Bunyip

[michael]

Here's a photo of my vessel currently under restoration. With most likely making next year's 2007 Murray River trip. Alot of sanding taking place with the deck's maybe getting varnished tomorrow and the hull getting its coat of paint/s next weekend by the girlfriend while I supervise!
Its cabin will have windows nearly the full height and width as it will be powered by an outboard/tiler and the more windows the better I will be able to see.

[thewharfonline]

That's excellent Michael! Sweet boat...I sanded more on my boat today! I am desperately wanting to move on to painting or even putting on a primer and fixing up the stupid rot (damn wooden boats!)

You have a cabin similar to what I am wanting to do for Grebe...but my roof will span from the 'cabin' bit to the end of the boat! The reason Cath has a 'parasol' in the picture (as Roderick put it) is because the sun was damn hot that day and she has fair skin so the extended roof will keep her nice and safe in sun and rain!

I should get Cath to come and paint too...you might be on to something Michael!  

[paddlesteamerman1]

Nice work Michael! How long is the Bunyip? You all are a lot further than me, I dont even have a hull yet  :rant But I am getting there...
I think we all have similar ideas on what we want our boats to look to like though!!

Cheers

[michael]

Well last night the girlfriend told me the front deck with the carpet "looks crap"!! So this morning I ripped up the front deck as well as the front of the cabin. Went into town and bought some 3mm ply, varnish, paintbrush and woodfill. Came home, sanded the edges around the hull and cleaned out the forward hull, then drew the lines on the wood and cut the shape out. I have now nailed/ glued it in place and filled some small gaps, tomorrow will sand and maybe varnish and do a couple of other sections of the deck. Adam Fitton (PS Ranger) is going to come around and fix the gap in the hull in the next week or soo then the hull can be painted and cabin work can commence. Thanks for the full length canopy Sean had never thought of it and after thinking of Jesse II it would look pretty good on her especiall if you have to drive it in the rain!
James- she's 4.8m long and 1.8m wide at its widest point

[thewharfonline]

You know in a few years there is going to be a fleet of similar sized and looking boats at Echuca!

Gee you're lucky to have people like Adam on your doorstep basically...I have to do all the 'hard' work myself! Thank goodness I don't have any major troubles that can't be fixed by someone with limited boating knowledge such as myself!

The full length canopy is plain and simply a good idea because it can get damn hot on the water! With no trees to give you shade it can be a killer! Then of course there is rain!

I've also contemplated putting little plastic side curtains on the boat for when it rains...with a steam engine though that could be bad!

[michael]

Well I finsihed the front deck today, just have some sanding to do beofre the varnish. I also removed the remaining cabin frame so it now looks like a larger version of Grebe!
I think the long roof will be the way to go, although the original length will be windows with a zip down canvas for sleeping in at night and the back section will be open like JesseII.
The ideas are there just not enough hours in the day or money in the bank!

[paddlesteamerman1]

Maybe it wont be so bad having a few similar boats around Echuca, though the Sarah-Jane will see an awful lot of the river from Mannum up to Waikerie (because we own a house on the river in Morgan [Big Bend]). Yeah, I wish that I also had someone who could just drop around and do the tricky stuff, but maybe, Sean, we could just drop around to them and let them do the hard stuff!!! I was thinking have canvas that could roll down for night time and have a permanentaly open part at the back for the Sarah-Jane although a lot of room will be taken up with the steam engine!
And there is never ''enough'' money in the bank.
Did you build the hull from scratch Michael?
It does look awesome though!

[thewharfonline]

I like the plans for sleeping in a 3-5 metre boat...truly fantastic ideas! Michaels may work because he wants an outboard but I know there is very little room to move on Grebe let alone sleep! Zip down for rain, not sleep in my case! A tent is for sleeping!

Gee Michael you're getting further than I am! Very thankful for daylight savings, I'm off now to fill some rot gaps and cracks! BAH ROT!

[paddlesteamerman1]

Hehe! Have a good time with the rot   !! I am planning on having a 5-8 metre boat now>>> Changed my mind once again!!

[michael]

Bunyip with its new deck, not varnished yet. I varnished a small section at the stern tonight and it came up pretty good, but apparently you have to give it 5-8 coats, may need to go buy some more!! Also purchased some epoxy wood glue for the hull which was $10 at one store (mitre 10) and $2 at another(the warehouse) so I bought $10 worth!!

[paddlesteamerman1]

Lookin' Good Michael!!!

[michael]

Well Adam came over last night and we got thestarboard side but-plate on, we ran out of glue so we will do the port side in a couple of weeks after he gets back from trade school and also nail them done in a way that it has a riveted look and if I do manage to hit something and the glue cracks the plate will hold her, so she will be a tough hull and look pretty hot. I am even considering having no cabin at all, as the larger the cabin the more it will be blown around by the wind. Adam may have also get me a 5.5hp outboard, got prices on 6-8hp new outboard motors up to $3,000au.
Today I have varnished the side decks with my marine varnish, and have it outside in the sun drying.
Adam is also getting me a heat gun to get rid of the inside paint and prime and repaint it..... girlfriends job!

[thewharfonline]

Heat guns are seriously the worlds best paint scraping invention ever...so quick so easy!

[paddlesteamerman1]

So you would recommend a heat gun to strip paint off the wood!!
I know that I need the quickest and most best way possible!!

[anth]

that would be a yes :wink: