We've been busy…and we're going to be busier!!
It's been a while since the last blog. We're pretty busy outfitting a galley and five beds and a bunch of "safety" equipment, and I've also been dealing with creating a holding company in Gibraltar, registering the Nomadicat in the UK, and finding insurance — really fun stuff when "you're not from the UK?" and "what is this hybrid thing?"
Regardless, the boat goes in the water in about a week.
There are a lot of details to work through between now and then, and some of it will actually happen "in the water" on the dock alongside the boat shed while it's also going through "dockside" sea trials.
We're still missing some important ingredients for full completion, but we're now confident it will all arrive around the first of September, in time for the final sea trials and handover in mid-September. We now have all of the eMotion equipment except for a high voltage line that will run from the forward batteries back to the engines, the new and improved solar panels, and the cork flooring for the aft deck. The first two items are mission critical — not so much the cork flooring.
Here are a few pictures to help you see the progress. This first one is of Marilyn as we're headed to SFO and the Isle of Wight.
United Air now (thanks to my million miles status) allows both of us three 70lb bags each --gratis. We decided to take them up on it.
The "aluminum" has received its final protective finish, and the anti-fouling paint's been applied to the hulls.
The props and rudders, now installed,
will be anti-fouled when we take her out of the water one last time in mid-September for vinyl graphic wrapping.
Most of the "hotel" items are in: the 3-in-1 oven in the galley,
refrigerator/freezer, Miele washer/dryer, etc. This is "Marilyn's sofa"
-- her idea to make this a permanent feature and it'll eventually have a folding table to go along with it on the aft deck.
They've started placing the navigation
and propulsion management systems in the pilot house.
A lot of the cabinetry, wood floors,
etc. is in, with a bunch more to go. Stephen has some real craftsmen working with a full shop now to support them.
The complexity of this floating condo ("it's a beast")
is not to be underestimated, and we're getting very excited about getting on her. In the mean time, we're enjoying our bicycles trips (medieval abby)
and multiple trips to multiple pubs
(including sticky toffee pudding with caramel)!
