BroadAmbition

Me too. Robin will be producing an update on the four day Team Indy event to be published tomorrow Griff

Hi Sue - Sorted well done. I can confirm I will be attending the memorial for Pete. Early planning suggests I will arrive at the New Inn Saturday forenoon onboard 'B.A' and leave her there for the duration. Here's wishing you and Pete's family all the best for the Milton Keynes Service / Funeral I look forward to seeing you and Pete's family / friends on 10th March and thanks for the invitation. If you need me to help in any way, just ask. Griff xx

Yes, if I ever find time to get the Stbd side done, not to mention deck light pads and new cant rails Griff

Couldn’t Dan find your glasses? He had departed for London before Robin decided to chuck them overboard, Oh how we larrrrrfed The saving grace is that they weren't a very expensive pair and Robin could still see close up stuff perfectly Griff

Right - Photo's sent via email just now (Larger format). The deck hatches will have new seamless polished stainless steel borders over the joints replacing the current mitred aluminium ones. Also there will be four LED Deck lights on the port and stbd decks, evenly spaced from fwd to aft along the cabin side where it meets the deck with a new cant rail running full length around the cabin sides slightly larger and in between the deck lights. Hope this makes some sort of sense. I believe I have emailed you the latest outstanding times list so you have got a 'Heads Up' There is also new polished s/steel bull nose edgings for the edge of the deck going into the well deck. (The port one is fitted) There are also (In stock) two new flat solar panels to be fitted on the aft coach house roof after removal of the current single one so that will change her appearance too. Griff

well the deck pieces came into work with me, Which I'm reading as 'I could do with those photo's sooner rather than later' Ok - I'm onto it Griff

Crabfats that are office based , that is have no direct working/contact with aircraft apparently don't! Griff

MM - How many nights accommodation do you need? Griff

Probably due to the poor exchange rate of the Euro / Dollar to our wonderful £ Griff

no the other left you fool. You can laugh (And I did too) but that actually happened on Sunday when I asked the foc'sle party to make ready the port head rope, he picked up the Stbd one and I shouted down - 'No, the other Port Brian' but then again he is ex-crabfat so what does one expect? Griff

Ok, I can assist here, I'll look through photo's for you and find something suitable. Btw the exterior decks are not Holly and Teak, it's the interior decks that have that finish. The exterior decks are (Or will be once I complete the Stbd side) Teak with black caulking. Not actual teak of course but a upvc copy called 'Dek King' Griff

Evening All, Team Indy now back to our various hovels, five hour drive again for the Northern contingent. Robin will in due course do his magic with the editing and no doubt produce an updated video when he gets a moment to do so. We certainly got a lot of items done between all of us, did not get every one ticked off but then one never seems to where boats are concerned. The Williams rib / hoist works just fine, that one we did today, along with topping up the fuel tanks to the brim ready for 02nd Feb. Talking of fuel tanks, I discovered and discussed with Robin further options on the tanks / draw and returns. We now know there is in place via the valves and fuel manifold, options to draw fuel from all three tanks independently or simultaneously. I have just about got my head round it, another hour or so in the engine room and we will know all there is to know. That electronic wizardry that control the engines. 'All' the system control is:- Ahead / Neutral / Astern on the gearboxes and the amount of revs on each engine. They do not control start / stop, that is via normal electric push buttons to solenoids / starter motors. It is a fairly straightforward operation to disconnect the electronic boxes then control the engines / gearboxes manually from the engine room, but far from ideal, you would need a relay of crew passing instructions. We are getting more confident with the system but more homework needed, which of course our Robin excels in, so right up his street. I'll do a bit of an update on the sea trial day but really this should be coming from Robin himself Griff

Survey completed as requested Griff

There was no issue whatsoever with any gearbox oil pressure as it turned out, nor any mechanical issues either. It was electrical gremlins in one of the control box issues we ‘think’ bearing in mind these parts of the system have not been used in over a year (hence sea trials). Having trialed the control systems again today from fly bridge and wheelhouse, we are a lot more confident in it’s capabilities Griff

Well yesterday was fun 18 ft swell and 35+ Tks wind once past outer breakwater and the shore lee. She handled it very well and I was super impressed with her sea keeping capabilities of course I won’t ever take her out in those conditions intentionally again but it was ideal for testing her out. Today is rib test and draft along with anodes and below the waterline stuff, top up fuel tanks plus a bunch of other items. We are doing well with the list, better than I expected but then we are doing Long days and all grafting, Team Indy are doing well Griff

The life raft and tender amongst all the other gear including anchor, nav lights, radar, radio, gps, plotter, ropes, fended, engines, generator and a host of other items tooooo long to mention here are all on my jobs list to do. Life raft I will take tomorrow for service, we will check it’s launching system. The rib will be launched and operated, in fact everything we can check will be checked during sea trials on Saturday Griff

All here at Sutton Marina by 1400 Team Indy, ready to commence Griff

Doing well at start of M42. Stopped for breakfast Griff

Apparently she's called 'Gale' I knew a 'Gail' back in the day, right stunner she was too Griff

Just seen on this morning TV BBC wx forecast they say gusts in Norfolk could hit 80 mph - That's serious, structural damage and the like. Time to put in every reef possible, the rag-n-Sticks might have to use storm sails! Thank goodness 'B.A' is tucked up in the shed, mind you at 80mph that's no guarantee she'll be safe Griff

Not too bad up here now the wind seems to have dissipated the west is forecast to be wet and windy but not gale force during the day. Griff

Last sleep and all systems are a go from the northern contingent or 'The A Team' that's me Wizard and Brian - all regular Lads Week crew members and members of 'B.A's restoration team. Van is ready in all respects with numerous items onboard marked for Independence - I've lately got on first names terms with many delivery drivers! Selection of my tools too. By the time I have collected Wizard, his tools and Brian, I reckon we should be on the M18 no later than 0900-ish 299 miles door to marina, Plymouth here we come. Looking forward to seeing the Plymouth and London contingents. Griff

Better you being left to read messages, not them reading about you! Griff

Anyroadup, enough of all this hilarity and nonsense, I'm off out to re-grout a bathroom floor, noisy / dusty job at the best of times. Yesterday it was fixing a black sparkly resin upstand in a kitchen then black grout (I hate working with black grout - Pet hate) , prior to that I somehow got roped into re-finishing timber kitchen worktops and a dining room table - That one was daughters fault, telling her mates how good hers had come up. Looking forward to the 299 mile drive down to Plymouth in t morning Griff

I'm looking forward to hearing about the sea trials Me too, now starting to keep an eye on the marine wx forecast for Saturday. Ideally wind speed no more than 30kts with a max of a 2m swell, Independence is capable of handling larger seas and stronger winds but I don't want to push it or have it too uncomfortable for the crew Griff