Art on a Barge Project. Page 5
Leigh Marina from the top of St. Clements Church
To continue with The Art on a Barge Project. Josephine and I are converting a 71 ft x 12 ft dumb barge (No engine) into an art gallery to be moored in Leigh Marina.
11-2-16. Wheelhouse soon to be finished. When the steel sheets are in place and before ordering the windows they have to be marked out in chalk before ordering. The underplating should be finished this week after all the welds have been checked for pinholes. We don't want to sink do we.
Whilst welding underneath the bitumen on the
floor smoked and with the sun streaming through the open
wheelhouse created this beautiful effect.
floor smoked and with the sun streaming through the open
wheelhouse created this beautiful effect.
19-2-16. Nearly there. The last sheet of steel on wheelhouse before moving into position and from a health and safety aspect the steel held by ropes also has clamps and is sitting on angles.
24-2-15. we are on the move and how difficult it is to move 71 feet of metal around the Marina. It was an almost windless day which was lucky as we don't have a deep keel to prevent side movement.
Free of the Marina we are towed towards our final mooring. The excellent photograph on the right was taken by Mick Bristow ( Vehicle bodywork repairs) working from the Marina.
We are now alongside a pontoon. Easier for access.
29-2-16. Now moored on the water alongside a pontoon I have added about 1200 bricks as ballast but need to wait for the higher tides next week to see how our barge sits in the water. We have some of the insulation boards and flooring all ready on board. My next move is to have a major clear up.
With the floor supports in place I have started to cut the insulation to fill the area.
10-3-16. Some of the moisture resistant tongue and groove panels in place on the floor with some of the insulation boards standing up.
1-4-16. Floor now laid, The interior has been painted with 2 coats of anti rust paint. The windows and doors have arrived and are in storage awaiting fitting hopefully next week. I don't think we will be ready to show with the Leigh Art Trail but have been offered a space in the office of Marine Surveyor Elliott Berry in Leigh Marina about 20 metres from our barge.