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JanetAnne

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Everything posted by JanetAnne

  1. Can I suggest disconnecting the morse cable end from the engine first? That way you can set the engine up as required and then adjust the cable length to suit before refitting. Your be surprised how many engine issues are caused by the bits bolted to them rather than the engines themselves!
  2. This will be my only response. You state that Craig's widow is anxious to see the database up and running again and had communicated this to you? I am not aware that the database isn't running nor am I aware that it hasn't run at any time before or since I took over ownership. Craig was a bloody genius! He built his database over many years using what we'd term a 'hobbyist' platform and, by using a selection of bolt on's, managed to product the site you all use daily. However, that site is now 'clunky' extremely fragile to update using it's existing softwear and, as Craig told me back in probably 2018, he was now spending more time maintaining it than updating it. When I finally took over in 2022 I had it technically evaluated and it became clear that it was not sustainable in its current form. Its softwear is way out of date and no updates are available. Decisions were made to safeguard the current site, protect the data etc etc which allows it to still be accessable to you all. At this stage trying to update it could destabilise the whole thing and so it is my choice that it remains intact and still available as is. I am sorry if that doesn't suit. Our new platform is coming along nicely. I am constantly amazed at what is being put together. We do have an approximate timescale, the site architecture is in place and the 'industrial grade' operating package now being fine tuned. My tecky team are the same team that built and maintain this forum (also voluntarily) and, whilst it's taking time, the end result will, like this forum, be future proof, stable, reliable and, maybe most importantly for you, everyone will be able to submit updates through the database including photographs. I think it'll be worth the wait. Yes, we do have constant updates between our team. Thanks for asking. Mrs Slawson has not asked to be part those updates, in fact I was under the impression that she was moving on so to speak. In time we will be hoping to increase our team with other like minded souls who can rub along well and enjoy building the data back up together. As you can imagine, I have quite a list of people waiting the call. I place my confidence in oldgregg to pull this off. He's far too over qualified to be doing what he does for me and will have given many hundreds of hours by the time this goes live. He also co-opts others for their skills as and when he needs them and if they have a specific expertise he requires. As you can imagine, it can take longer to explain to someone what you want doing than it takes to actually do it yourself so he has free range on this obviously. Dave
  3. Is that the hosting company? I was always told it was down to you
  4. Apologies. Just been back through my communications with Sue and yes, back in March she did indeed forward your details along with the following, Hi Sue, Yes, please, do pass on my details. I'm not surprised about the decision to change some of the software. The world is ever-changing. I've done the same with a number of my sites and am still working through another change of platform for one of the biggest currently. Love the idea of testing things. Generally the more people you have to dream up ways of not doing the expected the better from a testing point of view and I'm willing to take on a bit of moderation (always assuming it's not a bigger task than I imagine). And if it does turn out that I'm not completely out of my depth with underlying code, willing to do what I can with that too, but it sounds as if that side of things might be almost ready. As you can imagine, there have been lots of offers of help many of which were more motivated by what they could make out of the database rather than what they could offer. They are all returned with a polite 'no thank you'. However, the genuine offers, like yours, are kept for when we are ready as you can see above. The database will remain free to use, free of adverts and I have no desire nor intention to generate income from it. You are welcome to my phone number (pm sent) but I am happy to discuss on open forum as it also allows others to contribute which can be really productive. Cheers
  5. And now you have found the first party who was not aware of either yourself or your offers until today! The database is now in my care and has been since I took over probably around the end of last year. The first task was to preserve and protect what I had acquired followed by a thorough examination and assessment. That process highlighted areas in need of immediate attention to keep the current databases running on its existing but now out of date and no longer supported softwear whilst the teckys designed it's replacement. That replacement is now running and being populated with the first wave of data. In the near future you'll all get the chance to test it after which we will continue to build it up in layers. The database holds well over 40.000 boats and attracts tens of thousands of visitors every month. Getting it right takes precedence over timescale and is the number one priority. The challenge has certainly kept us busy.... well, it's kept the clever ones busy, I just offer enthusiasm and pay the hosting fees!
  6. That was always going to happen. They are even starting to be excluded from motor trade policies. I suspect the manufacturers will have to offer the insurance themselves in the future.
  7. Well, if Austin is going to be there, I'd better come as well. I'm his long lost brother Jensen.....
  8. Wallpaper steamer defrosts freezers really well.
  9. Don't you go getting that nice Moonlight Shadow into trouble... four abreast across Breydon
  10. Ali wants to varnish it, keel and all....
  11. Where the keel joins the stem post, in front of the apron, we still have a gap. This gap is filled in with another piece of oak called a 'fore foot'... well thats what we call it here (it seems ). The fore foot is usually a solid single piece and doesnt lend itself particularly to us laminating it so a decent lump of oak is required. Fortunately our supplier had just the thing in stock. It is quite a lump and was badly split and cracked in places, but, in the middle was just what we needed. Here it is on arrival. I put a 12in rule across it so you can see the size First job is to reduce it down to the piece we need. The rest is saved and will be used later, as you will see. Our desired part is placed on our lofting board in position ready for marking. Yes the lofting boards are wet... remember that torrential rain? Anyway, the floor is a lot cleaner now! With the apron in place we add the stem post and can then begin to mark it all out. Here you can see the trial fit of the fore foot as it begins to take shape. Sadly I dont have any piccys of the machining process because it took two of us just to hold the thing in the band saw! Talking of bandsaws, I cant even begin to imagine cutting this out by hand... And here is the finished item in place with its scarph joints cut to match the keel and ready to accept the stem post. Once its all bolted together we will plane in and sand the final profile so she cuts through the water nicely. Before then we have an appointment with a very long oak plank but more of that next time.
  12. On the bench being cleaned up and checked against our hardboard datum. And here it is having its first trial fit
  13. It must be about time I got back on here and bought you all up to date. Its been a busy couple of months both with the build and other factors getting in the way. Boat shows, funerals, holidays, life in general etc have kept me away from the laptop but not too far from the boatshed. Last time we were here we were making the stem post. This is joined to the front of our keel using an 'apron' and a 'fore foot'... well thats what they are called in Robins shed! Something that has come to light, and been quite entertaining, is that we all seem to have different names for the various components that make up a wooden broads cruiser. There is a plank that runs along the top of the keel (I'll introduce you to that later on) called either a keel cap, a keel baton or a hog according to whichever one of us you are talking to! Then there's the shaft log or is it a tube chock? Even google cant decide.. Anyway, the apron. This chunk of wood joins the keel and the stem post together by means of bolts. It offers a huge amount of strength in the nose of the boat so needs to be a decent size. Back in the day, when Vaughan boat pictured above was being constructed, the apron along with similarly sized parts would have involved a visit to Darby's wood yard and the selection of a bough of an oak tree that had grown in a similar shape to what was needed. These days we dont have such luxury and so our apron will be formed and laminated. Taking the information from our lofting boards we are able to construct a former that will give us our desired shape. Then we manufacture seven lengths of oak plank about 2.4m long 175mm wide and just 6mm thick. Once again the West System and Colodial Silica are mixed and our planks are glued (both sides to allow decent soaking in and ensure no voids) and then its a case of simultaneously clamping and bending seven lengths of the most slippery wood imaginable together whilst not gluing yourself to the job... You need a lot of clamps to hold this little lot together! Heres a quick look at the laminations once its all cleaned up
  14. Aunty Pat has asked me to thank those who donated through the funeral directors to Mike's chosen charity. Yesterday a cheque for £120 was sent to The Salvation Army in Mikes memory. We will be scattering Mikes ashes at his chosen spot on Saturday 21st October so raise a glass to him on the day wherever you are.
  15. I am guessing you are referring to the yard on Lake Lothing that is now the 102 trust site rather than the hire fleet base in Commodore Road run by the Stratford's?
  16. And the boat behind you (right hand side) B761, I can see right now! To the left is a Delight (as in a Water Rail) but I can't quite make the number out. B7 something, but most of them were b7 something!
  17. I've been looking for some fun competitions to run at next year's BWBCS....
  18. I believe Bittern is currently in storage.
  19. When was that from? Gotta be a few years ago
  20. How about going back to alternators that are geared properly so they attain maximum charge at 'normal' cruising speeds?
  21. It is with great sadness that I have to pass on the news that Mike finally lost his battle with cancer in the early hours of this morning. Mikes love of the Broads came from over 50 years of boating, both as a hirer and then as an owner with Chameleon. Mike has been one of the this forums greatest friends and will, of course, be known to many of you, especially in the quiz room. I am sure you will all want to join me in sending your condolences to Aunty Pat via this thread at such a sad time. Dave
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