We found the Black Pig

As Waiouru is starting to get close to completion our thoughts have turned to all the essential cruising equipment we need to purchase.  An order has been placed via eBay for an anchor, chain and rope.  eBay also produced a supplier of competitively priced mooring ropes.  We are going to need side fenders when moored against a hard edge consequentially we’ve been looking at how to secure them to Waiouru.  I recall from our hire boating days that the plastic sausage style of fender appeared to easily snap off when secured to the mounting points below the gunwale.  Consequentially we’ve decided to secure the side fenders from a holder on the handrail where they will be more accessible.  Time will tell whether this was a sound decision.  After some Google searching we found Black Pig Fenders could supply plastic handrail hooks at a good price.  The four hooks arrived today.

They appear to be machine cut and (of course) don’t fit the profile of the handrail on Waiouru.  After some measuring and marking they were taken to the workshop where I used a jigsaw and file to reshape them.

Some fine sandpaper was then used to remove the sharp edges.  Initially we were only going to purchase two.  But then realised we might need fenders on both sides of Waiouru when moored.

The other task we completed today was to cut all but two of the ventilation holes in the furniture and doors.

Vents under the bed so the heat from the central heating copper piping can escape

Vents in the top of the wardrobes

Vent outlet in the wet locker door. This will allow the heat from the inverter and freezer to escape. 

Hopefully the chrome vent covers will arrive in the next couple of days.

However the most exciting part of the day was the arrival of Tim Bird of Merlin Signs.  Tim is doing the sign writing on the rear panels.  In preparation for the task he had made up a large paper template of the sign writing.  The reverse of the paper sheet was dusted with chalk and then taped to the panel.  Tim then carefully over-drew the lines on the template which left faint chalk lines on the panel.

The upper and lower extremities of the lettering were then marked with thin red plastic masking tape.

Tim then proceeded to paint the letters in off-white.

Once he had completed both sides Tim went back to paint the shadow.  The style Jan has chosen is a graduated two tone shadow using the light grey and graphite colours from the boat colour scheme.

Tim will need to return on Monday and apply a second coat plus some touching–up

The shadow has really given the name a 3D effect.

The blacking didn’t get done today which means it has to be done tomorrow!  Andy is also going to fit the Houdini hatches and their new steel frames.  Hopefully the portholes will also be fitted.