We paid a visit to the Nordic Tug factory yesterday to go over options — how many fans? where? Cummins or Volvo engine? where to put the watermaker? — and confirm that they plan to build the boat we think they’re building.
Now comes the part that everyone who has ever built or remodeled a house either loves or dreads: color choices. Mary Anne and I have been through this a few times. We’ve picked tile, chosen granite, selected wall paints and carpets. It terrifies me. But eventually it all comes out OK.
The seating areas in the saloon (pronounced “salon”) and pilothouse can be Ultraleather…
…Sunbrella solids or patterns…
…or a combination of both.
We also have to decide on countertops for the galley (pronounced “galley”). These are a fraction of the possibilities, but are the current contenders. We quickly eliminated. bright yellow and bright red.
Finally, day/night window shades…
We were spared having to choose carpeting because we re-carpeted Impromptu last year and will use the same material in Étude.
Étude is officially known as 40-008. Although construction will not begin for another week or so, we were able to look at 40-006 and 40-007 on the factory floor. As you can see, these boats are molded as a hull and a top half. Various interior modules are constructed separately and then put into place before the top is bonded to the hull.
Here is the hull of 40-007, recently pulled from the mold. The stripe color will be painted later.
Here’s the top half of 40-006.
Some of the wiring has been installed and the dish cabinet above the sink is in place.
Meanwhile, wiring and other preparations are underway in the hull of 40-007.
40-006 is further along. More wiring, more surfaces finished, some insulation applied.
This module will become the guest berth and (in the background) the head (that’s “bathroom” to you, Lubber) for 40-006.
This is one of two fuel tanks. Together they hold 320 US gallons of diesel. This will take us about 1100 miles or 1800 kilometers.
The fuel tanks will be placed in the red areas. The propeller shaft runs in the alley between them. Eventually, the galley and saloon will be atop this area.
And one fine day…
Next: Ètude Begins