The end of the year means the end of the project we have been working on for the last few months. Restoring these old wooden boats demands a lot of patience and stubborn persistence. I feel lucky that I have a job like this.
You cannot get ashore alone even though you were raised there
I started a new project again. This time on a boat that different boatbuilders had worked on but abandoned. There is little information to work with, but I began working last Friday after two weeks of preparation. There are many steps ahead, and I will keep you updated. If by any chance you know someone who is good with wood and wouldn’t mind living and working in the north of Norway, please let me know; I need help.
I have a house in Northern Norway. It is nothing special, houses are cheap in that part of the country, the price of a regular car. I bought it 15 years ago, and we lived there with pleasure. When we moved to other parts of Norway for further adventures, we didn’t sell the house in the hope that one day we would go back. Today we decided to return, and seeing the house in this picture feels good. Memories are often colored, so that’s why the picture is in black and white, but I know that I am not mistaken; I always look at the bright side.
I am going to work at the museum again, where I worked before as a wooden boatbuilder. I left there before with mixed feelings, but fresh winds have blown there, so I am curious how it is going over there. I only know that there are several projects and hardly any boatbuilders, so there is enough work. If you like to work as a boatbuilder or know someone who is interested, let me know.
Martin repaired the two ends of the “livholt” and now Joost is helping to see if they can get one of the rotten pegs out, next week they have to see if they can find the peg on the outside because from here it isn’t working.
Click here if you want to read the Introduction/first post.
On the port side Joost is busy changing more planks. We are still changing less planks than anticipated and it looks like it will stay that way.
Click here if you want to read the Introduction/first post.
This week Peder, the electrician finished his work on Brottsjø for this year. All the old switches, sockets and switchboards are cleaned, measured and repaired, if necessary using old parts where possible. Look at the results, they look like new again.
Click here if you want to read the Introduction/first post.
This week I worked with the new stern. The old stern didn’t fit so good anymore after so many years so I spent some time measuring the old Skin and inner stern/knee to make sure that the new one fits good.
Click here if you want to read the Introduction/first post.
Our smith has made a new part for the steering system. Chains from the steering wheel control this arm that is connected to the rudder, it was originally made by a smith so we used the same techniques to copy the old one.
Click here if you want to read the Introduction/first post.
This week we started making the first new parts for Brottsjø and the sun is also back, what more do you want.
Click here if you want to read the Introduction/first post.
We started working again on Brottsjø this week.
Because we don’t have enough boat builders work goes slowly on board Brottsjø but, we started working with the electric systems and Kazimierz the mechanic is organizing and planning his work.
This week we removed the “egnerhus”. There are parts from different periods, from the 1960 to the ’90. Under the glass fiber roof cover, probably from the 70’s we found small nails indicating that there was originally a canvas cover on the wooden roof. The sink and poorly made table are from the 90’s and have to go. When Brottsjø was used for fishing there was also a second stove standing in the “egnerhus” used for cooking and drying cloth, you can still see the round hole.
One of the last things the mechanics took of Brottsjø were the tubes around the chain steering. Now they can begin with restoring and cleaning everything.