Without a net.....

Today we did something I've been dreading:  We attacked the medallions on the stern.  The bow was bad enough, but the aft end of the boat is already four feet off the ground.  Add to that some somewhat shaky planks laid over the paddlewheel well, the fact that there's absolutely nothing to hold onto when you're up on the ladder, and the fact that I'm becoming freaked out by heights for some reason (never was before) and it made for some discomforting hours....

As with the bow, the medallions aren't just decorative, they serve to help hold the roof fabric in place fore and aft.  They have to be screwed into place and the remaining roof fabric cut away.  Please note from the angle, standing on the ground I'm well BELOW the bottom of the pontoons.  It's a ways up there folks.

NOT a happy camper.(and, yes, my hair really is that long, thank you, deal with it) ....  We did do some things better this time, though, trimming and touch up painting as we went along.  I removed the tuftex from the aft wall so we could at least tie off the ladder to something.

It looks good, though.  Next up, the awning holding the solar cells, then the paddlewheel.

Inside, I started building the shelves that will hold the deep cycle batteries aft.

Soon that well will house our electronics, deep cells, inverter, and the like.

All in all a pretty full day.  I also spent some of it chatting with boat movers.  I'm beginning to think that in order to get this thing moved, we'll have to remove the barrels (sigh), then re tie them at the marina before the thing gets splashed.

Any other ideas folks?  Hey if you're in the Baltimore area, we'd love to meet you and we'd really love some willing hands to help us get this launched.  Leave a comment and we'll email ya. (without publishing your phone/email'/etc btw.)

M