Week 257: Outside in
Karina is recovering well from her bike accident and we finally completed the exterior painting on Delfine.
Bloody Facebook.
For whatever reason, the photo of Karina with a bandage from last week has resurfaced at the top of the algorithm, and I'm receiving a lot of questions and comments. So we'll start there! Firstly, thank you to everyone for your kind words and concern. Fortunately, she is doing well.
It did impact the pace of our week. On Monday, she stayed at home and worked on admin, as her knee was quite swollen and walking was a challenge. We decided on Tuesday to head out to Delfine and spend a couple of nights on board so she could work on some things inside. We hired a Cambio, drove her out there and also dragged along a lot of packages we'd been accumulating at home.
Then on Thursday, it was back to the apartment. She has an impressive multi-coloured bruise on her thigh, but her stitches are out and she's able to walk around comfortably now. Next week, there shouldn't be any issues hopping back on the bike; just be careful around tram lines.
Our focus was on tasks that get us ready for photography. The largest of these was working on the deck. I sanded, taped and painted—a frustrating job at times.
Deck painted!
I probably should have waited for better weather, but we've got things to do, so I pushed forward. The day involved drying the deck, applying some paint, waiting for a brief shower to pass, drying it again, and so forth. With the epoxy paint, the water runs off once it's down, which means a touch of rain is not a significant issue (also, it wasn't the final coat, so a bit of discolouration isn't a big concern), but you can't paint when the deck is wet.
But, I did it! All finally done. The beige (thank you everyone who voted and commented on which colour) looks fantastic. It's close to the Oyster White, so it blends in without being too dominant or eye-catching, but it's slightly darker, which will make cleaning it easier.
With the car, we also made a run to the recycling park and disposed of all our old paint tins, which build up quickly due to the amount of painting we're doing.
It was good to be back on board, sleeping on Delfine. Since the last time (when Ella & Inge were here a few weeks ago), there has been some good progress. Our interior is now more complete, which allows us to experience things better.
Karina worked on painting the area around the stairs that was walled in.
Nighttime is a great experience. We can now enjoy all the LEDs that have been added. The strips under the stairs make a lovely feature and are also very practical, highlighting the steps safely. The downside is we have to sleep with the bedroom door closed because it's so bright!
More lights at night on Delfine
Friday, Karina stayed at the apartment, and I returned to the boat to complete the final bit of exterior painting, the forepeak deck. I taped it, sanded, and applied a good coat, covering all areas around and under the windlass as well. Then it was back inside, where I hung two lights in the bedrooms and replaced some old-style 24V globes with new LED ones (brighter, less power, and much less heat). I also potted some plants we had purchased the day before.
Buying plants for the deck. It's not enough, but it's a start and we'll be moving them strategically for photos :D The ceiling light in Simone fitted.
The focus on the boat is switching now. With the outside fully painted (which feels surreal to say), there are only four major building projects left:
- Finishing around the inside of the stair hatch.
- Building out around the bed in the stern cabin and prepping the walls and ceiling for painting in the stern cabin.
- Fitting the missing bits of interior trim
- Painting the remainder of the wheelhouse interior.
As we work towards making these happen, we're now starting to decorate the inside, making it ready for photos.
That will happen on Wednesday. We've booked a photographer, organised some models, the chef and a berth in the city. We've purchased plants, flowers, vases, glasses, and lots of the small things that transform Delfine from just a boat to a cozy, enjoyable place to be.
On Monday, we'll focus on the stern cabin – I won't finish it, but I do need to remove some large sections of MDF from the deck. Then Tuesday afternoon, we're relocating to the centre of Gent and spending two nights aboard Delfine at Portus Ganda. We'll stay there Wednesday night after the photos and then return to the shipyard to tackle the last projects over the next couple of weeks.
Before and after, not just tidying up the boat, tidying up myself too, ready for photos.
We're almost ready! If you'd like to join us to explore some of Belgium (and, in particular, our route), we will be prepared to start casual cruising with family and friends in the next few weeks.
We attended the "noose bearers" march. This is a replica of an event from 1540, where Gent Merchants opposed tax increases by Emperor Charles V of Spain. He took offence and marched them in robes, barefoot, with nooses around their necks, executed 25 of them and humiliated the rest. To this day, people from Gent are known as the "Noose bearers", and wearing a noose around your neck is a symbol of civic pride and resistance to authority. It was also the beginning of Gent's downfall as a medieval powerhouse, with all their rights and privileges stripped for resisting the Emperor.
If you're interested in supporting us with a more formal arrangement, we're excited to announce that we're now ready to take bookings for 2026 (March - September). If you'd like to book a full cruise, we're offering 25% off for friends looking to enjoy the luxury Delfine experience and explore Belgium (Gent–Bruges–Ypres) with us. You can see more at https://delfinebarge.com – more photos and an updated website coming soon!
Until next time,
Tim & Karina