30 th January

Only spent a short time in the workshop today.

Dumped a lot of ideas in the bin and just went with two shelves behind the cooker. Now the gluing and painting process starts again. Not in a hurry though as weather very nice at the moment so off to sea with fishing rod and flask of coffee.

 29 th January

If you like watching paint dry well here goes.

Lots of epoxy light primer going down.

Some PU topcoat going down inside aft buoyancy locker. I use up the bottom of the pot after painting other areas so I dont waste expensive paint.

Painted topcoat (2 coats) on the inside of where the locker box will be glued into position on the main bulkhead for the galley quick access locker.  The unpainted strips are where the glue and fillets will be and will be touched up when finished.

Cockpit floor and seats all painted on the underside plus galley box locker inside and outside. Everything has epoxy resin, 2coats primer and 2 coats polyurethane topcoat.  1 coat per day so many days with not much to see.  Also takes a few hours of running my heater while doing the sanding to get up to 18c which Im happy to paint in.  

Time to move away from painting and tackle the rest of the galley.  I keep changing my mind on how to arrange things but just have to settle on something.

 25th January

Nothing too exciting to report for the last days. Some sanding and epoxy priming and a bit of galley work.

Cockpit seats and floor plus forepeak shelf with second coat of primer on the underside. Seats and floor also have 200g of epoxy glass on the underside to make a sandwich for a bit more strength and stiffness.

A bit more of inside priming. Opening of galley locker in main bulkhead visible.  I have made a box that will be mounted on the fwd side which will be my quick access lkr for coffee, sugar etc. 

 21st January

Been doing many different jobs in the last days.  Some painting, some cutting of stainless steel and drilling and polishing.  Also spent time filtering old hydraulic oil from my tractor and mixing it with diesel for my heating system.  It has been warm the last days so have not been using the heater except when painting or doing epoxy work. 

Made and glued the small infill in the starboard bunk.  It can be removed for sleeping on the floor in rough weather.  The bunk cushions are the same width as the floor so will be able to move them around.

Now I can start finishing the galley before tackling the deck.

 17th  January

Turned three score and seven today so only 3 years left on my warranty. 

Glued in the bunk backrests and put fillets on the joins today.

Lockers and inside all painted and finished.  More storage than expected inside the lockers and on the shelf so very happy.  I guess enough space for many weeks of dehydrated food behind the backrests.

Hatch, locker and door covers all sanded and in the paint station for their other side treatment.  Silver pipe pumps mega hot air into my workshop from my cheapo diesel heater which I start on diesel and change over to a diesel and waste oil mix which runs hotter than pure diesel with no fumes or smoke but switch back to pure diesel for 15 minutes on full to shut down.  So far so good.

 15th January

Went to Horta today to visit my fishing boat and give it some love and buy some paint.  Boat fine and happy but paint shop gave me a shock.   1liter of PU paint, 1 liter of thinners and a roll of masking tape = 40euros plus!!  That includes my 40 percent commercial discount!!  

Unfortunately the colours available here  for mixing are restricted in the PU range and our ideas for the inside of the boat were not available.  I had to choose a colour via phone call to Mrs Nuts.  I am rubbish with colour selection but did my best.

The colour is is growing on me and I like it.  It looks a bit like an off white in these photos but not white at all. Mrs Nuts has still  to see it as it is close to midnight and I just finished painting after a nice peri peri chicken at my sisters home.

 14th January

Bunk backrest and locker in the painting system.  Had a coat of epoxy resin and 2coats of epoxy primer so far. Got to wait for drying times so taking life easy.  Off to Horta tomorrow to select a colour (or two) for the interior and give my little fishing boat some love and attention.

 11 th January

A bit windy in Horta today

Nuts cosy and warm in the workshop.  Diesel heater working very well on waste oil mix to keep the temperature in the 20c range which is good for epoxy work. 

Bunk backrest with shelf fitted and ready for backrest.

Backrests cut and fitted. Now ready for epoxy coating, painting and gluing the whole lot in.  Also made provision for running wiring from the battery which will be mounted under the starboard bunk to the mast base and up to the electronics which will also be on the starboard side away from the steering compass to be mounted on the port side.  The weight should help compensate for the extra weight of the galley and foreward locker.  I was a bit worried about the weight of installing backrests to the bunks but after cutting and weighing all the materials it will add about 5kg per side including the epoxy and paint.  It will create a good amount of storage.  Nuts is not being built as a racing machine but hopefully as a safe and as comfortable as a 5m boat can be for long distance sailing.

 6th January

Did some gluing and fillets inside so decided to play with stainless steel while it cures.  I cut the pieces for the rudder pintles and tiller mounting from 5mm plate and drilled the holes for mounting bolts. I had previously made 2 solid round pieces for the pintles and drilled them with 12,5mm holes for 12mm pivot bolts (I didnt have a 12,2mm drill bit as specified on the plans) and was not happy with the sloppy fit of the 12mm bolts so I made new pieces and drilled them with a 12mm bit and they are a nice sloppy free fit.  Got to make a jig to hold all the bits together for welding so I can get everything nice and straight.  I also spent some time on my diesel workshop heater by adding a second fuel tank with change over valves so I can use old engine oil.  All ready to test. 

 4 th January

Been busy with a paint brush and sandpaper.  

Finally got all the coats done.  1 coat epoxy resin, 2 coats epoxy primer and 2 coats polyurethane top coat. (light sanding with 240 grit between coats)  Now I can glue the pieces into position then back to painting.  I am planning to finish the whole interior before putting the deck on.  It is easier to work inside and much better ventilation for the painting.

Started on the stbd bunk backrest supports.  Woodwork was restricted while painting to avoid dust in my workshop but no painting for tbe next few days.

 2 nd January

Been sanding and painting. 

Doors, drawer and shelving bits getting primer on the workbench.

Forepeak with primer.  Will get a sand and then ready for top coats.

Started with the framing for the port bunk backrest and side lockers/shelf.  The backrest will be 8mm ply with 5mm ply shelf and partitions.

 1st January 2024

Happy New Year!

Just home from new year celebration in Horta Marina.

Big party.  I hope this new year will be a good and prosperous one for all. 

Nuts has taken a back seat the last days as the weather has been very good and calm here in the middle of the Atlantic.  I took the opportunity to go fishing offshore the last days to fill the freezer with some success.  (need a bigger freezer now).  Did manage a few bits here and there though.

Bunk tops now all glued into position and epoxy filleted.  I have also made up the forepeak division and shelf.  The supports are all glued in and now everything is ready for the painting process. I dont have any photos as I dismantled it all after the prefit for painting. Im slowly working my way up to deck level when I will smack the lid on.