Author Archives: yachtcamomile
Week 13 – back in the water.
Finishing off the last of the varnishing
Saturday 25th April arrived and we weren’t ready to go back in the water; still a few more jobs to finish off so we postponed our splash until Monday, definitely Monday. I left Bill to finish off a bit of varnishing and took the ferry across to Langkawi to do a bit of shopping in the local shops; sometimes it’s nice to get off the boat for a while. When I got back Bill wanted to run the engine to check everything was ok. Difficult because the engine needs water to stop it from overheating. I had to be in the cockpit to start and stop the engine while Bill held a hosepipe in the engine intake. Camomile did not sound happy and when Bill wanted me to put the engine in gear to check the prop was turning she made a horrible noise but apparently all was ok.
Bill relaxing
Sunday 26th we could relax a bit so we treated ourselves to breakfast in the resort. While Bill put a final antifoul coat on the keel I spent a frustrating day trying to download photos of my sisters wedding. The internet here is incredibly slow; it’s the only real downside of this place, oh and the mossies of course. We spent our final afternoon in our ‘garden’ and went to the pool for a nice cooling swim.
Ready for the off
Monday 27th I took my bike on the early ferry to go and get some cash to pay our debts. On the way back my bike broke. Several of the spokes snapped on the front wheel and the sides of the tyre were also perished, they wobbled from side to side as the wheel went round and it was rubbing on the brake pads. I had to walk it back. NO comments on the weight it was carrying!! When I got back Bill had packed all his tools away and we stacked the rest of the woodwork up on deck, I gave our chairs to another cruiser and we were all ready for the off.
Up she goes again
We were third on the list and they came for us just after 11am; Camomile was dying to get her keel toes back in the water.
Camomile couldn’t wait to get in the water
Slowly lowered in
Bill watched cautiously as they drove Camomile around the yard toward the splash point. They put a ladder up so we could get on and we were slowly lowered into the water. Quite nerve wracking – would the engine start? Would the prop shaft or rudder bearings leak? Everything went smoothly until a last minute gust of wind blew us dangerously near to the wall. We are so nervous of scratching the new paintwork. Bill had a quick check round – no leaks!
What do you think?
We arrived at our berth and tied up bow in, we had wanted to go in backwards but Bill didn’t want to risk it with the gusts we were getting; we’ll turn her round in the morning when it’s calm.
Plug the power in
First things first get the power back on for the air con; it’s better back in the water but still hot.
We left it tidy
I walked back up to the hard to fetch our bikes. You would never know we had been there for 12 weeks.
It was great to be in the water. I had so many jobs I wanted to do. The first one was empty the fridge, clean it out and switch it back on. Its water-cooled and had protested at not having water to cool it (even though the water is warm) and had to be turned off on the hard. I reloaded it with the beer first in the bottom then some nice salad on the top. I emptied the freezer too and defrosted it so it could be turned up and be a freezer again. Both the heads (bathrooms) were given a good clean down with nice fresh water; felt good to have everything clean and working again.
Bill removed the compass
Tuesday 28th I finally managed to post my blog then continued to clean the boat although it will probably get dusty again when Bill starts rubbing the cockpit down. Bill spent the day stripping the cockpit. The compass came off, wheel off, binnacle stripped down, cockpit locker lid off, rev counter out, so we couldn’t go any where if we wanted to now. Bill filled any redundant holes with epoxy resin. I wonder what the mystery objects are doing there?
Spot the mystery objects
Setting up the grab handles
Wednesday 29th Bill started fitting the grab handles. I asked him if he could do them next because every time I went out on deck I either stubbed my toe on the spikes or trod on them. He worked for a couple of hours then we caught the ferry and took one of Mr Din’s cars into town to get some resin, do some shopping for the freezer, get my bike mended and have a Starbucks of course.
The bike work shop
This is the little workshop we took my bike to. Two new wheels, two new tyres with inner tubes, fitted and the gears fixed cost RM180 (about £30) pretty good value. How he finds anything I don’t know but it was ready for us to pick up on our way back.
Fitting the grab handles
We got back at 3.30 and Bill continued with the grab handles, he likes working that time of day because the heat of the day has passed.
Grab handles finished
Plugging the holes
Thursday 30th After fitting them the holes were plugged with the wooden bungs and resin. This is the problem with working out on deck, he’s in the sun, his back is twisted and we still don’t have stanchions and guardrails on yet. Later rain was forecast and he wanted to finish before it started to rain. Water in the holes would be a bad thing and take a long time to dry. I held an umbrella over him for the last few but he managed to finish before the heavens opened.
Bon Voyage Keith and Christine
Later in the afternoon Keith and Christine came to say goodbye to their boat Poco Andante and hand over the keys to the new owners having managed to sell her. They have a wonderful adventure planned to get back to the UK by train through China, Mongolia and Russia. They joined us for a glass of bubbles to welcome Camomile back in the water and wish them good luck on their travels. Stay safe guys. x
Parcel from UK
Just as they were leaving there was great excitement because we were informed the box my sister Amanda had sent only 6 days ago had arrived so I went to collect it from security.
The contents of the box
She had sent out a couple of bits I had left behind because I couldn’t fit any thing else in my bags like the new kitchen tap, a spare steering flange and a pressure relief value for the immersion heater!!!!! Also the guard rails were in there and the new control switches for the anchor windlass and a winter jacket I’d left behind which I might need when we go to China later in the year.
Rubbing down the cockpit
Fri 1st May While I did my usual Friday run to see the ‘Chinese man with the van’ Bill started sanding down the cockpit so he could get on with painting it, he’s now gone from black feet in the boat yard to white ones. Everything was covered in a layer of dust. I stayed down below to work on our China trip. Bill asked me to start making a list of outstanding jobs – it covered an A4 page and a half!
Mystery object in situ
So these are the mystery objects, glued and filled, in their place.
Week 12 and the rudder is back on
The mystery object is assembled
Saturday 18th April Bill assembled his mystery object. It’s made from off cuts. The piece of plywood needs to be shaped so by using a circular saw set to a depth it allowed Bill to make cuts to break the grain. Three of the triangular shaped pieces were screwed onto them and they were both sanded down. They look like mini ski ramps possibly for the gecko’s don’t they but there’s no snow here.
Mini ski ramp
Teak for the cockpit coaming too
Bill continued to create the woodwork for the cockpit combing – no more sitting on the treadmaster and getting diamond patterns on your bottom!
Removing the last of the treadmaster
The rest of the day was spent removing the last of treadmaster and the old seating behind the wheel, it’s all going to be replaced with teak. That evening we had a lovely meal with Keith and Christine of Poco Andante and Jill and Aidan of Dunworking.
Seat and treadmaster all gone
Removing the jamming cleats
Sunday 19th Bill decided the old jamming cleats would have to go. They’ve never worked properly and they were in his way but they put up a bit of a fight.
Beautiful fan palm
I decided to go and have my coffee in the resort and take some pictures of the palm trees here for my sister Amanda. Remember we saw these in Wisley in the greenhouse. I know everyone thinks I should help Bill more but there’s really nothing I can do I just get in the way. I make sure he’s fed and watered and has clean clothes and a clean bed and that’s all he needs me to do. Sometimes he gives me jobs but he likes doing things his own way!
Palms in the resort
Stunning
Encasing them in fibreglass
When I got back he was fibre glassing the mystery objects. We spent the rest of the day getting things ready to reinsert the rudder.
Busy Bill
Two of them!
The forklift places the rudder in position
Monday 20th poor Camomile had major surgery to reinsert her rudder. The forklift moved the rudder into place before they brought the lift in. We had intended to go back in the water but we’ve still got more ‘out of the water’ jobs to do so we are just putting the rudder in and repositioning her.
The travel lift in position
Camomile was lifted.
Up she goes
Heavy old rudder
It took three of the crew to lift the rudder up into place.
Rudder in position
Once we were happy the rudder was located properly they starting lowering Camomile down onto it inch by inch but Bill was nervous of them lowering Camomile down onto the rudder because if the new bearings didn’t fit, the weight of the boat pushing down onto them would split them and possibly do further damage.
Lowering her onto the rudder
So Bill got on board and attached the studding to the rudder so it couldn’t fall out. The forklift was brought in and placed under the rudder with the forks lifting the rudder into place. I was left on the ground to call out instructions; I’m good at that!! They stopped at the first red line so Bill could place the seal and the steering quadrant on then they continued to the second red line which was for the top quadrant which stops the rudder going to far. Bill put his head out of the hatch in our cabin to say everything was on. I asked if everything was in place ok and did he need a second pair of eyes to check? For which I received a few words; as if he would do something like that!
The forklift pushes the rudder right up
The boys continued to push the rudder up until it was in place.
It fitted perfectly
The new bearings fitted perfectly, Bill was really pleased.
Back on the ground
The boys sat Camomile back down again in a slightly different place so we could finish putting on the copper coat on the spots where the cradle rests had been and touch up the anti foul underneath the keel.
The black quadrant at the bottom of the picture was upside down.
Bill spent the afternoon reattaching all the autohelm and steering gear to the rudder. I could hear him swearing and cursing in our cabin so went to see what the problem was – he had put one of the steering quadrants on upside down! I said nothing. It was too late to do anything about it for now.
Tuesday 21st we went to Thailand for the day. When you enter Malaysia you are given a 90 day tourist visa in your passport and to renew it you need to leave the country. I had a new one when I returned but Bill’s one was due to run out 1st May plus we needed to get his new passport stamped. We had been given conflicting advice some people said you could get a new visa by going to Thailand but some said you needed to be out of the country for 72 hours to get a 90 day one and if you go for the day they only give a two week visa on your return. So we thought the only way to find out was to do it.
Ferry to Satun, Thailand
We took the 7.15 ferry across to Langkawi and a taxi to the ferry port. The ferry to Satun in Thailand leaves the ferry port 3 times a day and we were intending to take the 9am ferry. We went to immigration where we had originally checked in when we arrived and asked the question, ‘could we go to Satun for the day and come back and get a 90 day visa?’ We explained we were on a yacht in Rebak marina that was having work done and wasn’t ready to leave yet. The lady said it was ok; she would give us 90-day visa stamps on our return so we bought our tickets to Satun. We took both of Bill’s passports and they stamped us out of the country in his new one. The ferry took just over an hour. The instruments it had were very old fashioned.
The bridge of the ferry
Colourful temple
We were sitting ducks when we arrived and were immediately picked up by a local taxi driver wanting to give us ‘a tour’. It turned out the town was 15kms away so we agreed a price to just go to town and bring us back later. We could have probably got on a tuk tuk for a 10th of what we paid but the guy had a family to feed. The town was fairly uninspiring although we did come across this colourful temple in amongst the houses.
Lovely fresh produce
The market was very interesting with lots of local produce but we decided not to buy any and complicate the return.
Open stall selling chicken
These stalls were selling uncovered chicken that was open to all the flies and didn’t smell very nice – yummy! The fish stall was even worse but I didn’t chance going close enough to take a photo. You could smell it from 10 yards.
Bill found the hardware shop
We found a nice restaurant for lunch and wandered back to where we had agreed to meet our little taxi driver. Bill managed to sniff out this hardware store on the way back. We took the ferry back to Kuah on Langkawi and nervously queued for our passport stamp. Luckily the lady we spoke to was still on duty and remembered us and gave us our 90 day stamp – job done.
Looking down into the bottom of the rudder housing
Wednesday 22nd While I was out for my run Bill resolved the rudder problem. By using the studding he was able to lower the rudder enough to turn the quadrant round and wound the rudder back into place. This photo is looking down into the cupboard and the offending part is the black quadrant on the left of the photo. Bill reconnected all the steering and autohelm parts. Luckily we weren’t in the water.
The cupboard back in place
Finally Bill put the cupboard back in place ending almost 3 months of sleeping next to the ‘hole’. The mattress was rolled back into place and I made the bed. Our cabin was back to normal apart from the headlining but that will be addressed later. If anyone is interested in how Bill built the bed in the first place see Bill’s technical article Blue water comfy bed on the website.
Back to normal
New tyres on the dinghy wheels
In the next few days lots of little jobs were achieved. The tyres I had bought in the UK and brought back in my suitcase were put on the dinghy wheels but the wheels were taken off the dinghy because Bill rubbed down the transom of the dinghy for painting; probably when we’re back in the water. We managed to get the dinghy back on the davits.
The dinghy ready for painting
Spraying the diesel tanks
We carry a number of diesel jerry cans above and below decks. The ones from the bottom of the deck locker were getting really rusty so they were taken out, the rust was ground off with an angle grinder and Bill re-sprayed them. First with a prima and then the next day with black paint. I put their coats back on.
Good as new
Newly painted radiator
As some of you know we have a central heating system in the boat powered by an Eberspacher diesel unit (which isn’t working at the moment; it’s on the list). A bit crazy in the tropics you may be thinking but remember we are circumnavigating the world and intend to go back to the UK when we’ve completed it. For that we’ll need heating and some of the radiators have gone rusty so Bill took them off and sprayed them. It’s something he wanted to do.
The old and the new
You don’t get either of these here very often. You can count the motor cruisers on one hand in this marina; mostly sail boats here. You don’t normally see old traditional wooden boats either; it’s a bit too expensive for the locals but an American guy who is doing it up owns this one!
New curtain retainers
Most of the woodwork was completed now, even though not all of it was attached yet, and Bill had very little left. Our curtains are held back with a piece of headlining material that’s gone a bit saggy so Bill has used the last of the wood to make some new curtain retainers. It didn’t take him long. They will slot into these, which are made from the parts cut out from the new grab handles. As they are going inside they were given several layers of varnish.
The holders made from scraps
Another rudder going in
Friday 24th the boat next door owned by a Swedish couple had their rudder put back on and asked Bill to help. It was more complicated than ours and gave everyone a few problems. The yard boys lifted their boat off it’s cradle and got their rudder in place and proceeded to lower the boat onto the rudder. As they started there was an awful crack, I decided I was leaving and went off to the ferry for my usual trip to the Chinese man with a van. When I came back they were using the forklift to push it into place and apparently the crack had come from the piece of wood the rudder was sitting on. All ended well.
Wood bending
So what has become of the mystery objects, well they will be connected to this. This is how Bill bends wood!
Refit week 11
Masking stanchion bases
Saturday 11th April was the first day that I started feeling like my old self. I had a shower, washed my hair and we jumped on the ferry to pick up one of Mr Din’s cars. Bill needed some more paint, sanding discs and other hardware bits and I needed to pick up some food and, more importantly, wine. I’d got a few bits in the marina shop and from the fruit and veggie man but we needed snacks, bread, and store cupboard stuff as well as the wine. We headed to Starbucks for coffee and later had lunch out. Every day normal stuff to a lot of you but a treat for me. When we got back Bill started masking the stanchion bases ready to attach them the next day.
Bill fitting new bases in place
Sunday 12th back to work again. We still didn’t have any stanchions or guard rails so the next job for Bill was fit the bases in between the new toe rails. Bill was able to reuse some of the bases but I had bought 4 new bases as well as 6 new stanchions in Port Solent and brought them back with me. Bill attached the bases with bolts and a layer of sikaflex under them.
Coming along but still missing a lot of fittings
Unfortunately the stanchions can’t be fitted yet because they need bending to shape and that’s classed as an in the water job. We have so much to do we have to prioritise and stick to jobs that we’ve decided to do before we get dropped in, which could be next week. The deck looked great when he’d finished but still missing a lot of fittings.
Looking good
Amazing finish
Washing drying in my garden
Bill on a tea break
I had managed to remove the blue tape from everywhere; it takes ages to remove it neatly. I changed the bed and fitted the lovely new mattress cover, fitted sheet, pillow covers and pillow cases I had brought back with me. They had been wrapped round the stanchion bases to protect them. I like putting my washing outside to dry. Bill had created a bit of a back yard for us. The boat to our left is an old tub that looks like it’s been there for years but on our right side the boats have been coming and going and our ladder always gets moved because it’s in the way so Bill has put it on the other side. Bill has his ‘workshop’ under the left hand side of the boat out of the sun. The dinghy is our front fence and I found a couple of old chairs lurking around the hard stand. So we have our tea breaks in the garden.
Harry the Hornbill
This is Harry the Hornbill, he’s beautiful and very young but he’s decimated the tree in front of us eating the new leaves. He watches us sitting in our garden.
Shiny waxy Camomile
Monday I got up early to start my joggy trots again. I had bought some lovely new trainers in Kent with James’s help and wanted to try them out. It was like running on air. Bill spent the day waxing the hull, which is the last job he needs the scaffold tower for so we could hand it back.
Cockpit grating
Tuesday and Wednesday Bill worked on preparing more woodwork. Among other things he sanded down the cockpit grating. It came up like new, as did all the other bits he’s renovated. I removed the very last of the blue tape, I still keep finding bits, and continued writing my blogs trying to catch up. At the end of the day we went to the pool, the first time since I’ve been back.
Before we started
Thursday was cockpit day. The winches, clutches and cleats had to be removed so Bill could start preparing the new teak decking that he intended to replace the treadmaster with. Unfortunately the bolts that had to be removed to get them off were covered by the headlining and Bill struggled to get underneath it. To take the headlining panels down is a major disruption, which is why Bill chose to paint around some things on the deck rather than remove them.
Bill struggled
Everything off
It took several hours but between us we eventually achieved it. You can see the contrast between the new paint on the cockpit combing and the old GRP in the cockpit. The cockpit painting is another ‘in the water’ job.
Taking the big sheet winch apart
The big sheet winches had to be removed too, which had Bill contorting into awkward corners of the deck locker and under the headlining above his workbench. Eventually they were all cursed into submission!
The treadmaster removed
Finally the treadmaster had to be ground off creating an awful dust cloud but leaving a lovely smooth surface for Bill to start creating his teak bridgedeck that he’s always wanted.
Shaping the wood
Friday I went for my usual trip on the ferry with my friends to do our shopping with the little Chinese ‘man with a van’. When I got back Bill had started making the pieces for the new deck. The first piece had to be made curved and took Bill a while shaping it with a bobbin sanding head on his drill.
It fits!
It fitted exactly.
For the next piece he used a jigsaw, he pointed out that he was using my Dad’s old jigsaw, I think Dad would have approved of its use, that’s if he didn’t cut his hand off in the process!
Using Dad’s jigsaw
Starting to look good
By the end of the day, after many times up and down the ladder, he had produced this; it’s going to look stunning when he’s finished it.
We were supposed to go back in water on Monday but we’re not ready so we’ll have the rudder put back on instead.
Meanwhile Bill is creating another mystery object, what can it be?
New mystery object
Refit Week 10 and the Toe Rails
Easter bunnies
Sunday 5th April was Easter Sunday. Last year I didn’t even get the sniff of an Easter egg; this year I bought some Easter bunnies to take back with me. Sadly one was smashed to bits and there was chocolate everywhere, the other one had melted and collapsed. Don’t worry fortunately both were still edible! So it was Easter bunnies for breakfast in bed before the unpacking started. Most of my washing was done thanks to my sister but Bill hadn’t done any while I was away. Fortunately (or unfortunately if you got too close to him!) he hadn’t changed much either so there were only a couple of loads to do!
I spent the next couple of days feeling generally under the weather. I’d arrived back with a really bad cold that I’d caught from Angela’s hairdresser, I always suffer from jet lag for several days and I felt homesick. I’d had a lovely time in the UK and although it was good to get back to Bill I missed everyone.
Bill eating his cookie
It didn’t help that the boat was covered in dust and the cushions were still over in Norsa. Poor Bill had spent half a day before I got back cleaning and changed the bed but it was only ‘man cleaning’ and the boat needed a good spring clean. This is Bill enjoying his ‘Thomas cookie co’ cookie; one of 5 that managed to get home in one piece. You can see the general state of the boat behind him.
Finishing off the painting
Bill had one more coat of the topcoat with the non skid granules to do so continued with that. I can’t believe the difference in the boat, it’s incredible what he’s achieved. His work has received lots of compliments in the boat yard, from professionals as well as fellow yachties.
The aft deck masked up
The anchor winch masked up on the bow
The deck is still covered in blue masking tape, which needs to be removed once the painting has finished. Bill thought that would be a good job for me, cheers, there go my nice long nails! I don’t mind really it’s nice to be able to help, there isn’t a lot else I can do really.
Bill took this photo from next doors boat with me sitting in the cockpit ‘relaxing’.
Relaxing on Camomile
The gearbox under the bed
In between painting Bill got on with the inside jobs. One of the first things to fit was the new steering flange bearing so the floorboards could go back down and I could re-stow all the bags. This is the gearbox, which Bill had out to service.
The flange in place
It was attached to the steering flange bearing that had seized and the bearings were like red dust.
The new and the old flange
Bill had to cut it in half to remove it from the shaft, which fortunately was still in good condition. The new one was put back in place. Luckily Bill had found this problem otherwise it would have caused difficulties further down the line. The floorboards and the bed were put back.
I spent the next couple of days washing (some of my new clothes had chocolate on them), ironing and repacking the bags although there wasn’t so much to repack because I left a lot of my winter stuff behind to make room for the boat bits and my new clothes. I took the ferry to Langkawi to do a bit of shopping in the local shops but I was still feeling fairly sorry for my self.
Nice clean cabin
By Thursday I felt much better and set about spring-cleaning the boat. I took clothes out of cupboards, books off of shelves, ironed the curtains and re-hung them, cleaned all the galley and generally cleaned away all the dust that had inevitably spread itself around while Bill had been working on below decks projects. The newly varnished floorboards looked much better once they were clean. All that remained was to get Norsa’s keys and go and fetch the saloon cushions.
A nice clean cabin
A nice clean galley
A vast improvement.
The set of grab rails
Before I returned Bill had signed up for another 2 weeks on the hard so he could finish his woodwork in the shade of the boat. These are the new grab handles. They won’t be put on yet because Bill is concentrating on completing the ‘out of the water’ jobs which includes anything that can be achieved by using the scaffold tower rather than working on his knees.
Also on the Thursday Bill started replacing the toe rails. You may remember he had removed them by cutting off the top of the screw heads, easing off the old wood and leaving the stud of the bolts in place. Now the painting was finished the toerails were next.
Putting in the first nut
First a special home made cutter was used to create a shallow counterbore around the exposed stud. This then took a square nut, then a lock nut and provided a recess to pot them with epoxy resin once they were seized hard to the stud to discourage it from turning when the toerail was loaded.
The toe rail is fitted
The toerail is tried for size. Note the curve that the wood has got to bend to. A fresh layer of blue masking tape is applied which Bill scores around the toerail with a knife to leave the centre of the masking tape free.
Applying the masking tape
The toerail is also masked up.
The black Sikaflex is applied and the toerail is eased into place.
Applying the sikaflex
Looking down into the hole to see the nut in place
A washer and a third and final nut is loaded into the counter bore in the top of the toe rail and is tightened down (without the stud spinning) to squeeze the mastic out from under the rail. Finally Bill plugs the holes with his home made plugs and epoxy resin.
Bill plugging up the holes before the rain came
When it’s dry the masking tape is removed leaving a nice clean finish to the job.
It took two days to attach the new toe rails to both sides. On the Friday evening after he’d finished the heavens opened and we had a massive downpour. It rains in paradise too.
The rains have started
A week of goodbyes
The steering flange under the bed
Meanwhile in Malaysia Bill had been getting on with his jobs, he took the steering and gearbox out to overhaul. It was fortunate that he did because a steering flange had broken in half and I had a last minute call to order a new one.
The broken part on Bill’s bench
Newly painted decks with all the blue masking tape over everything
The gloss paint had arrived so he was getting on with the topcoat painting. There were the same issues with painting in sections and being very careful with drips and sags. The topsides were harder to get a good finish than the hull because of having to paint around windows, shrouds, etc but of course he managed it.
Once he had painted the 2 topcoats, with a very light rub down in between, he had to wait a few days then remask on top of it so he could paint the side decks and coach roofs with the anti skid granules added to the paint. It’s difficult to see in this photo because the sun is so bright.
Goodbye Logan
Monday 30th March the day after the wedding James and I walked back over to the hotel to join everyone who had stayed overnight for breakfast; this included Thomas and Sonal. Afterwards we picked up the car and we all returned to Angela’s house, I with a heavy heart knowing I would have to say goodbye to everyone. I finished the last of my packing and loaded everything in the car. Kirsty came round to let me have one last cuddle with Logan. So it was goodbye to Dave and Pat and Lesley, Angela’s friends, goodbye to Kirsty and baby Logan, he’ll probably be walking next time I see him and finally goodbye to my sister Angie and Terry, I hope you have a lovely honeymoon and a wonderful life together; there were lots of tears
Chichester Cathedral
Thomas and Sonal in their car and James and I in Alan’s car paid a quick visit to Mum’s grave to lay some flowers then headed down to Havant to ‘invade’ Claire and Gordan again. We spent the afternoon in Chichester where I had to buy a new backpack to get all my new clothes back to the boat. We had a wonderful evening with them but the next morning James and I had to leave for the airport. Thank you for having all of us Claire. I forgot to take a photo of us all so I’ve added one of the lovely Chichester Cathedral instead.
James had to fly back to Scotland so it was another goodbye, not sure when I’ll see him next. Be careful James, love you lots. x
My lovely niece Jasmine
I continued onto Amanda’s to return the car and spend my last couple of days with her and the family. Jasmine and I were laughing at the photos I’d taken of the wedding.
During the afternoon I completely unloaded the car and laid everything out on her floor to repack. Some of the heavy stuff had to go in my hand luggage because my bags were way too heavy with all the boat bits I was taking back.
The fountain at Wisley
Wednesday 1st April turned out to be a lovely day so Amanda and I went to Wisley gardens. Unfortunately we forgot it was Easter holidays and it was full of Mum’s and kiddies but there was plenty of space for everyone.
Beautiful spring flowers
The daffodils and the spring blossom looked delightful. Amanda and I had a wonderful day wandering among the flower gardens. I was probably taken as a child but I don’t remember it. We decided to beat the rush and have an early lunch before continuing on our tour. The café was filling up fast but we enjoyed a delicious lunch together.
Dad was watching us
Afterwards we went into the tropical greenhouse. Haha there were plants in there that I see in the wild everyday but it was lovely to wander. A little robin followed us in, probably my Dad coming to watch us.
Amanda and I
Majestic orchids
It was nice and warm in there but we kept our layers on. It smelt exquisite with all the lilies and orchids in flower. The orchids were all suspended from the ceiling with wire; they looked really eerie just hanging there.
Beautiful waterfall in the tropical greenhouse
The centre piece was a magnificent waterfall which was very reminiscent of the ones we have over here but it lacked the sounds and smells and, of course, the heat. The tops of the beautiful banana palms were touching the roof and trying to get out. Some how it seemed sad seeing these beautiful plants hemmed into such a small space, a bit like a horticultural zoo! When I get back I’ll post some photos of the banana palms on the island.
The alpine garden
We continued our walk passing the alpine garden that I loved so much. I needed to get back and finish the packing so we didn’t linger too long.
Jasmine, Amanda and Tristan in there lovely new extension
Thursday 2nd and the packing was finished so we spent the morning chatting. It’s a very fine balance between staying with someone and having some quality time together every year or so or being able to pop in whenever you want, which you don’t normally find time to do in a busy life style. I felt I had some quality time with my sister and Tristan and Jasmine. It was hard to say goodbye; more tears.
Sally came to pick me up and take me back to where I’d started, at her house outside Gatwick. We had a lovely evening together out at a local restaurant for a scrumptious meal, my last meal in the UK for a while.
Goodbye Sally, thank you for being my airport taxi. X
Thomas and Sonal came to the airport to see me off. I was very nervous about getting everything on the plane. Emirates were very good they didn’t even weigh all my bags together luckily and the 35kgs went into the hold. I still had my pull along bag, which weighed 20kgs, my rucksack with my new clothes in which was probably about 5kgs plus my computer bag so altogether I got about 60kgs on that plane.
The last goodbye was to Thomas and Sonal, it was sweet of them to come to the airport particularly as my flight was at 10am. Take care you two, love you both lots. x
Goodbye England for a while.
Back in KL
So I started on my long journey back landing at KL airport the next morning, which was the equivalent of 2am in the UK. I had booked an afternoon flight back to Langkawi in case the plane had been delayed. I managed to get my entire luggage on the airport train to go one stop to the other terminal to catch the Air Asia flight. I spent the day wandering around the airport until check-in then finally got caught for costs. Even though I had booked 30kgs on the air Asia flight they picked up that I had 35 so I paid MYR222 (about £40) for the extra 5kgs. That was ok I deserved to pay something.
The entrance to the marina comes into view
Flying over the marina
The flight to Langkawi was only an hour. The resort is on the edge of the flight path so I made sure I sat on the left hand side of the plane and got a good view of the marina as we came in to land. I could see Camomile sitting waiting for me. Bill was waiting to greet me with a big happy smile on his face.
Home again, home again, jiggerty jig.
The wedding of Angie and Terry
Beautiful dress
This time last year my sister Angela came out to visit us. At the time she didn’t have a job, we’d recently lost Mum and she was really lonely on her own. She had a great time with us, I think, and went home a bit more positive. The next thing I heard she had met someone and then just before Christmas she got engaged. I had planned to go back to the UK in March while Bill was working on Camomile for Mothers day and to see my nieces new baby so Angela decided to arrange her wedding for the same time, which worked out really well.
Mum’s ring
Sunday 29th March was the day of the wedding. It took place at the Apollo hotel at the end of her road. Unfortunately we woke up to rain but the ceremony and the reception were all inside so it didn’t matter. We took our clothes down to the hotel in the morning and Angie’s hairdresser came to do our hair and the little flower girls. There was Lucie, one of Angie’s grand daughters and Jessica, one of Terry’s grand daughters, very diplomatic. The lady from the wedding shop came to help her get dressed and wove Mum’s wedding ring into the back of her dress.
Getting Lucie dressed
Little Jessica
This is Jessica after I got her dressed; she was a bit of a fidget but they both looked lovely when they were ready. It was an emotionally charged morning because we were all trying not to think if only Mum had been there, she would have loved to have seen Angela settled.
Angela with her flower girls
I went down to join the others
The ceremony room was already starting to fill up with family and friends.
Amanda and family
My sister Amanda and her husband Alan and Tristan and Jasmine. James is in front of her ( he had arrived from Scotland on the Friday)
Terry and his best man Mike
Terry and best man, his brother Mike, were looking a bit nervous because Ang was about 10 minutes late down but eventually she turned up with her son Scott to give her away.
It was a lovely ceremony
I gave the reading
The registrar came and asked me at the last minute if I would give a reading, which I was happy to do. Mike and I were witnesses and everything went very well without a hitch.
Terry signing his life away!
Our side of the family
My little family (not so little any more!)
Drinks all round.
After the ceremony we all moved into the next room while Thomas took the official photos. There was bucks fizz to start the afternoon.
Me and Ang
I love this photo of Angela and I; do you like my fascinator? I made it a few days before the wedding with some bits bought from Hobbycraft which cost a fraction of the price they were selling them for in the shops.
Lovely photo of the three of us.
Then we added my sister Amanda.
Jasmine and little Lucie joined us too.
Three generations
Amanda holding Logan
I love this photo of Amanda holding Logan; he’s so gorgeous.
Little favours
The tables looked lovely
The tables looked beautiful and Ang had made little wedding favours for everyone.
It was a lovely meal that started with Melon on a bed of berries followed by roast beef, Yorkshire, roast potatoes and veggies. Then the dessert was profiteroles with chocolate sauce; it was all delicious.
A toast to Mr and Mrs Sellwood
As Dad is no longer with us Angie asked me to do the ‘father of the bride’ speech followed by a toast to their health and happiness; I felt very honoured to be asked.
Lovely photo of Terry holding Jessica and Angie holding Lucie.
Cutting the cake
A friend of theirs made the cake, the bottom tier was a fruitcake and the top tier was sponge, it was delicious.
After the speeches the cake was cut.
Jessica and Lucie
The room was cleared so the dancing could start. Little Jessica and Lucie led the way.
Boys will be boys!
Not sure how this balloon found itself on the ceiling but my boys couldn’t resist the challenge to retrieve it.
Thomas couldn’t quite reach at first and James was having to do little hops with his brother on his shoulders!
Jasmine and I had a good time.
Jasmine dancing with her Dad
Alan displayed his excellent Dad dancing technique!
Karen and her girls
Scott’s wife Karen and their girls joining in with the Macaracca (I think that’s what is was called).
I even managed to get my nephew Tristan to dance.
My boys had a great time, they had their cousin Kirsty joining in.
And Jasmine could do the splits!
My niece Jasmine
There are some much more risqué photos available but I won’t post them on here, I’ll save them for bribery another day!
Logan fast asleep
Logan slept through it all; as did little flower girls.
We partied on as only family weddings can. A fair amount of alcohol was consumed but everyone had a great time.
Lucie asleep after her busy day
Lovely to see Ang and Terry with Scott and Karen. It was an excellent and memorable day.
Terry, Scott, Karen and Angie
Week 8
The floorboards out
Week 8 was mostly spent undercoating the topsides and varnishing floorboards.
Bill said there were five components to painting the topsides. Port side deck, starboard side deck, top of the coach roof, sides of coach roof and the aft deck. He would get up early to paint the port side deck then the starboard side from the scaffold tower before it got too hot. The next day he could paint the top of the coach roof and the sides of the coach roof while on his knees and finish off with the aft deck. Another day to rub it all down and repeat the process again. This didn’t take up all his time so as I was away he took up the floorboards from down below, took them under the boat to rub down then laid them out in the cockpit to revarnish.
Floorboards drying
This shows the floorboards drying in the sun with a masked up aft deck in the background.
My galley floor
This is my galley floor where the edges had recently come loose so Bill’s stuck them back down again with Sikaflex. The steps were out and they were rubbed down and varnished too.
Bulkhead under floorboards
The joint masked up and reglassed
Another job Bill wanted to do was repair the joint at the forward bulkhead where it meets the hull. It had been repaired shortly after the boat was built, before we owned her, but the repair had failed so Bill reglassed the joint between the saloon and the heads (toilet).
Thursday 26th Bill went into town to pick up the gloss paint that had finally come in so that he could start the topcoats next week.
I was half way through my trip to the UK. The good news was that Bills new passport had arrived at my sisters, followed by his old one the next day so that was that sorted. The bad news was that the immersion heater on the boat had failed and was added to my shopping list.
West Malling village
This is West Malling a beautiful village in Kent just over the hill from our old house. It was the setting for the farmers market that week where Thomas had set up his cookie stall.
Thomas Cookie Co
I had driven to Kent on the Saturday afternoon just because I could! I wanted to go to church on the Sunday morning. The Teston church (our old village) only has a service once a month but Father Jim also administers over Wateringbury and East Malling. I had been going togo to Wateringbury but at the last minute I decided to go to East Malling and there was Father Jim. It was wonderful to see him and take communion. I felt very emotional being inside a church again, something I’ve really missed.
West Malling park
While Thomas was selling cookies Sonal and I had a lovely coffee sitting in the spring sunshine before we went for a lovely walk in the park with Honey the Dashund. The English countryside was beginning to wake up and a few leaves were starting to bud on the trees. These swans looked very pretty in the park.
In the afternoon I drove to Havant to spend the night with my sister-in-law Claire and her husband Gordon. I was there on the right day because they were in the process of sorting their DVDs out and I scooped a bag full. Thank you.
The ‘pepperpot’ in the middle of Chichester
The next day I drove into Chichester to have a look around the shops. I got a nice top for the wedding, my wizzy wiz things from Lakeland, but more importantly Bill’s stainless staples that I had spent ages looking for. Good old Messams, you can’t beat the little old-fashioned hardware shops.
Liz and I after a lovely evening of catching up.
After a lovely lunch with Claire I continued onto Southampton for an evening with our WOA friends Liz and Julian. Their Westerly is in Turkey but it was great to catch up with them.
So 3 nights in 3 different beds and it was back to my sister’s in the rain. To be fair the weather had been very good during my stay and this was only the second lot of rain we I’d had.
Our pamper session
On the Thursday Angela, her friend Pat and I had a pamper session before the wedding. Our nails looked beautiful after this, not sure how long they will last when I get back to the boat.
Week 7
It’s a short blog for this week because Bill didn’t take any photos.
Friday 13th March Bill rebuilt the window gaskets, which had cracked up due to the UV damage, by cutting them back and filled and filleted them with filler (taken from Bill’s notes). He also finished bonding on the rest of starboard rubbing strake.
Beautiful new rubbing strake
Saturday 14th March Bonded on port rubbing strake and sanded both sides. They look superb, I took this photo when I got back.
Sunday and Monday more rubbing down and more fairing and more rubbing down which took approximately 60 hours altogether.
Before I left we agreed that Bill would concentrate on the inside jobs and not take the stanchions off (they stop you falling over the edge) until I get back and we go back into the water. The painting of the decks was going to wait until then but Bill had been speaking to some of the locals and was informed that once the rains start in April painting becomes difficult. Also Bill decided that it was easier to paint the decks from the scaffold tower rather than on his knees so the stanchions came off so he could complete the deck preparation for painting. As Bill discovered they were badly corroded they were also added to my shopping list!
Tuesday 17th Bill spent most of the day organising a new lot of primer, undercoat and topcoat in Kuah town. Unfortunately the topcoat was out of stock but he bought enough primer and undercoat to keep him busy. The rest of the day and most of Wednesday was spent masking the decks.
Thursday 19th and Friday 20th were spent priming and rubbing down in between coats.
Meanwhile having spent two and a bit days with my younger sister Amanda in Surrey, resulting in me driving off in my brother-in-law’s car (all arranged), a days shopping at Port Solent (in the chandlery not a shoe shop!!!) followed by two and a bit days with my middle sister Angela in Basingstoke, I had caught up with all the gossip and was thoroughly chatted out (almost)!
Friday 13th I drove to a trailer company to pick up two tyres and inner tubes – why? – for the dinghy wheels of course! You won’t believe the shopping list I’ve got, I’ll list it all before I return.
Lovely but wintery river Medway in Kent.
I continued over to Kent to see Thomas; so strange to be able to drop in and see him. I spent the night with Sally and Rob again, and had a lovely evening with cousin Wendie and Haydn joining us, so I could be up early to Gatwick to pick up James. I hadn’t seen him in over a year and it was good to see him again. We drove straight to Kent to join Thomas.
My young men
Here are my two boys or I should say young men now.
Walking the dog
Thomas had borrowed their friend’s dog for the weekend and we all took her for a walk, so normal.
Selfie with the bearded ones (sorry boys blame Dad for the ginge!)
Cookies ready for baking
Back at the house Thomas was preparing cookies for baking. This is his new business venture, check out his website www.thomascookie.co.uk I hovered for rejects but there weren’t many.
Lovely dinner altogether
That evening I had the pleasure to meet some of Sonal’s relatives when we all had a meal together. In the picture we have Nalin and Andy sitting next to me, next is Dave, who is involved with the Cookie company too. Then my James and Thomas, Little James and Ben are next then Sonal and her mum Meena. The little boys were so well behaved, so unusual these days. It was lovely to meet everyone; we all had a really nice evening.
Mother’s day breakfast
The next morning was Mothers day, my first with the boys for about 6 years. James cooked me my breakfast before he and I drove to Aylesford Farmers market to see Thomas’s stall. It looked very professional. I bought some cookies with a small family discount!
Thomas Cookie co
I bought cookies
In the afternoon James and I drove to Sonal’s brother Amit’s house and had a delicious meal with Thomas and Sonal, Sonal’s mum Meena and Amit’s wife Jen. It was a lovely family occasion.
Monday 16th Thomas took James back to the airport and I headed to the outlet centre in Chatham to buy some bits for me, some for Bill and some for Camomile.
Gorgeous baby Logan
Tuesday I headed back to Angela’s to meet this little chap, isn’t he gorgeous. Logan is 6 weeks old here and I love him, he’s so good. My first great nephew, makes me feel quite old.
I spent the next 3 days shopping for boat bits either online or in the chandleries in Southampton.
Girls night out
Friday 20th March was my sister’s hen night. Fortunately we all opted for a nice meal in a restaurant so no men taking off their clothes! It was a lovely evening with not too much to drink.
Camomile’s 30th Birthday refit – week 6 Serious Sanding
After dropping me off at the airport Bill went into town to do some shopping (and probably had a McDonalds) then went back to Camomile to continue clearing the decks of the awful Treadmaster that he and Norman had started the previous week. He did 4 hours of stripping before sunset.
The sanding starts
Friday 6th March 11 hours of stripping followed by dinner with our friends Rex and Susie on Ariel. I think whisky was involved!
Saturday 7th March he ran short of abrasives so he worked to 11.00 borrowed one of Mr Din’s cars and came back to do some more sanding. 8 hours of stripping today.
The decks becoming whiter
Sunday 8th March Camomile was starting to look very white as Bill continued to clear the deck of Treadmaster backing. He stopped for lunch at HDC while the sun was at it’s hottest then carried on. 11 hours worked again.
Monday 9th March The bow, the coach roof and a little of the cockpit still to do. 11 hours worked again, he’s now ground off all but a small patch under the air conditioning unit.
The removal of the treadmaster has taken 48 hours of Bill’s labour with the addition of 25 hours donated by Norman of Norsa; a total of 73 hours, phew!
A bad case of the measles
Tuesday 10th March Bill moved the air-conditioning unit to the cockpit so that it pumps through the entry hatch, he didn’t want to not have it on, it cools the inside of the boat to make it bearable to live here. After removing the last of the treadmaster from where the air con unit had been, he then removed all the deckfitting that were going to be in the way and did the first fill of the major dings and redundant holes.
The next 2 days he spent fairing and filling plus he returned to the bonding of the starboard rubbing strake.
Sally with her lovely horse Maud
Meanwhile I landed safely in England after 3 flights and 27 hours fortunately the last flight to Gatwick was half empty and with no one sitting next to me I was able to lie down and get some sleep. I spent the Friday quietly because I didn’t want my sister to know I had arrived as I was planning to surprise her for her birthday. Cousin Sally picked me up and we had a lovely day visiting her horse Maud and driving around the beautiful, but still wintery, English countryside.
Coffee in the sun
Saturday morning I jumped on a train to meet Thomas and Sonal in London, not having seen them for 6 months it was great to catch up. The first job was post Bill’s passport before coffee in the sunshine and then a visit to the Tower of London.
Thomas and Sonal outside the Tower of London
Sonal and I with our Beefeater
It was a cold but sunny day and we had great fun wandering around the tower listening to the Beefeater’s stories, which I swear get taller every time I hear them!
An amazing sculpture
This amazing sculpture is made from weapons and armour, very clever.
Selfie by the Thames
As it was such a nice day we continued walking across Tower bridge and on towards the Oxo tower where we had arranged with my brother-in-law Alan to meet to spring the surprise on Amanda.
Me and my little sis
Her face was a picture when she walked in and saw us. It was a good start to my ‘holiday’.
Dinner at the OXO tower with a stunning view of the London skyline in the evening – best table in the house!
Camomile’s 30th Birthday refit – week 5
Continuing on with the story of the refit.
Bill’s kerdung machine
Saturday 28th February Bill continued to remove the toe rails. The problem Bill had was that the toe rails could not be removed by removing their screws because they are glassed in underneath the deck and to remove them would turn into an extremely messy and lengthy job. His plan was to remove the screw heads with a special tool he bought in Australia. It works with a pump action sawing movement and within a minute the screw head pings off.
Carefully lift off the toe rails with a crowbar
The next process is to get a crowbar and some screwdrivers underneath the toerail and gradually but carefully prise it off in one piece because Bill needs them intact to use as a pattern for the new ones.
The toe rail intact
Each one in marked with the position it came from.
It took him the best part of two days to remove them all and sand the deck underneath them all.
Example of what the deck looks like
This is what the deck looks like with all the studs sticking up. He removed the grab handles in the same way. Meanwhile I was busy sewing the Velcro on the dinghy cover and fitting it onto the Velcro strip on the dinghy. It all fitted very well but I failed to take any photos. I took it off again because I don’t want it covered in dust while I’m away.
Our new vinyl lettering
Sunday 1st March after a sumptuous breakfast in the resort (one of our little treats) Bill put Camomile’s name back on the transom. We’d had the vinyl letters made when we were in the UK Christmas before last. It looked beautiful and really finishes off the transom; we are no longer anonymous.
Camomile’s beautiful rear
The bare cockpit
We started striping the cockpit beginning with the cover and framework. The intention is to take the cover back to CJ Marine in the UK to have a new one made. They made the original but we’ve had some modifications made to it along the way that we want them to copy.
Cockpit cushions drying in the sun
More stored on the davits at the back
I gave the cockpit cushions a good shrub and laid them out in the sun to dry. The halyard bags and the bimini cover and frame were also removed. The cockpit looks bare now. All the frameworks have gone over the davits.
Just a couple of cockpit cushions left to sit on.
I spent the rest of the day carrying the cockpit cushions and the saloon seating down to Norsa. Bill intends to do some sanding inside the boat while I’m away and I don’t want them covered with dust. I also washed all the curtains and scatter cushions and took them to Norsa to store too and a box of my clothes and a box of bedding. Thanks Sara.
Bill’s home-made pedestal drill
Meanwhile Bill set his woodworking station up. He bought this pedestal base in Australia; it clamps onto his workbench with his drill fitted into it – instant pedestal drill!
His first job was to cut plugs out of the old grab handles. The teal wood is old and worn but underneath it’s perfectly ok. These plugs are used for filling the boltholes when the new handles are fitted.
Bill making plugs
Cutting plugs
‘Waste not, want not’ as my Dad used to say.
The old handles looked like this when he had finshed
Which became a pot of plugs.
Drilling holes in the new rubbing strake top
Next job was to prepare the cladding for the rubbing strake along the side of the deck. If you remember again Bill can’t remove it because the bolts are glassed in on the inside of the boat so first he prepares the wood strip by drilling the holes ready to apply.
Then sections are glued and screwed and clamped into place.
Clamping a section of the rubbing strake in position
Applying the vinyl stripe
Monday 2nd March we got up early to apply the navy vinyl strip before it got too hot. It went on well. The secret was water, which I sprayed onto the surface and gradually removed the backing while Bill slide it into position before it got to stuck on. It didn’t allow you much time but we managed fairly successfully to get it applied.
The completed starboard side
Bill applying the gold stripe
Bill continued to apply her gold stripe or sash as we say. This is why he didn’t mask the top line. Each layer of paint was gradually blended in and before applying the vinyl Bill thoroughly rubbed down the area so that there wouldn’t be a hard line.
The westerly name back where it belongs
Doesn’t she look beautiful? (This section doesn’t have the cladding on the rubbing strake yet.) When Bill was rubbing down the old stripe he found the original position of the Westerly name under the surface so he’s put it back where it should be.
Bill continues with the rubbing strake
We had a new neighbour today and they came over for a chat. His first comment was ‘the GRP has scrubbed up well’ Bill pointed out she had been painted to which he asked who had done that for us.
Bill said ‘I did it’
‘Really, is it sprayed?’
Bill replied ‘No I applied it with a roller’
They were very surprised but impressed.
Later that day we signed up for another month on the hard. We had been trying to get in the water but the woodwork will be easier to do under the shade of the boat. Bill continued fitting the top cladding on the rubbing strake.
Bill started making the new toe rails
Tuesday 3rd March Bill started making new toe rails by clamping his router to his work bench and passing the wood over it’s cutter to get the shape he wanted, using the old toe rails as guides.
Router at work
old toerails
These are the old ones he removed from the deck.
This is the new set, which will go on after the deck has been painted. Don’t they look superb? Camomile is going to look really smart when we’ve finished with her.
New set of toe rails
Wednesday 4th March I spent most of the day sorting and packing while Bill continued his woodwork. We had one last minute panic. I had applied for a new passport for Bill on line and was taking his old one back with me to post in the UK. After going through our sets of passport photos we suddenly realised we didn’t have any good enough for an actual passport so we hopped on the ferry borrowed one of Mr Dins cars and drove into town to get some passport photos processed. Fortunately mission accomplished.
Off to the UK
Thursday 5th March I was off to the UK. I had lots planned – surprise my sister for her birthday, Mothers day, see baby Logan and my middle sister was getting married. If you’re wondering why I’ve got so many bags it’s because I’ve got the old chartplotter and instruments with me to ebay plus the cockpit cover plus all my winter clothes!
Camomile 