Timbo

Oh I wasn't involved with the Cutty Sark Andrew. I just happened to know one of the researchers on the project, an old archaeology student of mine who gave me the info. I stand in awe of the skills of people like Doug, Allan and Mally at Wayford and Matt and Griff et al. I don't have one percent of their knowledge and only a quarter percent of their skill, but I'm trying to learn as much as I possibly can from them.

I'm very much a novice still Andrew. Let's face it I've only got half the boat varnished at the minute! Temp and humidity is extremely important and something I've never managed to find perfect in Norfolk. It's either too cold, too hot, swarms of flies or raining. There are many folks more experienced than me when it comes to varnishing and they've all come past shaking their heads when I've been varnishing. I'm hampered when it comes to time I can spend working on the boat by my illness and by my other half's inability to take the weather into account. I work to the following. As long as it's not going to freeze or rain...I'd rather get some varnish on the boat than have bare wood. At the very least I will pop stain on to give some protection to any wood I've sanded back. Having said that Royal Tudor is currently standing in the yard with a tarp covering exposed timber as I ran out of time this last month! The last spot of varnishing I did I got two coats on, with my youngest lad popping a third on in the evening. He'd just finished and the heavens opened. Quickly covered over with a tarp and the worst we had in the morning were slight imperfections in the varnish. Left like this over winter that side just needs a quick rub down and the next coat will go straight on. But the wood was protected. A crack bubbled on the cabin side but a quick sand down, restain and patch in and we will be sorted out....then another undercoat on the topsides...then the topcoats...woodies eh?

Over the last three years I've done some extensive research on varnishing, including some quite in-depth discussions with the chaps who worked on the Cutty Sark restoration. On the Cutty Sark they initially stained the new timbers to match the old, then as they were sponsored by a company who supplied Epoxy Resin they gave the new timbers a coat of epoxy to speed up the varnishing process. They then ripped out all of the new timbers they had epoxied as they began to discolour rapidly. Basically they were rotting at an accelerated pace from the inside. When the second lot of timber was installed they sanded, stained and varnished in the traditional manner and the timbers remain sound. Last I heard they were looking at a chemical reaction between something in the natural timber and the epoxy resin as a cause. My advice is to use a spirit based stain and then varnish with Wilco's own brand yacht varnish. I've been running a trial in my back yard with three pieces of Iroko. Each varnished with a different brand of varnish Hempel, Ravlak and Wilco's cheap and cheerful. I left all three pieces of wood propped up in the backyard and just left them. Hempel and Ravlak have all yellowed, cracked and peeled. The Wilco's is a fresh as when I applied it. Over the past few years I've come across quite a few repairs that have been done on Royal Tudor, a recent one included a section that had been coated in epoxy. It looked sound, great finish, but was as light as a feather due to the internal structure being nothing but dust. I now stick to a routine of spirit stain and as soon as it has soaked in seal it with a thinned coat of Wilco's Satin yacht varnish. Let this go off and apply a second coat straight out of the pot. I apply each coat with a roller and 'tip' it with a brush. On the second coat I knock it back lightly with some 360 grit sandpaper before whipping on the third coat. When this has gone off I knock it back with fine wire wool and switch to Wilco's gloss yacht varnish. My final layer is always a satin layer. This way I can get a very tough finish that is not too glossy. If I'm honest this is the technique I was shown by Doug with the exception of sealing the stain. I discovered sealing the stain as I got fed up of getting water damage in the stain when I followed the instructions and left the stain for 24 hours. The switch between the satin and gloss was one of those happy accidents when I ran out of satin...and the discovery of the quality of wilco's varnish when I refused to cough up top dollar for something that just peeled off.! ...I just love varnishing...not too keen on the prep...but I love varnishing!

Superb images Jill!

Fancy becoming a tour guide at St. Benet's? There is a training day on the 19th March 2016. For more information contact the Friends of St Benet's Abbey on tfosba@gmail.com

I don't mind being old...it's looking it that is annoying! Some advice on metal detecting for MM: Avoid carrying out this activity whilst wearing steel toe capped boots. An undergrad was once let loose in a cowpasture with one of these things. Over fifty test pits dug before I got back from my liquid lunch and pointed out the obvious errors. But to start the archaeology ball rolling here is a film by the University of Birmingham regarding the work done at Beccles and Geldeston on the discovery of an Iron Age walkway...which incidentally hammers more than a few 'posts' into the vampire of the Great Estuary Theory. And for those that really must here is the grossly flawed archaeological overview adopted by the Broads Authority.http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/506421/The-Archaeology-of-the-Broads-A-Review.pdf

And...ta!

OK this one has had me chortling since reading it! It's almost of Goon Show standard! Cue Wallace Greenslade and fanfare... Greenslade: For Whom The Toll Drolls Sellers as Bluebottle Paxman: Yes, your Maj! Finks...I will accept your knightedhood I will, I will! Seacombe: What what what what? These toll plaques were printed by the Chinese? Sellers as Bluebottle Paxman: How can you tell mon capitan? Seacombe: You can tell by their eyes! Sellers as Bluebottle Paxman: It is because they is waterin like what these plaques is? Seacombe: No it's the way they pronounce them!

There is much more data available...or there was. For some reason only data considered to be of relevance to matters of flooding is released now. Last year I managed to secure the lidar for St Benet's as well as that for the Iron Age causeway running behind the church. I'm currently moving my office and building new data storage but as soon as I have everything up and running again I will hunt out the images. Could I second Polly's request for an archaeology section? Norfolk is at the forefront of an enlightened attitude to archaeology, it's small finds unit one of the best and proactive in the country. It also plays host to digs conducted by some of the best archaeology units in Europe, Cambridge and Birmingham Universities just two, which are currently rewriting not only local history but national history. Those familiar with my pet niggle of 'The Great Estuary Theory' may just be getting a glimpse of just exactly how the common conception of history is often in error or is under 'review'. For example there are very few that talk in terms of an 'invasion of Angles and Saxons' any more...even the Claudian Invasion is starting to be thought of as a request for occupation with help from native tribes. Incidentally anyone wanting to see an example of 'poor archaeological interpretation' take a look at the latest offering on the BBC iPlayer covering the South West of England, particularly the first report. Here's a prime example of a misguided fool drawing conclusions unsupported by fact. Although retired my interest in archaeology is still keen. Once Royal Tudor is back in the water in the next few weeks I will be investigating the River Smale between the 'Roman'? ford and Barton Broad. Just for my own jolly.

Uncle Albert's (My Dad) side of the family were ploughmen and farm labourers. My Mum's side of the family owned the farms. Much inter marriage between the two families (probably where my skills in playing the banjo and my webbed duck feet come from). I have three bundles of letters from Mum's side of the family,the first dated 1835 onwards from Australia. Young Amos has left the family farm in Aylesbury and gone to Australia where he works as a 'cowhand'. His letters home detail the hardships of living in thousands of miles of emptiness as well as the day to day running of cattle on a huge scale including prices for beef, grazing etc. Each letter includes a message to 'mother' that there is 'little hope of finding a wife' as 'there are no prospects in five hundred miles'. I was pleased to note that the final letter which details the several thousand acres that now middle aged Amos owns is signed your dutiful son Amos, his wife and two sons. The second bundle of letters is from the same family, yet another Amos, a sergeant farrier in the Blues and Royals the dates are obscured but are 1800's and the address given as the Khyber Pass. The paper used is from the 'Temperance Society' but the first letter tells the parents 'not to worry I have not given up the drink but free paper is given should you profess to do so and paper is a valuable commodity here'. Why so valuable a commodity I will leave to the imagination. The final bundle of letters are once again the same family, once again an Amos. This time they are letters from the front in the first world war. They detail the end of hostilities and Amos' journey back to the French coast ready to leave for England. The last letter details orders to go back into France to help with the removal undetonated ordnance but 'just one more week and I leave for home'. The final envelope contained a photograph of Amos' war grave. Killed clearing the ordnance.

While Grendel sorts out his water pump...here's a link to some of the Map Data on FlckR for the EA stream https://www.flickr.com/photos/environmentagencyopensurveydata/map I use the data in a different way in that...I ring up the EA and order up 'hard copies' of the data and after paying a couple of quid or nothing depending on the detail of the information I've requested they send me via email photographs of the requested location. This is because I'm a non technical idiot. There used to be a method whereby you sent an email to request information, declare you were not using the information for financial gain, and they would send you the images through. I passed on some lidar info to the Luddham History Group I think.

Strow You might find this LIDAR information useful. Similar to geophys except done by plane firing a laser at the ground. Has the ability to strip away vegetation to 'see' geology and archaeology beneath it. The data is FREE for personal use only available from the the Environment Agency. http://www.geostore.com/environment-agency/survey.html#/survey?grid=TG42

During the war years a man with a slight German accent visits Oulton Broad, walks into the local pub asking for Stebbings. "Whven ze cock crowz ze vind from Vwroxham ist chilly jah?" he says to the landlord. "Sorry bor, yew'll be wantin Stebbings the Spy, two doors down!" replies the landlord! Welcome aboard Shirley!

What's happening? Is this something to do with China? North Korea? Have they bought the Broads Authority? Don't say they found out that John Packman is Kim Jong-un?

I met a policeman who looked like a schoolboy and called me 'son' the other day.

Best pub on the Norfolk Broads? Why the discussion? As I write I am enjoying a rather nifty Shiraz, with some of the best food I've ever had anywhere at the Wayford Inn.

Metric measurement bleh! Only useful for anything under an eighth of an inch. I regularly have to 'educate' shop assistants. One idiot decided to give me a chewing out yesterday when I asked for 'an ounce of tobacco'. 'What's that?' they asked.'I only do the 12.5, 25 and 50 thing, but stupid to have 12.5!' I took a leaf from Maurice Mynah's book and pointed out 'I only buy things that are not in 12.5, 25 and 50 things' and took my custom to a shop that spoke English instead of French. Although the metric system was responsible for one of Britain's most famous military victories at Waterloo. French forces using the newly imposed metric system miscalculated their positions allowing the British to fight a retreat and make the famous stand. As Stephen Fry pointed out, you can't be 'kilometers better' than the British who are 'miles better'. One of the biggest annoyances I find in boating is the introduction of the metric system. All of the materials are now in metric, yet the tools to work the material and the boats are designed in imperial. Even my modern car is in imperial, as is my height, chest size, inside leg and hat size. It's only my weight, measured in French by the NHS, and my shoe size, measured in 'barley corns' for some reason, that are not. I'm sad to say I find myself in agreement on something with our 'Merkin cousins...even if they get the measurements wrong.

I've made this point before on similar threads. Royal Tudor's engine will occasionally be run on moorings. There is not a notice, byelaw or slugabed that will stop this from occurring. Sun's up? Then I'm up. And I'm up because Uncle Albert is up and needs to be washed, dressed, dressings applied, bed scrubbed, bedding scrubbed. I try to moor away from public moorings but there are times when we need to moor somewhere where I can get to local amenities or aid. Occasionally I will cruise early doors to generate hot water, but this is not always feasible or safe to do. The odd pyjama wearing busy body has attempted to 'put me straight' but they seem to run away quite quickly when confronted with an irate Yellow Belly in plastic pinny and rubber gloves. My offer of a choice to take over my duties or a size 12 8 lace holes up unaccepted as they scurry away to reconsider the benefits of an early night and an early morning. I'm not being antisocial or inconsiderate, quite the reverse.

Ooh now that's an idea Griff! PM on the way!

Ex-wife Doug! Ex-wife! Unlike the 'short' medium on Poltergeist when I declare 'this house is clean' I make sure the shagnasties don't come swarming back! Besides which although, she has demonstrated an extremely thick skin it would be like having Lez Dawson tacked to the side of the cooker. It might put me off me dinner! Every time I put the kettle on there would be Widow Twankey gurning at me! I've sourced some aluminium and stainless steel splashbacks that I can cut to size so I will pick some up on my way down to RT on Monday. Thanks guys!

A week down with Royal Tudor and a bulkhead has had to be replaced. This is the bulkhead which sits side on to the cooker and the original was lined with formica...a horrible red formica. Is there any regulation within the boat safety that requires this bulkhead to be lined with anything in particular...or does it have to be lined at all? Can I use stainless or something similar? And does it have to be that horrible red, spattered with 56 years of grease, colour?

Many happy returns Charlie! I suppose in the supermarket I'm just a big a menace when I have my granddaughter in tow. I'm the one scooting her up and down the aisles in the trolley to the accompaniment of childish laughter...and Gracie laughs sometimes too.

When you check the 'unread' section this last comment appears as "two of my favourite hobbies in one programme. The Broads and shooting Griff'. I'm sorry but the hunting of Griffs should be banned. Just think how quiet the Norfolk landscape would be without their cries of 'OwMuch' ,'SeeThee' and 'PackItInyerMardy'. A generally quiet creature their presence given away by a deposit of ceramic in a bathroom or kitchen, although it's plumage can be drab. the Griff or Yorkshire Curabitur Tessera Fecit is an important asset to the Broads fauna!

I once mistook Immac hair remover cream for toothpaste after a student party. Riding home on my trusty 49cc MZ I'm positive I hit 90mph as my teeth parted the breeze!

If it's a pub that serves food then I'm quite happy with kids sitting down with their family for a meal. I'm OK with pubs that specifically cater for kids...I can't abide kids careering around the bar though pumped up on coca cola and red bull. Mind, I'm not that cheerful to see kids in supermarkets. I dread school holidays where you can't do your shopping because Tesco is more like a kindergarten than a supermarket.I just don't 'get' why parents bring their kids to supermarkets to shout at them? A recent trip to the opticians was a nightmare as one family let their kids run around the opticians throwing glasses off the racks onto the floor. I did laugh out loud when they removed the glasses from the face of the seven year old who promptly ran off again before they could put his new glasses on...where he ran straight into the glass window. Now a local landlord of mine was asked by a family if it was OK to bring their kids into the pub. "Yes it's OK as long as it's OK with you if I ding 'em round the ear if they don't sit still?" was the reply. Those kids were as good as gold...although they did look wide eyed at the landlord when he approached the table to bring them some free bags of crisps...just in case a 'ding' was in the offing.