1000 hours of work

Now that the ship is in Berlin, my first task is to draw clear lines. To get my head and my thoughts in order. To consider how best and most effectively to proceed from here. To develop a good plan. Or, to be more precise, several different plans.

Construction plan

I am grateful to two architect friends of mine who will soon be spending a day surveying the ship and then drawing up plans. The final plan will be ready in early September.

Schedule

When I was on board yesterday and saw the mountains of work still waiting for me, it almost overwhelmed me: more rust removal, insulation, and fitting the plumbing and heating oil system. The most important thing right now is to get the ship winter-ready first, so that the cold and damp don’t cause any further damage to the steel. That should be done by the end of September!

I felt completely disheartened and utterly drained. So I started by praying. And I felt as though God was saying to me: „First, get the seminar room finished“ – once a room is completely finished, it would be a huge emotional relief.

Then I counted and did some calculations. The ship is supported by steel girders running lengthways and crossways through the hull. Below deck, they’re called frames. I don’t know what they’re called on the ceiling. Removing rust from one compartment between the frames takes about 2–3 hours – if all goes well. If the paint and rust are stubborn, it can sometimes take as long as two days. I still have 100 compartments on the ceilings to derust – and then a few wall sections as well.

My invoice

– 400 hours of rust removal: 400 hours

– 200 hours of painting (linseed oil varnish, rust-proof primer and lacquer)

– Install 200 hours of insulation

– 200 hours of „odd jobs“ (buying materials, cleaning up, disposing of scrap metal…)

= 1,000 hours of work until the ship is ready for winter.

All this work needs to be completed by the end of September so that the ship is ready for winter. It’s an enormous challenge! I’m planning to work 30–40 hours a week on board in August and September – alongside my publishing work. But even that won’t be enough. That’s why I’m praying for plenty of helpers to lend a hand. And I’ve drawn up a plan where I’ll keep track of the hours worked.

Financial plan

I’m grateful that I’ve been lent and given lots of good tools. All I’m missing now is a good Fleks, one or two cordless screwdrivers and a pneumatic needle-type rust remover. So I „just“ need to buy the consumables. I want to do as much as possible myself and with friends.

However, there are some things I’ll have to hand over to skilled tradespeople. Fitting doors and vents in the steelwork is best left to a specialist. Skilled tradesmen’s rates range from 25 to 45 euros plus VAT, depending on the trade (steel, timber, electrical). I still need about 15 hours of skilled tradesmen’s work in August. If you’d be willing to take on one of those, I’d be very grateful.