ONE COMPLETION BUT LOTS TO GO

Pinoyu Boat Yard
Port Carmen, Cebu Philippines

Two weeks since my last update and one more project completed, well almost. You last saw the beginnings of the cut out for the making better use of the area under the navigation seat area.
 

HERE WE SEE THE WASTED SPACE BEHIND THE DRAWERS

DRAWERS REMOVED LOCKER PAINTED AND NEW SMALL CUBBIES FOR SOME TOOLS

THE OLD DRAWER FACES WILL BE HINGED TO COVER THESE CUBBIES
I AM WAITING FOR THE ORDERED HINGES TO BE DELIVERED

The next major undertaking is in our aft cabin. Here there has been a ladder up and into the cockpit, our plan has been to remove the ladder and replace it with a storage cabinet that will also act as a ladder to go from the cabin up into the cockpit. We seldom use this ladder but feel it provides necessary access up and down. The following show the work in progress by one of the carpenters here in Pinoy boat Yard

THE OLD LADDER

SPACE TO BE USED

A PLAN

ESMER, OUR CARPENTER

FIRST TWO TABLE SAW CUTS THEN THE PLANKS WERE RIPPED BY HAND SAW



HERE IT'S MOSTLY HAND TOOLS



PLANKS GLUED AND READY FOR SANDING

USING MY DRILL TO FASTEN CLEATS

HERE'S THE BASIC'S





So as of the finish of work on Saturday we  have an idea of how things will look. There is stiil quite a bit to figure out. The plan is to have drawer faces on what we see as the large riser faces that will hinge open.

Since we had only a half day of a worker and I also needed a rest from my project of renovating in the v-berth area Kathy and I took a bus trip to the closest of the big shopping malls. I needed to visit the Ace Hardware and it was time to pick up some more groceries. The bus trip in was uneventful and we managed most things on the list. The difficulty came on our attempted return as all the direct buses were full, traffic on an early Saturday evening was terrible. We finally managed to be approached by one of the small local passenger carrying trucks who asked where we needed to go it was way past where he intended to go but a deal was made for 500 pesos and we were on our way. Of course that only got us 90% home. Next it was a peddle tryke to the main tryke teminal and finally a motor tryke home.

WE'VE SEEN AS MANY AS 3 BEHIND THE OPERATOR



BEGINNING TO WORK

Pinoy Boat Yard
Port Carmen, Cebu, Philippines

After a little more than a week here in what we refer to as Zeke's but is in actually the Pinoy Boat Yard we have settled in getting all our preperations done and have now started on the projects that we hope to accomplish. The first construction wise has actually been finished except for tomorrows job of refilling the newly sealed and painted lockers under what we refer to as the "Cleopatra" couch on the starboard side of the saloon.

We have also been busy with sanding and varnishing in the aft cabin. I sand and Kathy gets to do the fun part of applying the new varnish. It's looking good, but tomorrow we get a carpenter/cabinet maker to start on the new cabinet that will replace the aft cabin ladder. We would imagine that once he has finished it will be necessary to add some more coats of varnish. Years ago we were told by a varnish professional two things. One, it's never the last coat and two when applying don't try to get smarter than the varnish.

This afternoon, post siesta, I started on the new project of improving the storage under the navigation station seat. The normal arrangement was two drawers which wastes lots of space. Our new look will have the drawer faces still there but hinged with small compartments behind them and then the rest of the area accessable from a lift up lid under the cushion seat. As I started cutting and removing old wood we found areas that need epoxy repair but that was expected. It will add some time to get the job completed but we seem to have plenty of that.

MY PILE OF TOOLS IN THE V-BERTH THAT WERE PREVISOUSLY IN THE SPACE
UNDER THE CLEOPATRA COUCH

SOON THE NEW SEWING CABINET WILL BE HERE

SANDED AND READY FOR PAINT

 

EXISTING CABINET WITH DRAWERS

CUTTING OUT THE NEW LID

 Stay tuned for more as the improvements continue.

ARRIVED ZEKE'S BOAT YARD

Dock Position 10° 33.985N 124° 01.473E
Port Carmen, Cebu
Philippines

After our day off from traveling we continued on to Malapascua Is. Our last stop before arriving here in Port Carmen. Again our passage was done with light winds on the nose. We departed our anchorage early and arrived here around 3 pm. We phoned ahead to Zeke and he sent one of his boys out in a banca to lead us in through the channel. Once Kathy manuvered into our assigned berth the yard workers took over securing lines tying us off four ways. We are bow in with a small concrete jetty extending out and then a wooden gangway secured to the jetty and our bow in.

BERTHED

After a bit of cleanup and putting things away we made our way up to the restauant/bar to visit with the other yachties and have a meal out.

KATHY READY FOR DINNER OUT, NO COOKING

 It always amazes us as we travel around and visit new places and locate someone that we have not seen for several years and thousands of miles away. Here the familiar face was Joe from the S/V Jubilee whom we last saw during our stay in Fiji. It was nice to catch up a bit and get more information about the local area. We also got to meet a number of new yachties here doing and having work done by the yard.

Friday morning Zeke stopped by for a welcoming visit. We discussed some of the projects that we wanted accomplished. These are mainly improvement items that we have looked forward to for several years including a new hard fiberglass bimini and replacing our aft cabin ladder with a cabinet to store Kathy's sewing stuff and will still function as a ladder. We let him know that we were not in a great hurry, that was good as all the workers are busy at present but would be finishing several boats soon. It is very inexpensive to stay, our berth is 7000 FP or $175 US per month. Once we start using the yard workers their wages are between 500 and 800 FP per day, that's $12 to $20 US. Finally a place that is very affordable to get projects done.

Next was a trip to the local town of Daneo for a visit to the bank, check out the grocery store, open market and get a general lay of the town as we will be here in the yard for a number of months. Back on the boat we began to get ready for work mode. First on the list was getting shore power hooked up. Being in a new country that means a different plug and my having to play electrician. Once that was done we were able to connect up our large fan to get some air moving through the boat. It is has been very hot here with temperatures of 82° when I get up at 5 AM and then in 90's later in the day.

Our custom built wind scoop that can be rotated in all directions made by our friend Renee formerly of the S/V Scarlett O'Hara and now on the M/V Rubicon also helps moving some air.

Friday evening we joined in the weekly yachtie gathering at a small restaurant in the nearby town of Carmen.It was a tryke ride away and some how we managed  3 Yanks, 2 Aussies and an English woman along with one Filipina and the driver all on one tryke. I'm not sure how that little 125cc motorbike managed but it did. It was a nice evening meeting new friends, dinner along with drinks was again cheap, less than $10.

Saturday it was time to continue with our preperations for work mode. We scrubbed the decks. removed both head sails and got the shades back up. There are still more small put away things to do but with the heat of the afternoon a siesta is required and they can wait.

Here are a number of more photos from our trip from Puerto Galera to here in Port Carmen

A TRIP UP THE MAST TO REMOVE A BIRDS NEST

NASTY LOOKING BUT WE GOT NO RAIN

BAMBOO POLE AND PALM FROND TO MARK FISHTRAPS

LOCAL KIDS AT SOUTH GIGANTE ISLAND