Here is an update of our doings and some boat stuff!

My goodness it’s the middle of August already and the weather is still hot, sunny and just being perfect in my opinion. Here in our neighborhood we have many Airbnb cottages and they have all been booked solid all summer long, so we are not the only ones that enjoy being here at Lake Erie by the looks of all the folks coming here to relax.

 

An Eastern tiger swallowtail feeding on my
Pugster Amethyst (dwarf butterfly bush)

We only got one good soaker rain and that was enough to have the dead lawn come alive once more and yes, I need to get the John Deere out again for duty. When you own a house the work never seems to end and here in our area we appear to have more birds than anywhere else so that adds to more clean up. 

 

Of course Benno has been busy and the many small things that need doing nobody ever notices or appreciates at the finished product. He spent lots of time in his workshop making fittings from raw material and they look like items you’d purchase from a store. It still amazes me what he can do. 

 

Some foam cuttings and showing the inserted vinyl strip

The engine compartment/room is taking on shape. We ordered sound insulation material from Soundown Corp. in Massachusetts that comes in large sheets. It has a vinyl layer in-between the foam pad. This insulation material, once installed on the walls will be finished off with sheets of white powder coated perforated aluminum cladding, also from the same firm.  To save on shipping and custom broker charges we had it shipped to Detroit to a “Packing and Shipping” address from where we picked it up and brought it over the border to Canada ourselves. The GST/HST we had to pay regardless, but it still saved us a bundle. 

 

The easiest way of cutting the foam to size
Benno used the Kreg cutting system

That brings me to the subject of where and how to get what we need for all the installation projects. When you live in a Vacation and Lake Cottages Region, there are just not many stores that carry boatbuilding supplies. Many hours are spent sourcing products and suppliers and unfortunately also some time is spent in the truck driving to get what is needed which takes time away where you could be productive working on the boat. But, progress was made. The starter battery and one of the house batteries were installed and wired up. Also a diesel “day tank” that feeds the engine was purchased and the fittings Benno made himself. It is mounted under the steering seat in the wheelhouse. More photos will be coming when the projects are done.

 

View of the port side engine compartment where the foam was installed
 with aluminum cladding

View forward with only foam installed

Same view with partial aluminum cladding and water strainer holder

Same view with three sides finished
except the angle and flat bars will be white powder coated 

Aluminum Diesel Day Tank

Starter Battery installation

As for me, I have been busy with many household and garden chores not worth mentioning and of course I come along when Benno wants my company to pick up items for the boat. For your entertainment, here a few garden observations and the local Heron keep posing for me at various locations. ;-)

Giving the Pompom tree a much needed trim
(had to wear a coat because of the prickly needles)

Afterwards, all done

Grasshoppers come in various colours

Rabbit baby hides in the bushes of my berm

A Katydids (Long-Horned Meadow Grasshopper)
I disturbed while trimming the Pompom tree

The local Heron looking for breakfast

Here he is waiting for lunch

Still hungry at dinnertime

Thanks everyone for dropping in. Lets see what we can accomplish until my next update.