem legs is made for walkin and dat wot they will dus - part 8

Hello ma frends. Bout time you wrote da next chapter ain't it Lexie? mum says to me. Ok ok I say. I be a very busy lady you know. Wot wif all da nappin wot I has to do, all da tweetin and such. I mean dis not some excoos but it has been extreeeeemely ot lately and I has to make sure I keeps cool. Is very impawtant for da Lexie. Dis be ma bestest position for keepin cool: chicken drumsticks mum calls it, or frogs legs!

Anyway, where is we at? Oh yes, da year dus now be 2007. I was tellin you before bout mum's manager (she was woman not man) who was really orrible.  Was gettin mum down a lot and dad say is time to quit.

On MV Atlantis (MV dus stands for motor vessel) the usual fing appen. Can you guess? Yes - frost, cold, ice, frozen pipes, mum fallin over bla bla bla! Mum heard bout a new exercise class startin up in da village near where we was moored. She decide to go along wiv her frend and did discover they was bellydancing! She loved it! Da moosic... da dancing... da heaters in the dancehall!

She was hooked da first time she went and has been dancin ever since! Probly we be tellin you more bout dat later from time to time. Here she dus be when she dun her first performance at a school fete! She was really scared can you tells?

Mum was as well worried bout money and quittin her job wivout anuvva one but she say, what the hell, I can't go on like dis. So she quit! Was great feelin. They talks it over and they decide is time to go freelance and work for herself. Wot she does for a livin? I hear you ask (possibly) She work wiv da interwebnet. She build websites, content management systems and writes for da web. Dad say she can find job easy wiv her skills and experience. He dus be right bout it!

She hadn't even left her job when her old boss call her up and offers her some contract work! Best of all, she can do it mostly from ome! Yippeee! She is doin a web fingamabob for a housing association in Hammersmith, London. They ask her to go in twice a week and rest of time she can work from home! So that's her sorted and I get to av mum time 3 days a week and all weekend too! Hooray!

In da meantime, I telled you bout the fing what dad was gonna be working on. Dad had been given da opportunity to do some eggsitin work on a huuuuge boat call Auldyn River. Da man wot buyeded it wanted to turn it into a recordin studio and he wanted to film everyfink for a televishin documentary wot would be on the telly! Audlyn River dus be a hooge boat as you can see from dis pic. She was a coaster and shipped bulk materials all over da world.

Dad and mum had decided to employ Jared full time to be dad's apprentice and learn all da fings he need to know to be a shipwright. Jared would be workin wiv dad on boaf Atlantis and Auldyn River. Dad also had friend wot could work wiv dem on and off to elp wiv fings who ad experience of workin on boats.

Auldyn River was 54m long and it was da intenshuns of da owner to make her into a recording studio and floatin home! First fing they dun was to cut all dem blue fings off da side (on boaf sides dat is). Thems is called combings. After that they did av to prepare da hold for its new floor coz it wud be split into two and have a further storey on top!

They had to buy lots of hoooge stacks of wood for da floorin and to make da supportin frames. Dad use a fing wot is called a magnetic pillar drill to make oles in da steel to bolt the wood to the steel. Here's da wood wot they did av to put in da hold. You can see how deep the hold is. On da wall about 2.8m on da wall you can see da wood and some steel hangers wot they would lay da floor on.

They moved all dat wood by hand, carryin it up da 1/4 mile pontoon on they shoulders one by one! Dad earned his nickname of Popeye coz his muscles got even bigger in da end!

Dey jump over to Atlantis for a while. Dad has to get her ready for sailin to anovva mooring wot we as secured. Is still wiv da same landylord is just more of a working moorin where he can has access to a yard and do fings dat is not allowed in da ovva marina. He has until May dat year to get her ready for da trip. Is only about 1/2 mile around da corner so won't be too difficult!

Best fing about dis is some new equipment wot is goin to make life much easier for dad! First fing is a digger. He use dat to dig out the new berth for Atlantis.  Here he is diggin out da berth ready for Atlantis to come around and live there.

Sounds easy, right? Not really! He had to use the digger to lay concrete beams in da mud first, so he could drive on them so he wouldn't sink in! Of course, dis all was between tides and he had to make sure he move the digger back before it came in or is bye bye digger! heehee. Mum was responsible for watchin da tide and of course, made sure I kept a safe distance in between throwin da ball for me! A very serious and impawtant task!

Next fing is a 30 ton crawler crane wot they has buyed. They can use dat to lift steel onto Atlantis and for dad to remove da wheelhouse and build a new one! Mum likes da sound of dat! Why? Becoz removin da wheelhouse means dey has to finish the bedroom so they can move into it! Oh mum fink, imagine sleepin in a proper bed again! I dussnt know if I telled you but they bin sleepin on da floor for FOUR years! Yes, FOUR years in the cold and  windy (winter) or boiling hot greenhouse (summer) wheelhouse on a mattress about as thick as a cream craker. Course, mum being mum worries. What about? Fallin out of da bed! heehee!

Dad start workin in da fishhold (do you remember that - the stripout?) to turn it into bedrooms and en suite shower. He has to get it ready so he can remove da old wheelhouse. Here he is ..... working ;).

Dad be hoppin between Atlantis and Auldyn River tryin to sort everyfink out redy for our move. Jared is workin ard on Auldyn River and is comin on really well, dad say. He say he can leave him unsupervised to get on wiv fings and each mornin Jared come to see us for cup of tea and dad tell him the days work.

Wot bout me and da mum? Well, we dus av lovely routine. We gets up bout 7am and go for walks all along da beach. If the tide is in I get to swim too!

We dus find a nice woodland to walk in as well dat as got bluebells and little paths. We dus play hide and seek in da woods and mum hides behind trees and fink I not know where she is! Silly woman!

We comes back to Atlantis and mum does some work. Den we dus all av lunch togeva and mum does any tidyin up wot dad dus need. She might take some stuff to the local tip for im or go and get gas for da cutters or weldin supplies.

Later on durin da afternoon we dus go for more walks togeva and plays wiv da ball. We dus av some tea when is later and I usually get anovva walk before bed time. I has learned dat these are times when I dus go for wee and poo! Mainly, coz she say wee and poo all the time! Can a doggie get any appier dan this? I dussnt fink so! Altho I fink I shud of start measurin ma legs I'm sure they has got shorter since then!

Well friends, as usual, dis is turnin into one loooong post. We fink we might have to spread 2007 over a few posts as a lot appens that year. I shall love you and leave you and hope that I'll see you again!

Lexie signin off! Bissous!
xx