Looking Good

When you see something coming to life that until now was just an idea gives you such a warm feeling inside, and we really couldn't have had a better signwriter.

Deefer and Daisy's Bedroom

Paws for Thought

Signwriting 2nd Day

Trouble is with sign writing it's the sort of trade you just can't help watching, you really try hard not to be a pain and keep watching, but you just can't help yourself.
Lucky the sign writer was open to new idea's and we spent a good few hours of the day just throwing ideas in the air and discussing them until we came up with something we all agreed would be good.

Lorain wanted Deefer & Daisy to feel at home !!

Countdown to Launch

This is a link that shows time left to launch date,
Lorimar will be launched at 10am. on Friday the 18th. and once all relevant checks have been carried out by Heartwood Narrowboats we will be setting of for Crick. I must admit it will be a nerve racking day for us all, but hopefully things should go ok.
We hope to set off on our maiden voyage on Saturday which will give us 5 days to reach Crick and ready Lorimar for the show.
We are really looking forward to seeing all our new found friends at the show that have been following our blog site and the beer tent of course, which should be a good time because apparently it is tradition for the builders to buy all the beer we can drink Ha Ha

http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?day=18&month=5&year=2007&hour=10&min=0&sec=0&p0=136

The finish of the blue panel is that good you can even see the reflection of the workshop roof.

The cream with blue panels and red coach lines lookes just as good if not better than we had imagined,
This friday we are meeting the signwriter and Elite furnishings are coming along to take final window measurements for the blinds, but thats Lorains department, colours of fabrics and furniture are not my favorite topic, nor Pauls come to that.
Thank goodness for Lorain and Maria xx

Ian is in his element, Paul is so busy with the installing of the electrics, systems, engine and heating system that he has virtually left Ian in charge of the wood working and as usual it has not been a daunting task for him, Paul has taught him well and it certainly shows.

Maria has been busy making the exterior look as good as the interior, the gloss finish looks fantastic and now that the panels and the red coach lines have been added Lorimar is certainly a head turner.

Let there be light

This picture shows what Paul has been busy doing, all the control panels now installed connected and tested,


This shows a view of the arched doorway in the living room, on the right leaning against the side is the start of the door,

Nearing Completion

Book Shelf / Rad Housing in living room

Bedroom Cabinets Started


Well no one said it would be easy !!!


but I must admit we didn't realise just how difficult it was going to be,


Six months seemed to be a long way away, but before you know it, it's only 3 weeks until Lorimar gets launched, and time seems to have gone in a flash, all our plans to do this and that while waiting for the build ?? half the things we planned to do never got done and most of the people we where going to visit never got seen, so our apologies to everyone.

Blown Away

Well we visited the builders this weekend as arranged and met Lee our granite man there, http://www.stonedesigns.co.uk/ what a great chap, He had to travel from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire to Stoke on Trent but not a moan at all, in fact was only too pleased to help out, He and his brother Mark got straight on with finishing the tops as they had left the sink holes and hob hole to cut on site because Lee was concerned about the granite being damaged and cracking at the weak points during transit.
And to cut a long story short Blown away is the only way I can describe how they look, but judge for yourself.
As for progress on the boat building Paul has been busy finishing the galley area ready for the granite, if you can see at the end of the galley left hand side you can see two doors, Paul has decorated these with a decorative piece of elm that he has had for years and it looks fantastic, and I know I keep harping on but it's this what makes our builder so special, the enthusiasm and finishing touches make all the difference.

Ian has been busy in the bathroom making the cabinet to his usual high standards I can see this boy going far in the future, his attention to detail is second to none.

Maria has been busy tiling and painting and has managed to get a great finish on the base paint, so all in all it was a very good visit and we seem on schedule for the boat show at Crick.

Ian's Cupboards

On the left is the control panel and main distribution cupboard on the right is the cupboards that house the washer dryer, microwave and freezer these are both tall cupboards at the rear as you walk down the steps off the semi trad.

The thing we wanted the most was to have all the appliances behind doors washing machines and freezers look great if you're in to that sort of thing but personally I have spent what seems like a life time staring at them as an engineer or repair man if you like, so I didn't want to spend our leisure time staring at them as well, these are the only tall cupboards through out the boat, we didn't want any high cupboards anywhere else not even in the galley, the intention being the boat should feel open and spacious "we hope"

Now the reason this post is called Ian's Cupboards is although it is hard to see from the pics Ian spent ages matching the grain patterns of each door, and the time spent really shows, just like Paul the attention to detail is fantastic and if it's not right then in the bin it goes,

Ian although following in Paul's foot steps is still at college completing his carpentry course on day release, and nearing the end of the course is now starting to shine in his own right, he has his own idea's and his own techniques which is really great to see.

Oven and Housing

Paul and Ian have finished the Oven housing and as you can see as a bonus the oven fitted perfect well done boys !!

the hob will be fitted later when the granite worktops arrive, which should be on the 25th of Feb. so not long to wait. Lorain is getting excited and can't wait to see the tops in place, she ordered Blue Pearl granite and I am sure she is right when she says it will look great, I can't comment on colours as it was decided a long time ago that when we started to do the build, I would be in charge of the building, electrics and plumbing specs. and she would have control of the colour scheme, so we always have chats, I give my opinion on this colour and on that colour then we go with what Lorain says she wants anyway, and I quote

"you said I was in charge of the colours believe me it will look great" Yes dear says I,

Maria starts the Tiling

The long awaited tiles arrived on site to day and Maria wasted no time in making a start, this section had to be tiled first because once the shower false wall and cubicle are erected it will be impossible to tile, to the left of the port hole is where the shower wall will come down to form a straight wall for the shower cubicle and the gap between the boat side and the shower wall will then become storage area for towels.

Lorimar Taking Shape

At the builders last week and Lorimar is really starting to take shape, the bulk heads are all in so we can visualise the room sizes and the first fix on the electrics and plumbing is finished.

We spent what seemed like hours marking out on the floor how we wanted the galley shape to be until all of a sudden it just looked and felt right, then Paul made templates of the worktops so we could actually get a feel for it, and it felt great.

I have said it before and I will say it again it's really great to be involved with a team of builders with so much enthusiasm and skill, we suggest things to Paul, Maria and Ian then we all discuss it then they set about making it,

None of this "well this is the way we normally do it" I wish I had a pound for every time a builder has said that to us.

We spent a lot of time finalising unit sizes and shapes and between the 5 of us we think that we have come up with some fantastic and exciting idea's,

Maria and Lorain spent time discussing colours and ordering the paint in.

I have included some pics to show the inside as it was when we left.

Santa's Grotto

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The battens were hung in the boat with such care, In hopes that the sprayers soon would be there;

The builders were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of Lorimar sailed in their heads.

When down at the workshops there arose such a clatter, they sprang from their beds to see what the matter.

Away to the window they flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The spray foamers are here they shouted with glee,

to make Lorimar warm and cozeeeeee!

In a flash they started with only one motto,

we're experts at turning your boat into a grotto.

Battening is finished

Just had some more pics. sent by Maria & Paul at Heartwood of Lorimar pre spray foaming to-morrow, as you can see the battening is finished and the spray foamers should arrive in the morning, Mia has promised some pics. of the spray foaming so I will post them as soon as they arrive.

Progress seems to be great and it's nice now things are finally starting to take shape.

I wanted to get involved with the build without being too much of a pain, but my theory is if it goes on the boat then I need to know where it is and how it comes off for fixing later on in Lorimars life,

so I talked to Paul any chance of helping says I, not a problem the overalls are over there says He,

and that was that I spent the next 3 days passing ballast through the window "how many bricks are you sure" then fitting the base floor and battening the sides and roof,

sure is starting to take shape now and I have heard from Paul today letting us know that the inspector has been down and no issues there, the wiring loom chap has been in and measured and is being created as I type, the loom that is, not the chap, and Lee sanitation have called to measure up our toilet system all this should arrive 2nd. week in Jan.

Oh yes and the engine the green goddess Beta marine 43 arrived safe and sound and what a thing of beauty, ok. ok. so I'm a bit of a saddo, but just have a look at the pics,

anyway that's all for now,

everybody out there have a safe and wonderful Christmas.

Lorimar Sails

Lorimar sails but only in the air,
She arrived at the Heartwood workshops on Thursday afternoon and then it was all hands on deck, firstly to get her into the workshops but that was a well oiled trick "I think they may have done that before" says I, then to get her positioned against the full length of the back wall so Paul would have plenty of workshop room.
At 58 foot she just fits with room to walk around the bow and stern.

Hull Update

Nearly forgot to post the new pictures sent by the builders