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| Back aboard Shangri La 2 |
At last the 2014 cruising year has started.
Mixed feelings at the moment – thrilled to be back on board, but most disappointed that not much of the work that had been promised would be done is even started, let alone finished.
So we flew into Schipol, had a day or so in Amsterdam, and hoped to get the boat in the water on Thursday and be off cruising on Saturday.
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| Interior BEFORE |
I had phoned the marina on the Tuesday, only to be told that due to people being sick and a whole lot of other reasons, none of the work had been done, and we could only arrive on the Friday anyway.
Phoned the upholstery people – on the good side, all the new seating was done, new mattress made and curtains hung.
Wasted another day at Amsterdam and arrived in Zwartsluis midday Friday.
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| Interior AFTER |
At least they had got Shangri La out of the shed and we could live aboard.
Connected up batteries and shore power, and hoisted our flags. (The purist mariners will say we shouldn’t fly flags till we are in the water, but hey…. I like our flags.)
Thrilled with our new cushions, curtains and mattress. (New bedroom carpet still to come) The interior is just so much lighter and brighter, and we have slept so well the last two nights on the new mattress.
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| Primer on |
With the delay on getting into the water, spent two days dealing with the rust spots on the underwater section of the hull, and applying a full coat of anti-fouling.
She looks great now.
My better half and First Mate Karen was a great help and did her share of the painting. (I dont think this was quite what she had in mind when we bought the boat!)
I have also spent a bit of time trying to understand some of the wiring on the boat.
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| Full coat anti fouling on |
Someone has done some strange things.
Sorted out some lights that did not work.
Ascertained that the whistle or hooter works, but no idea where the operating button is!
Managed to buy all the latest charts for Netherlands, including the overall waterway planning chart.
Wish I had been able to buy that last year.
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| Ready to go! |
So at the moment, we are poised to go into the water tomorrow, and do all the de-wintering.
Then next day hope to start off on a somewhat shortened Amsterdam area trip.
Will keep you posted.
My love of boats goes back to my early years when I went on holiday with my parents to Knysna in the Cape.
We stayed at a hotel on stilts, and I played in rowing boats and little motor boats on the lagoon.
She looks beautiful, have fun!
Thanks the comment. Yes indeed she is. We are most fortunate.
And yes we will have fun. Thank you.