Author: Chris Wells

 

Odilon Redon  (April 20th, 1840 – July 6th, 1916).

The western wall is finally sealed.

Sam and I installed the heavy pane of glass yesterday. It is meant to be storm-proof.

You can see the space we cleared on the southern and western side of the floor, in readiness for two work-benches. Jonny has been looking after the benches, on my behalf – the older of the two, for about twenty years. Now that is true brotherly forebearance, and generosity.

I’m glad to report that the wooden floor (as far as we could see) is in excellent condition. There are no termites.

 

 

That big jump across the entrance was something of a challenge. I wanted the boards to line up from one edge of the boatshed to the other. There is a bit of variation – perhaps three millimetres – which as far as I am concerned is entirely acceptable.

At any rate, I am not inclined to dismantle the wall and try again.

I think the entrance looks like a welcoming one, defined by the lovely  colours of native cypress.

 

 

Woodblock prints by Gihachiro Okuyama (1907 – 1981)

Shimoda  Port in Rain

Komaga-take from Onuma Park

As you can see, our southern wall is now sealed. I have temporarily blocked off the ventilation window – to be completed later. Last night a series of rain squalls tested the newly-installed glass, and I am happy to report that nothing cracked or blew away. The windows are doing their job….

….and just in time.

Sam took this photo through the ventilation window on the western side.

nb wire screen

I finished installing the air cell sisalation during the week. It felt like a big step. We now have a more or less enclosed space.

Next job: setting glass into the western and southern window frames. The windows are over-engineered, like everything else in the boatshed – and rightly so. Winter gales down here provide a good test of workmanship, and a good test of materials. Any construction that is weak, or made of second-rate materials, will sooner or later disintegrate.

The glass is of heavy gauge (if that is the correct term), and storm-proof.

 

I have not forgotten the weatherboards. In my dreams the walls seem endless – but during daylight hours, I can see that two and a half walls are completed; only one and a half walls to go…..