Lots of Little Jobs

There's lots of little jobs to do on this boat. Little things that we never really want to do, because despite them sounding simple to complete, we know that just one of these jobs will turn into an all day problem!!

Take for example the last time I attempted to do some siliconing. Pretty easy, right? You simply get your silicone gun and squirt it out and then wipe with your finger to give a clean finish?

Here's a humorous, real life account of one time I attempted to apply some silicone around the kitchen sink last year:

How Not To Silicone

1. As above, I took the silicone gun, squeezed some out, and put the gun down, then realising that the silicone was still coming out of the end onto the worktop and all up one of the walls...

2. Racing to pick the gun up, I then dropped it whereby silicone ended up all down my legs and all over my slippers (yep, I wear slippers, not ashamed) and it was also all over the floor at this point too...

3. I then attempted to clean it up with a wet cloth - big mistake! That just spread it around everywhere!

4. At this point, I've got it all over my hands too and I don't have any white spirit.

5. After an hour and a half (or maybe longer, who knows!?) I've managed to:

* use 3 kitchen rolls getting it all off my hands
* ruined a pair of tracksuit bottoms (and slippers), and;
* the worktop needs ripping out and one of the walls needs
sanding back and re-varnishing!

....and after all that, the silicone job looks shit and needs starting again! Oh dear!

So this is why I sometimes think I just shouldn't attempt anything! But I still do!

Right now, it's things like adding finishing beading or a little bit of boxing in that needs finishing. Take this for example:





It's just some central heating pipes on the floor and some excess 12v cable, but they desperately need boxing in as they make the place look a mess. Maybe not a mess, but definately a bit tatty! With not driving though, it's difficult to get hold of wood batons, oak faced ply etc in order to do the jobs. Never mind not having the right tools to get the job done properly. I'm sure I can do some boxing in all by myself but I always refrain from doing it for the same reasons as above!

Getting the right tools and materials seems more effort than the job itself!

We did finish one job today though - the panelling on the lower wall behind the bed! It was simple enough to be honest. We just need to sort out in the corner between the wall and wardrobe - we'll need a jig for that you see, as it needs shaping as it's at an angle and a bit fiddly.

I forgot to take a before picture but the lower wall was just a scruffy looking ply sheet that had been painted white! It looks a lot better with the wood panelling.

This is a picture with the mattress just pulled out a bit to show you where we did:

(Just wish I'd remembered to take the before picture to show how different it looks!)


All we need to do now is add some finishing beading at the top of the lower wall where it meets the "gunnel". I will do that tomorrow while Pawel is at work as I can just about manage that with my knee! I just need to sit down and glue it into place - easy!

We picked this up from the DIY store today, it was only £1.89 too and will just finish the gap off nicely, looking a bit more professional than just filling the gap with silicone or similar:


I'll stain it first though so it matches the colour of the wood panelling a bit better and then give it a couple of coats of varnish before gluing into place...