The longer version would go over the details of how I ended up under a 250lb+ piece of steel that measures roughly 106" x 54". The following is said version:
For as long as I've owned my boat I've had the idea that I'd "raise the roof" on her and give myself a bit more headroom to ease the neck-ache that would ensue from all of the crouching (ironic, yes?) due to the low ceiling that came with her. So when I began work on Rafiki two weeks ago, all projects had something to do with preparing the boat for this rather hefty bit of boat surgery. It would involve cutting out and relocating structural members, grafting in new sheet metal with the old, fairing and painting, then eventually insulating and adding a nice interior finish. But dirt before glory, and for the past week I've been cutting, welding, and grinding like a fiend. Yesterday I made a tool to guide a Sharpie marker around the edge of the cabin sheet metal to establish a series of cut lines so that everything would line up evenly when it came time to fabricate the new cabin sides, and today I began (and accident aside, finished) the cutting. Unfortunately for me, once the roof was completely severed from the boat Gravity raised it's ugly head and we began the Battle for Middle Earth (or the maritime equivalent). I had placed a series of clamps under the roof section to support the weight when all was cut free, and had also designed my cuts in a way that they would prevent the piece from falling inward (like it ended up doing...). Anywho, it all went as planned until I decided that I'd use my He-Man-Woman-Hating power (that's a Little Rascals quote, BTW: I love women) to RAISE THE ROOF. My theory was to lift it up just enough to slide a long pipe section under the roof but above the deck - simple enough in theory. Anywhoodle, between Gravity and overestimating my abilities, the whole thing slid and came crashing down on my noggin, knocking me to the bilge floor and leaving me quite dazed (but glad to have basic motor abilities - no immediatly noticable pinched nerves, broken bones, or excessive bleeding. If this just ends up being a really sore neck, then I'm definitely crossing off one of my 9 lives, because it was a real doozie. Even within the first few minutes after the accident, I made the video above, and had decided that I'd be heading to the Emergency Room ASAP, and even felt a bit foolish for not calling an ambulance. That said, the doctor didn't fret too much about it, but perhaps it was the concept of a boat ceiling falling that he didn't understand: I probably should have told him a small refrigerator fell on my head from a second story building. Anyway, after a series of X-rays and an ibuprofen I was back on the road, although rather stiff. I'm going to visit my family doctor later in the week, but plan on getting that roof raised before the 4th! Boys, we're just not that bright all the time... : )
But hey, I'm alive, well, and for some reason still excited about working on this ridiculous boat of mine! It must be the summer sun.
Danny
1 comment:
I hope your neck is ok!
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