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Prince
Rupert BC, Canada
Chronologically
by Newest to Oldest
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31 Mar 15
The Head work is almost complete with the install of the sink and faucet. The fridge top is done and new ladder into the galley, plus
I finally installed the mosaic glass tile in the galley as the back splash to both counters we bought so long ago. Stove is in place and entry way moulding complete.
The last row of pictures shows you the state of our main cabin as it is right now and the next big part of the refit. I'm looking forward to what it will look like in a couple of months. Cheers
28 Feb 15
Some more pictures as the cabinets, doors and counter tops are installed both in the Galley and Head. Cheers
24 Jan 15
Wow two posts in two days. Must be the heat wave we're having, 9c, raining and only blowing 20knots or so.
A balmy spring day it feels like. Anyway here are some pictures of the finish on the galley walls. Cheers
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| This is the Galley walls after stain and 10 coats of finish. I still have to rub the finish out but now
have to wait a couple of weeks to make sure it is hard enough. |
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| More Galley walls. |
22 Jan 15
Where the heck did 3 1/2 years go! The Cloud is still in Port Edward and in
the middle of a major refit just as I promised. Below is a series of pictures showing the progress and how things look. As for the family
both my sons have taken up the Electrician trade. Tommy is a third year Industrial Electrician in Edmonton Alberta and Billy is a first year in
Vancouver BC. Laurie took the Supervisor position in the Hospital and I left the Grain Terminal a year and 1/2 ago to work on the boat full time.
Of course the boat was only going to take a year and here we are almost two into it and I'm only half done. Best laid plans of mice and men as they say.
All is well even though we are into our 3rd day of Storm force winds and sheets of rain. It is the north after all.
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| The Start. Looking sternward in the old Galley |
Ripping out the Head bulkheads |
The big hole left when I cut the deck away to expose the galley. |
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| The Head all gone. |
The Anchor room being sanded down and re-framed |
New bulkheads going in between the Anchor Rm and Shower Rm |
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| Bulkheads for the Shower Rm almost in |
Old weak deck gussets were cut away and new ones added plus sister frames over them |
More new bulkheads |
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| Bulkheads and insulation for the Shower Rm in |
Same on the Stbd side |
Anchor Rm all done with nice shiny paint |
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| And then I fill the Anchor Rm up with rusty chain and old rope |
Shower Rm painted and new sole installed |
Shower Rm glass tile and accent tile in. The image in my head is coming to life. The Anchor Rm
Door is in but needs finishing but you can see the new door trim around the door out of Maple. |
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| The Head area for the toilet complete with the veneer plywood and tile. |
The new sink area framed in again with tiles. |
The upper stbd cabinets framed in waiting for doors. |
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| Sink upper cabinet framed in. |
Between the Head and Galley is two storage areas
which I cleaned out to make room for black water storage in one and fresh water plus pumps etc in the opposite one. Built louvered doors to allow max ventilation. |
A good view of both storage doors with Galley in background. |
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| On to the Galley. Walls being framed up after everything is fixed or re-enforced and then painted. |
Walls frame in place and two layers of insulation installed between Galley and Almas. |
Good view of the main mast support post. Fwd Galley bulkhead ready for the veneer plywood outer wall. |
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| Wiring, plumbing and ventilation going in and you can see the raceway behind the wall.
Frame just about to recieve the veneer plywood outer wall. |
Stbd wall about to be put up on the frame. |
Port wall about to be glued up as well. |
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| New Galley sole reframed around the new cabinets not yet built but designed. The bilge was cleaned
out, sealed and painted with four coats of paint. |
Looking down into the new fridge (sans top). I used the old fridge system but build
a much bigger cabinet with larger access from the top than it had before. |
Side view of fridge which is on Stbd side of Galley. |
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| New stove area on the rear bulkhead of the Galley. |
Sink area and drawer cabinet installed waiting for finish. All inner surfaces were finished on everything prior to install.
The includes all bulkheads, walls prior to insulation and every bit of wood had a clear varathane put on it. At least two coats but often three. |
Forward stbd wall up and showing the new access door to the raceway. The identical door is on the port wall in the same location. No more fishing for wires and plumbing. |
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| Drawer cabinet in my basement shop assembled and waiting to be installed in the boat. |
Drawer with flush hardware. |
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| Shower Rm with door trim and finish on. |
Another view of the Shower Rm. Still have not had the courage to put a hole in the Anchor Rm door for a handle |
Folding Teak seat in the Shower Rm. |
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| Anchor Rm door and trim close up. |
Shower Rm door trim which is figured Red Elm out of the lower mainland of BC. |
Upper Head stbd cabinet with one door installed. Used opaque safety glass and Red Elm beading. |
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| Cabinet over sink on port side with one mirror door on. Again Red Elm beading. |
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| Wasn't planning to do the deck this year but the weather killed it much faster than we thought. Had rot in the stern of the port alma so thought I would try something different. Made stairs onto the boat and they work great. |
For the decks I used a product called Tuff Coat. I'm impressed. |
Laurie loves her Marine Blue so blue it is. |
There is much more coming and I will not wait 3 1/2 years again. Cheers
28 Jul
11
Finally
the Cloud is in Rupert, or more accurately in Porpoise Harbour,
Port Edward which is about 10 miles from Rupert. We moved
it in the month of June and surprisingly it went quite smoothly.
Of course we had mechanical issues everyday but still all
in all it went fine. It took 9 days, 7 running and 2 for weather.
We only got beat up once trying to get into Port Neville at
the bottom end of Johnstone St when an afternoon NW had picked
up to 30 or 35 knots. We only had to beat into it for 3 miles
but it was a long 3 miles. However Port Neville was well worth
it and we stayed an extra day due to the westerly's plus it
is a lovely anchorage.
Here are a few
photos of the trip.
TTYL
30 Oct
10
 A
year has gone by up in the North and where did it go? We have
had no luck in getting Pacific Cloud towed up here and after
10 months of trying I gave up and during my holidays drove
down to Langley and put her back together to the point that
I felt she was safe enough to move out of the Fraser River.
The work took ten days and lots of money but now at least
she can move under her own steam. Laurie joined me and together
we took her as far as time would allow. So now she will winter
over in French Creek Marina on Vancouver Island. Next spring
I will move her the remainder of the way.
At right
is Pacific Cloud with temporary windows in the new house on
the morning that we left Langley. I think she looks good.
Unfortunately the camera went on the fritz after that and
I got now more pictures of the trip.
After
a year here we think overall it has been a very good move
for all of us. Tommy is doing well in grade 11 and works locally
at the Safeway. Billy is also doing well but down south in
Abbotsford. Laurie is working part time at the local hospital
pharmacy and I work way too many days at the Grain Terminal.
It is
good to be back in the wilderness and this place is all that.
In one year I have had a very close encounter with a black
bear who was quite insistent that he share my exact fishing
spot and two close encounters with the local wolf pack, one
of which was a serious discussion with a large salt and pepper
wolf about who owned the rights to walk on a popular local
hiking trail. I won the argument but is took an aggressive
move on my part to get the message across and the whole time
it was no more than 10 feet away and as bold as the day was
long. Need less to say the remainder of the hike was quite
quick as I desired not too linger. I walk this trail a number
of times per week and under the right conditions the wolves
walk it to! They prey on the local pet and deer population
and have killed dogs in front of their owners on this very
same trail.
Of course
deer are virtually domesticated big dogs in the town, bald
eagles are in the hundreds and the wildlife abounds all around.
Whales in the sound in front of where I work, dolphins in
the harbour and salmon everywhere. A truly wild place and
fun to live in. Below are some pictures of the local area.
The white bear is called a Kermode bear and is a black bear
with white fur. They're the rock stars of the local bear world
and saunter out and through traffic in the Terrace area. We
were lucky enough to get a picture of this guy on a trip down
to Vancouver.
TTYL
08 Nov
09
In a twist
of fate that was impossible to imagine just a few months ago,
we have moved from the bottom of BC to the very top; to Prince
Rupert. Yup the last major habour on the Northern BC coast
before you hit Alaska. You basically drive until the road
ends and your there. The community is around 12,000 hardy
souls who have gone out of their way to help us adjust to
our new surroundings.
While
on vacation up in the area this summer with my brother, sister-in-law
and her family I was offered a job at Prince Rupert Grain
Terminal which I could not turn down. We thought long and
hard about it (of which we had plenty of time to do as it
takes two solid days of driving to come home from there) but
the positives significantly out weighed the negatives for
us. We would be by the ocean again and hopefully so would
the boat (still in Langley and will stay that way for a while
as the weather is too rough to move her here until next year),
the city life was driving us crazy and the money was just
too good. Yes it rains here; over 100 inches a year but you
get good boots, clothing and then get over it. Our cat however
has turned into a house cat after sticking her nose outside
a few times.
The move
was not with out its drama but we made it at the end of Oct
just before the real nasty weather hit. Now deer daily graze
in our little lawn just a few feet from the window, eagles
sit in the tree overtop of the house and overall we seem to
be enjoying it. I like my job and Laurie is eyeballing a few
different positions which need her expertise. Tommy came with
us as he still has 2 1/2 years left in school but Billy stayed
in Chilliwack with his own place, working locally there. Both
seem to be thriving. As soon as I get my camera to work properly
I will put up some pictures of the local area.
TTYL
28 Sep
09
Well the
fiberglass, gel coat and primer is on.
 
Not a
minute too soon as the rains are arriving tomorrow. I will
mark out the windows shortly so it looks more like a house
and less like a box. So far I like it as it significantly
increases our indoor area.
12 Sep
09
Just looked
back at my goals for last year and low and behold I got them
all done.
We rebuild the stern cabin back deck (got rid of the deck
and raise that area to the height of the cabin top) and remove
the missen mast. Rebuild the Cockpit Soles, Alma's cabins,
hatches and floors.
Here
are some links to pictures from last years work. Forgot to
thank KC and Mandy who visited last summer for a few days.
Once KC gets to work lots gets done.
  
Now to
this years work. Here are some scans of the of my design scratching's.
Profile
of the new house with the stern Alma stairs and where the
dinky will be situated. The back cabin has already been extended
taking away the very back deck and latter.
Main Cabin
area with the new sole 10 inches below the cockpit level bringing
the cabin height down and making the profile look better.
And the
new Galley that will be in the forward area of the current
main cabin.
Here is
some shots of the work to date with the framing of the new
house almost complete. The old house was cut away and the
new house is situated overtop of it. Plywood goes on this
weekend.
 
11 Jul 09
 Another
year gone by. We just got new hosting so up and running again.
Billy is off in
summer training with the Canadian Military Reserves and Tommy
is almost as big as me now. At right is Billy, now 18 and
graduated from Grade 12.
Tommy just finished
soccer for the year (normally over in March) but his team
won the Coastal Cup which gave them the right to go to Nelson
last weekend to take on the best teams in BC and low and behold
the won the whole thing and are now the Provincial U15 Champions.
Amazing games and I'm glad I drove up on the Saturday morning
to watch the last two games even if it took me 8 hours to
get there.
Life carries on
although I do not thing it is possible to get any busier.
Other people told us that the year your kid graduates is by
and far the busiest and I'm hoping they are right. It was
a crazy year.
I'm building the
new main cabin in modules behind the little house we rent
in a small garage. It is slow going but will keep at it one
small piece at a time.
TTYL.
29 Jul 08
 Wow
time flies! The refit is on. At right is what is left of the
starboard alma after cutting away the old ports and the rotten
frames. By the time I was done it got a lot worse with the
cockpit floor and scupper area cut out also.
All necessary as
both outside cockpits leak and have for years. Once apart
I found out why. Cracked frames, improper support and old
fiberglass lead to movement which allowed seepage and then
of course the rot got in.
Most is already
fixed due to lovely July weather and my persistence. Our goal
this year is to rebuild the Alma's cabins, hatches and floors.
Rebuild the stern cabin back deck (get rid of the deck and
raise that area to the height of the cabin top) and remove
the missen mast. Should be interesting.
Next year it is
the main cabin area rebuild. Lots of work.
Billy has a car
now and is driving!!! A trauma all parents must go through
but it's a killer on the nerves. Tommy is living the life
of Riley this summer with endless sleep overs, sunny biking
days and now two weeks in Osoyoos with friends. Meanwhile
Laurie, Billy and I trudge to work each day wishing we were
14 again.
TTYL
24 Feb 08
Aldergrove, BC
It is almost spring
now. We have had a few days in the last week where there has
been real warmth in the sun. I sometimes stop and take what
seems to be precious rare time to compare our current life
to our year on the boat. Although it appears everything is
back to normal and life is the same old same old, much in
us has changed in many ways, some subtle and other more obvious.
When driving the
kids to and from sports, work, school we often discuss these
differences and also reminisce about places we were and things
we saw. The boys now recognize strongly that what they experienced
was special. Tommy misses the beach and surfing although he
has bonded with his school and friends here in Aldergrove.
Billy is no longer a teenager in my eyes because he acts and
talks like a young man so we treat him as one. He works many
hours each week at the local McDonalds and last night worked
a night shift with no difficulty. Both boys do their share
around the house without complaint, are doing well in school
and if the times permits we still enjoy the family supper
hour with laughter and story telling of the days events, but
we all recognize the difference between this life and the
life we lead for a year.
To me the change
seems to always come back to time. Time was different during
that year! Time to talk, time to see and hear, to feel. Much
of what we do each day now has no emotional connection to
what we now know is important. We shower, drive to work, work,
drive home, drive to sports or kids to friends, shop, watch
tv and then go to bed so we can repeat tomorrow.
Time cruising on
a boat is different. Each day is lived in the moment. All
things become immediate and must always be so. Plans that
matter so much in this current life mean very little out there.
I think it was the most difficult thing for me to do during
that year; to stop worrying about the future. Will the boat
anchor drag in the afternoon winds, can we get to this or
that port, will we get robbed, fall overboard, will something
critical break or will we face a killer storm. At first all
your fears and dreams cause you to plan then re-plan and then
try to plan again. In the end you give up and sets some rules
in place and just react. In so doing you change time. Now
you must wait, watch, feel and deal with the present, and
suddenly you see other things you have been missing.
It is
these other things that were always there but for some reason
not visible that gave us real joy and wonder. The milky way
spread from horizon to horizon each night, anchoring in a
tropical bay with warm embracing surf, a steady trade wind
pushing the boat along with just the right set of sails, the
wonder of watching the dolphins play or the albatross soar
just inches from the surface of the sea, the anticipation
of the evenings meal, the laughter around the card table,
the hustle and bustle of a fruit market in the early hours
or lazy afternoon siestas. But when making a crossing it is
the the vastness of the ocean that pushes its way into your
mind. It seemed to go on until infinity, and we all realized
that in this world we matter not one bit. Our struggles, trials
or even our deaths would not be mourned or even noticed by
this world. It was at first alien to us as if we were dropped
on to Mars. In time we came to realize that our world ended
at the edge of the boat. Their world was out there and all
around us. Again wait, watch, feel and deal with the present.
It is this change
in time that we now all deal with. Some better than others.
Laurie has clocks throughout the house and even two on the
bedroom nightstand. Coordinating the daily time dance has
become a full time occupation for us again and I don't think
were better for it. TTYL
7 Jan 08
Aldergrove, BC
Hope everyone had
a good Christmas. Ours was ok but Laurie picked up a Norwalk
like bug just before Christmas and then we each got it in
turn throughout the holidays. Only Billy escaped by hiding
in his room for a week straight, only coming out for food
and then running back to his room and barricading the door
against the plague carriers lying around the entrance to the
bathroom.
We've been down
to the boat a number of times checking up on her. She lies
tranquilly at her moorings alternately pulling at her stern
lines or bow lines depending on which way the tide is affecting
the river flow. On a big flood tide the river reverses direction
with a good 1 or 2 knot current pushing back up the river.
So far no ice is coming down and hopefully we will not have
a bad year for that. It is about the only thing that will
really force us to move the boat.
We're in the early
stages of planning the refit and time to put some designs
to paper. We all miss the sunny south especially Mazatlan.
The constant cold and gray sky's don't help much either. Both
boys now say they want to go back out on the boat but by the
time we go again I suspect Billy will be out on his own working
for a living. We will see though. TTYL
3 Nov 07
Aldergrove, BC
The boat is on
the move again. We moved it to a dock on the south side of
Barnston Island. The Fort Langley marine went insane (this
is not the public dock in Fort Langley but a private dock
up the river) and first insisted on a moorage fee increase
from $5 per foot to $10.50 per foot. After I seriously complained
they dropped the price to $7 per foot even though boats all
around me pay from $4 to $5 per foot. Somehow on a single
long dock Multihulls have to pay more than everyone else because?????
No logical reason was given and it is our opinion that this
was a blatant attempt at blackmail. They knew the season was
late and we would have difficulty finding moorage. Well we
did so in two words - screw you.
By the way the
space is still empty so who was the smart one in the end.
They threw thousands of dollars away per year trying to rip
us off for $100 per month. If we had been treated the same
as everyone else we would have stayed for years. Are we upset
at how we were treated - you bet. At no other dock that we
stayed at in the last 2 years were we treated like this. People.
Other than this
major pain life is much as it once was. Work, school, soccer
and there is nothing on TV but the most insane programs! Time
to start seriously planning our next escape.
TTYL
8 Sep 07
Aldergrove, BC
Well were back
into the rat race again. Laurie and I are working full time
and the kids are in school. The boat is close by for now but
a sudden moorage price increase has put a damper on our homecoming
but I have disputed this with the Marina and it is yet to
be resolved.
Never the less
our plans are to refit the boat and do another big trip. The
refit will probably take two years based on our schedules.
The interior of the boat is too be gutted and rebuilt with
bluewater comfort in mind. The cockpit needs to be expanded
and the cockpit roof structure has to be completely rebuilt.
Were strongly leaning to removing the mizzen mast as it proved
to be ineffective on the trip but maybe someone can explain
how to make it work for our boat; we will see. Our next trip
is tentatively set for traveling down the coast to Central
America then across the South Pacific with stops in the Galapagos,
South Pacific Islands, New Zealand then Australia and finally
retracing some of it back to Hawaii then home.
All of this will
depend on what the kids want to do and money of course. I
will maintain this site with updates on our progress. Were
looking forward to the challenge. TTYL
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