Skirt and Bonnet now on!

Ian and Scott from Kinver Canopies arrived around 9:30 am today and immediately started work at either end of Waiouru.

It was late on the 25th of October that they made the cratch and pram cover templates for Waiouru and today they arrived to fit the finished product.  Scott worked on the pram whilst Ian fitted the cratch.  The first step in the process was to loosely fit the cover and then do the final adjustments simultaneously screwing or pot riveting the connectors to the shell.

First loose fit on the pram

And another loose fit with the cratch

We didn’t want press dome catches as I suspected they might be very difficult to do up in the middle of winter.  Instead there are turnbuckles and elastic cord straps.

The finished cover

Back at the stern Scott had finished the pram cover

We think the ability to remove the side panels and roll up the rear will be very useful during summer.

Jan asked Scott (tongue in cheek) whether there was a front windscreen wiper?

There is good visibility from inside

After both covers had been fitted we noticed how much warmer it was inside Waiouru.  It looks like we may be able to reduce our heater output and save some energy.

Nick was on the stern of the boat removing the original chrome diesel filling points for the engine and heater tanks replacing them with lockable points that had been delivered earlier in the morning.

Tomorrow the cratch will have to be emptied of “clutter” and all the steel cleaned down ready for painting by Darren.  Not too much longer and Waiouru will be finished!