grendel

Well since my hull is yet to be the right way up, here is my tribute picture, plus my crew have the work well in hand

Propshafts and P brackets ordered, I am hoping I can adjust a pair of P brackets to form the I bracket that BA has to support her propshaft between the keel and the skeg, if I cut the brass support tube in half, and use 2 - 1 from each side that should form the I beam with the support in the middle - propshafts are 13" with a 6" outer shaft housing, to run from the keel into the hull. various universal couplings and connection inserts also ordered.

She was obviously right (just checking, it hasn't dropped off has it ?????)

Well the figures can of course be dressed to suit - sorry I did not have green available

well I spent out and cleared wilkos out of 1" G clamps, I then proceeded to modify a dozen of them to fit between the ribs, as the bottom of the clamp is just a tad wider than the gap between ribs, so the sides at the bottom were ground just a little at each side, now I am able to clamp up in tight spaces. Another rib inserted into place.

now - how long do i need to leave it for?

Ok committed now, went out and picked all the apples I could see / reach. ran them through the juicer, and got a demijohn and a half of juice, added some yeast (similar to the one above, but from lakeland) plonked the airlocks on, I had a hydrometer, and it was sitting a bit deep, so I added some sugar (nothing scientific here) I just plonked some in. then just sat the demijohns out of the way to see what happens. I guess if it stops bubbling after a few days I will need to add some more sugar.

I thought he was after Archaeology - not Fossils................

Another rib steamed, another one fixed in place, some tidying up starting at the transom. tomorrow will be a trip into wilkinsons in town to pick up a few more 1" G clamps as they fit through smaller gaps for clamping, though some may need grinding narrower to squeeze between ribs next to bulkheads.

I wonder, if you had a submarine, could it be possible to avoid the toll? (on the grounds that the BA did not maintain the water to a sufficient depth to use it) .

Looks like a walk into town to Wilkinsons to get an airlock and some yeast tomorrow then, 2nd time in two weeks. (and probably second time this year) I tend to avoid the town centre as it is usually packed (Grockles)

are you trying to make wine or cider? just about to juice my apples and never tried making cider, I have the demijohns from making ginger beer.do you need the fancy airlock doodads on the demijohn?

Well my workshop is the wrong shape, its not deep enough, but hey, it just about works, and I can now get to both sides easier, the steamer will also stick out, and that is hot while running,plus of course I need to keep a space for steaming ribs around the formers.

actually, now I am using the wallpaper steamer, the wood is getting much more flexible in 10 minutes, then its out and quickly wrapped round the former, then wedges fitted to form the exact shape. tonights work, another transom rib steamed, then the first rib put into place and glued, I really need to turn the boat so I have better access now. it needs to be stern on to work both sides - re-organisation of workspace next step, as the steamer will need relocating too.

I had a rubbing strake hook up at the wherry on Oulton, fortunately we spotted it just after it had happened and with a bit of swearing I pushed her off, the fenders had gone in between the indentations in the steel pilings, so didnt hold her off as far as they should. about an hour later we heard a lot of revving of engines and swearing as another boat 3 boats down had had the same happen, except the tide had gone down a lot more, and she was well and truly hooked up with the stern and prop partly out of the water, they did get her off, but there was quite a struggle.

No, I admit I dont, I figure the steam pretty much gets in anyway - eventually, the timber usually comes out hot damp and bendy, and I have to admit these curves are very tight, the rest should be easier.

Ok, after wearing out the steam cleaner, after work today (having safely found an alternate route home due to the M2 being shut) it was a quick pop into B&Q and I now have a wallpaper steamer, this doesnt rely on a finger to keep it going, and is as simple as a large kettle, so not a lot to go wrong. tried it out, it took longer to get steam up, but was a more consistent quantity of steam, 10 minutes and the rib went round the tightest former (transom) a treat. once I have at least one more transom sized rib, i can start installing from the back end.

the big problem is that the steam cleaner doesnt seem to be kicking out as much steam as it used to, it will never last out the remaining ribs I have to steam, time I think to get a better steam source. (wallpaper steamer).

a bit of a bum day today, first the vax steam cleaner I have been using to steam my timbers has tripped the electrics - twice - but only while the cooker is on, then two of the timbers I was bending have cracked and split, mind you I am doing the part with the tightest bends, the ribs next to the transom, maybe I will give it one more shot, but the steam cleaner is definately getting replaced with a wallpaper steamer, as then I wont need to keep my finger on the trigger.

tonights work, no pictures as its more of the same really, just another rib steamed and bent. once I have enough I will start gluing them into position. I have come to a decision to just do enough for the first model, as until they are glued in place the ribs are quite delicate, so storage would be a problem.

thats a folding table stand, we use it with a big brass top as a spare table when we want to sit around in the lounge for games or chinese takeaway (well we have to as I have nicked the kitchen table as my workshop).

Careful, they will insist that your feet be taxed and insured, and have sufficient tread to pass an MOT. On mobility scooters, there is one round our way, driven by a partially sighted (registered blind) woman, that careers down the pavement, if she doesnt swipe your legs with her white stick she flattens you with the scooter, how she expects to stop at the speed she travels in the length of the white stick I dont know, but her progress can be seen as she goes by the pedestrians leaping into the road to get out of the way. If there is going to be building work at Acle I can understand that they may not be able to provide a safe access path to the road from the current moorings, but this should not stop people mooring at that location, as long as they dont expect to disembark and get to the road or the pub, maybe it will be only a short term closure, but could the pub not counter that with a river taxi from the moorings to the pub (or anyone else come to that) surely that would provide a solution to any access problems to the moorings if as I said above the only issue is access to the road from there.

Ah but those figures I have will be split between the two models. so 4 for each, plus the resin 1 man and his dog. here is the wood storer in situ now keeping the wood tidy, I stripped 3 5mm pine boards into 5x2.5 for the ribs.

well an hour is too short to let the wood set after steaming, I steamed a new rib, and the old one was still springing back straight, so I clamped that one on the model, the next one will be given a couple of hours, but I think my previous experience says it needs overnight to dry out properly. off outside to cut some more rib material.

well I just had to go out and increase the crew team, so another quick trip to the range, and we now have 5 new crew members. the first rib has been steamed, I gave this 8 minutes, but was a bit slow forming it round the bends, hopefully better next one. then we have a picture of the timber got this morning - now sorted, and waiting for its staking / sorting system to dry and be ready for use. (the 9 sections of cardboard tube will keep the timber from going everywhere).