Another Refit Update

Another small batch of photos arrived last evening from Harlingen. These show some of the work done prior to Zonder Zorg heading over to the paint shop. The new generator was lowered into the after end of the engine room.

It was then moved aft and onto the bed that had been prepared for it.

Meanwhile, as work on the engineering continued, up top the roef was masked and primed in advance of the painting appointment.

Here, looking aft over the mast tabernacle, we see the graceful curves of the newly-extended roef.

Here are details at the mast tabernacle. Flanking it are the two new propane tank boxes, and in the middle, the new caisson for the spud leg is nicely and unobtrusively fitted in place. When deployed, the retractible spud leg will extend as much as two metres below below Zonder Zorg's bottom, which is three-quarters of a metre below waterline. This will give a quick and convenient mooring to the canal bottom in up to two-and-a-half metres of water depth. Most small canals are less than two metres in depth, many of them much less. Not only will the leg be useful for remaining in position while waiting for a lock or a bridge, it will also be ideal for securing alongside the usually rough and irregular canal banks that are found in most places except the organised mooring spots. The leg is just over five metres back from the bow, so mooring lines ashore from the bow and stern cleats will have more than ample leverage to hold her aligned to the bank, and our three-metre aluminium gangplank, which attaches to the gunwale, will bridge the gap.

The placement of the spud leg between the pillars of the tabernacle precludes our fitting a mast. While our initial intention had been to re-rig Zonder Zorg for sail, we decided that we were getting to an age where sailing her would be too much of a chore. Additionally, our thinking was that for the few times we would have sailed her, the clutter of folded mast, boom and gaff and all the associated shrouds, stays, sails and other rigging would be in the way on the canals. Our voyage through Patagonia and around Cape Horn had satisfied our thirst for sailing. We decided to forego the mast and go for a more relaxed boating adventure.

Monitoring the Refit from Afar

It is rather difficult to monitor a boat's refit from 7700 kilometres away. Fortunately, with today's easy communications, we can keep an eye on her in Harlingen while we remain in Vancouver. Here are some recent photos showing the progress of work. We see that the new aft window has been installed and that some of the wiring has been pulled from the engine room to the place where the new monitoring and control panel will be fitted.

From the cockpit, we see the newly built double-glazed window matches the elegant curves of the roef. Its inward opening feature will allow a nice cross breeze with the opening skylight above the galley and the six opening portlights forward.

Another interior shot shows the sliding pocket-door to the heads, as well as the beautifully designed and crafted interior. We are anxious to move aboard.

On the technical end of things, we see that the stern tube has been fitted and is awaiting the propeller shaft, which is awaiting the installation of the new Perkins M92B engine and PRM transmission.

In the engine room we see that the Victron inverter/charger has been fitted in place, but looks to be not yet hooked-up. This will handle the 24 volt house bank of traction gel cell batteries.

All technical and interior work will be paused next week as Zonder Zorg is loaded on a flatbed and transported down the road to the painting contractor's shed to be dressed in her new colours. We eagerly await new photos.

My Sailing Book Now Being Printed

The proof copy of my new book arrived by courier today. I have approved it and it is now listed on Amazon for pre-order, with a publication date of 30 April. It is a rather large book at 680 pages in an 8.5 by 11 inch format with 315,000 words illustrated by over 2400 colour photos, charts and maps. The Amazon.com link is: SEQUITUR - to Cape Horn in Comfort and Style and the book is now also available on Amazon.ca here.

The book details the 2009 to 2012 voyage Edi and I took from Vancouver down the west coasts of the Americas, around Cape Horn and up the east coasts.

The Floor Has Been Laid

We received another batch of photos this morning showing that Zonder Zorg's new iroco floor has been laid.

In this view, we see that the double-glazed windows have now been installed, but that the countertop in the galley has not.

This photo shows that the salon settee has been completed and that the galley cabinetry nearly so.

This view looking aft from the master's cabin shows the storage shelves beneath the starboard side deck. The sliding cupboard doors have been temporarily removed to ease the trim installation, which appears to have been completed.

The interior construction is nearly finished, and appears to be awaiting only the countertops, the gas cooktop, the sinks in the galley and heads, the lighting fixtures, the upholstery, the salon table and the new accommodation ladder. We are impatiently waiting for further updates and counting-down the weeks before we return to Zonder Zorg. Only five to go.

Update From Friesland

We remain in Vancouver, patiently waiting as our one hundred and five year old Zonder Zorg undergoes her mid-life transformation. We have received some more photos showing the progress. Here, most of the old paint has been stripped from the roef.

The roef now appears to have been primed.

The iroco planks are stacked on the top, ready for the installation of our new floor.

Looking inside we see the tools and signs of much activity.

Trim has been tastefully added, leaving a very bright and clean-looking interior, without the ponderousness of too much wood. While we like wood, too much gives a boat interior a sombre, coffin-like feeling. We're still too young for that.

Some nice detailing has been added to the area around the settee. Here we see the vent on top of the central heating radiator along the aft bulkhead of the salon.

Here we see that the shower basin and floor in the heads have been poured. Although we have not received photos showing the galley, I am assuming that the countertops there were poured at the same time.

Surface preparation appears to be in progress for the exterior painting. Yesterday we were sent the following work schedule:

• This week we are finished with the woodwork.
• Next week we start the interior painting.
• Next week we start the outside painting.
• Techniek we try to finish by the end of May.
• So I think you can come over the first week of June.

This is five weeks from now, one month later than we had initially planned, but we must remember it is a boat.

The Galley is Coming Together

Yesterday we received photos showing the beginning of the appliance installation in the galley. The oven and the dishwasher had been placed.

Today among the photos sent to us, we see that the cabinet doors have been hung. The dishwasher looks wonderful, and will allow us to cook and entertain to our hearts content, without concern about clean-up.

It looks like the timmerman is nearly ready to add the countertops.

Meanwhile, the workers are scraping the paint back to bare steel, getting Zonder Zorg ready for her appointment with the painters.

In the engine room we see that the installation of equipment has begun.

Up forward, the bed has been built and it is now awaiting its 160cm X 200cm mattress. We were in contact with the upholstery company yesterday, and they are scheduled to visit Zonder Zorg today to measure the bed and the cushions for the salon settee.

We are pleased with the pace of work.

Refit Update

We have received another bunch of photos of the progress with Zonder Zorg's refit. The first one shows a detail of the port forward corner of the galley and the bulkhead separating it with the heads. The line in the upper centre of the picture is the drain from the blackwater tank going through a very robust gate valve and thru-hull. Also shown are some of the electrical runs and copper plumbing from the hot water tank.

This shot shows that more of the freshwater plumbing has been installed, with runs for the dishwasher and the galley sink and continuing through the bulkhead for the shower, washbasin and toilet. Drains, traps, vents and valves are also in place.

This view shows two SaniVac systems, the one on the left under the galley sink and the other under the washbasin in the heads. Also in the photo are propane lines for the cooktop.

Here we see the installation of the galley cabinetry has commenced.

We are delighted with the larger side windows, and with their placement. The views while puttering in the galley will be wonderful.

Looking aft from the galley, we see that the construction of the salon settee is nearly complete. There appears to be huge storage space easily accessible beneath or behind the seat cushions.

The old rear window has been removed and it will be replaced with a new double-glazed version. Through the window is a crane hook and sling, lowering the engine into place for a fitting session and to more accurately map-out the remainder of the engine room. Klaas told me that the engine was then removed so that they could begin the installation of the other engineering components: generator, inverter, battery banks, furnace and hot water heater.

Zonder Zorg is scheduled to be hauled to the paint shop on 30 April and we are impatiently waiting for her to be ready again to play on the canals.