shower genius

My first lesson in plumbing was water pressure. I knew the theory, but the practice only came when I cut a pipe and forgot to switch the water off (DOH!). Water comes out quite quickly and fast! Ooops.

As you know I have an aversion to cleanliness, but as I will be leaving my marina mooring and becoming a pirate of the open water I decided I really ought to get cracking with the bathroom and make sure I can shower when necessary (sigh).

My funk not wonky shower tray is coming along well, but unfortuantely the drain plug leaks so I am waiting to get another one. The shower came from homebase, works on low pressures down to 0.1bar and is a manual lever. The fittings are not supplied so I have had to find 1/2inch to 15mm pipe fittings. This is easy enough, but they are all different, and when you want the 15mm pipe to point downwards and not upwards you have to try several fittings! I have fitted it, tested it, and amazingly enough it doesn't leak. I used compression fittings, but on the male 1/2inch I also added a rubber washer. I couldn't find any the right size so lock boy (who was visiting again) wittled some down for me from some chunky rubbers I had.

I am not sure how I will seal the funky (not wonky) shower tray. There are few gaps where the tray has rounded courners and the walls are square. It has been suggested I use 'no more gaps' and then seal them.

All in all, it might have been a good idea to have bought a shower tray the right size, but hey ho... why do things the easy way?!

I just need to find a shower curtain rail that fits, and a material/washable shower curtain. I am hoping freecycle will come up trumps for the latter, or perhaps I should make one.

Technical Terms for Mechanics

This has made me laugh so much, that I simply have to share it with you all. I am hoping the beloved will find this amusing in time!

On sunday we were invited to lunch and beloved decided he would drive, that was until I got in the car and heard the almighty noise; I was convinced the exhaust would fall off so we took mine instead. I said I would have a look at it, but I forgot. Today I was sent the following emails (which I commented between) :

BELOVED:
I've just checked the car. The rattling is caused by a sort of metal sheath about halfway along the length of the car and fastened to the underside above the exhaust tube - it's that which is loose and rattling about. What's that, then? Can't get under the car to have a closer look.
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I asked him how big the metal sheath was and he told me it was 18inches. I then sent a picture of an exhaust system so he could locate the parts he has and work out what the problem might be to which he said:
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BELOVED:
Mine doesn't look like that! The muffler is at the back and the resonator, perhaps, is in the middle. If it is, then the resonator sits in the rattling thing which surrounds it on the body-of-the-car side.

Well, this has been charming, but I must go : )
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I expect his descriptions make every bit of sense to a mechanic, but they tickled me pink! I shall now use 'the rattling thing' and 'metal sheath' in as many conversations as possible.

Drawing II

I have been trying to develop my drawing I blogged a couple of posts ago. I think the eye looks a bit 'softer' this time... still a long way to go though!

Photo: Windsor Great park

I am about to commence my holidays and will be zooming through the airwaves to Italy.
Normally I would travel with trunk and hat boxes but this time I will be travelling by air so a carpet bag would be more suitable, unfortunately I don't have one.

Here is a picture from my weekends travels to Windsor. One of the great many good things about boating is not having to pack when going on holiday....

Photo: Holy Well

The weeping cross and I went to have a look at a holy well on tuesday. It lies near the river wey in the grounds of Oxenford, and marks the bonville spring. The Well is covered by a gothic arch designed in the 1840s by Pugin who designed other outbuildings around Oxenford as well as the house of commons. Inside the arch is a bench, and another hollowing out to the left takes you through to the water itself. The water passes under ground and comes into the open via a lions mouth.



Having taken in the beuatiful gothic architecture we went off to the outskirts of Guildford to sit by the river near St Catherines Chapel There is another holy well near here too.

I spotted this on the side of a door way up the hill from the well.

celebratory sketch

I have decided to start drawing again, and last night sketched this. the first (on the left) was a development of the idea and the second (on the right) a slight refining. It is a finger without the skin and soft stuff, but with the tendon. Obviously it has a LONG way to go, but I like the idea. I think I will do it in Acrylic in the end.

Oxford Mooring Hermit

There is a very strong possibility that I will be moving to Oxford. Oxford is a very popular place and moorings are hard to find.
In the old days country houses used to advertise for a hermit. The appropriate character would be selected and would live in a cave somewhere on the estate, and be visited periodically by after dinner guests. It was awfully prestidgous to have a hermit.

I wonder whether it is possible to be a modern day hermit? If anyone out there has a mooring and would like to have a 'work in progress' moored at the bottom of their garden. Dr Bones would be an ideal candidate. Not only can I be polite, quiet and good natured, but I can cut grass and appear to be out most of the time! Not even my neighbours think I live aboard; I know this because I often hear them talking about how I am never in whilst I dine in the dark with my candle!

Photos: Windsor and the successful cruise

Firstly construct a 'lock boy' (bosun)...


introduce him to locks.....


have a nice cruise with good views....


and more good views for good measure....


then put him to work....


PERFECT!!!!!!!

Stained Glass

Hannah Gibbons a long and faithful member of my crew is also an artist, and has started taking commissions for her speciality which is stained glass windows. I think she is exceptionally talented and thought I would share her first commission with you. She does all shapes and sizes, but this one is for a house. Isn't it simply gorgeous!



If you want to explore the possibility of commissioning something yourself, then leave a message and I will pass your details on to her. You can leave a message in the comments here, or in the guestbook. If you want it to be private, leave a private message in the guestbook!

When not boating

I often wonder what boaters do when they are not boating....

Today I am doing cone transformations. The important bit is that I have decided that were it not for the numbers, math would be my forte.

Mirror and eyebrows

I didn't have a mirror on the boat, but I was forced to get one when I simply couldn't get my starter motor off the engine because I couldn't quite see where the bolts were, and I couldn't contort myself into a flat shap in order to see. So, I took an old wingmirror, broke the glass in half and used that so I could see what I was doing. I triumphed, and after getting the motor re-wound and re-attached I wiped the oil off and used it in the bathroom. after a while I grew rather attached to my little mirror and was rather dismayed when I could no longer find it. Maffi has kindly given me a new mirror... I still haven't quite got around to using it. Having spent so long using a mirror that mirrors one eyebrow at a time, I can barely compute a mirror that shows my entire upper image. There is one good thing about the vasteness of the mirror - I can now see BOTH eyebrows which means I can practice raising 'the other' eyebrow with proper visual feedback; I am convinced this will enhance my learning abilities.

Vinyl Flooring - on the walls this time

DIY on a boat always involves a small space!!! Since living on a boat I have become wonderfully aquainted with close up images of my knees. Here I am trying to cut some vinyl in the bathroom:



You will notice the distinct lack of a fine array of measuring tools as I cut down a non existent pre-drawn out line randomly... The 'laying down' of vinyl in the bathroom went surprisingly well considering my lack of expertise. Admittedly I had done it before but last time it was on the walls rather than the floor. I had a go at using some special sticky tape this time instead of the glue and I can definately recommend it - unless of course you find having glue in your hair and vinyl stuck randomly across your body an essential component of DIY.
The top tip of laying vinyl - a sharp knife (stanley or freshly sharpened kitchen knife) and take it slowly, but always remember to laugh when you find yourself trapped in a suddenly unrolled mass of vinyl with you in the middle.