OPEN WEEKEND SUCCESS

Thanks to everyone that came to see the new workshop at Mercia Marina during our open weekend - particulary those that travelled from as a far as York & Peterborough! It was great to see everyone and I hope I managed to say Hi to you if you came along - apologies if not, it was fairly busy at times! Due to the success of the weekend we intend to have two a year - we'll be having another in early November after the end of the hire season. Thanks also to all the moorers in Mercia Marina for the support and encouragement they have provided to us during our expansion. Stuart our Engineer has already been busy in the marina, carrying out engine and diesel heater services, as well as plumbing and electrical work. There's been rapid progress on the fitout on Aqua Vie - what a difference the machinery makes to the fitout productivity! Aqua Vie will be our third hire boat for the 2009 season. Both Jordan our cabinet maker and Stuart have been working hard to ensure it's on target for completion in March. I'll be joining them on board shortly to lend a hand (or hinder!) with the fixtures and fittings. Progress photos below: Shortly after arrival windows installed, ballast and floor laid, followed by battens for oak veneered ply to attach to. The surface of the wooden battens were taped up and then the sprayfoam insulation applied by Websters. The tape is then pulled off afterwards to leave behind a clean surface. Shortly afterwards lining work is commenced. Here you can see Jordan cutting the window apertures in the oak veneered ply. The ply is put in place, the window is removed from the outside and template holes are drilled in the ply following the window aperture (you can just make these out below Jordans hands). A compact router is used inside the boat to join these holes together to form the window opening. The window is then reinstalled. The solid oak trim panels have been added to the oak ply. You can just make out the solid oak plugs that have been inserted to cover the screw heads. These will be cut back flat against the surface and sanded before a varnish is applied. The window surround will be finished in solid oak trim shortly. All the 12v and 230v wiring looms have been installed too. Looking towards the bow of the boat from the rear cabin. The first compartment, after the rear cabin i'm standing in, is - the bathroom, followed by the double cabin, then galley and finally the saloon. Rear bulkhead where the sweeping stairs will be installed. The pipework on the floor is for the hot and cold water supplies and also central heating returns to the bathroom towel radiator. Stable front doors lined in solid Oak. The hole at the bottom will have solid brass vents installed.

Side hatch with windows to allow light to flood into the galley area when closed. These are also lined in solid oak but the hatch has not yet been trimmed up.

Stuart's also installed and commissioned the Isuzu engine - which runs like a dream! I'll take a photo for the next update. Hope you enjoy following the progress of our latest fitout! Back soon...

Justin, Jane & Team.