Back to Work

August 29, 2016 Hours spent building to date: 2,828

Progress on the Tardis has been limited by recent trips to Boston, New York and Ohio. The Ohio trip was ostensibly to take John back to Miami University and help him move into his new house, but was actually to transport Sparta the Cat with him in the manner to which Molly wants her to become accustomed — a portable dog crate with all the comforts of home.

But work picked up again over the weekend, even though the heat wave continues. I did get one coat of paint on the forecabin sides in low humidity Saturday, and the rest of this week looks good. To keep the carpentry going, I built the access ladder to the foredeck and measured and countersunk all the holes for the opening ports.

At close to 3,000 hours, people ask me, “Are you getting tired of this? Are you getting bored?” Naturally, I would rather be cruising in this weather, but bored is impossible with all that has to be done. The ladder is a perfect example. I had never built a ladder or staircase, so figuring the top angles, the bottom angles, and how to cut angled dadoes (slots) for the steps kept me pleasantly busy for a day. And I was very pleased with how the keyhole brackets that hold it firmly to the hatch frame worked out. They are for attaching heavy ladders to dive boats, and at $10 a pair, much better than anything I could conjure up at the hardware store.

I ordered a set of “fold flat” hinges thinking I would have the ladder fold up for storage, but there seems to be a perfect spot just in back of the head in front of the sleeping area bench.

I was able to lightly attached the porthole trim rings after the holes were in. I think the ports are going to look spectacular when installed — so spectacular that I will definitely add a third one per side in the blank space shown in the picture. They will let light and air in over the desk and the bench in the sleeping area. But at over $300 each, I will have to start paying myself more.