Water Rail Out And About.

[grendel]

well home again now, a couple  of jobs to get done before my next visit, the drive home was a good one with few delays now i just need to raid the freezer to see what i have as until i go shopping the fridge is bare.

[grendel]

On 18/08/2023 at 11:39, LondonRascal said:

https://amzn.eu/d/5YVRcLN

Thanks for that Robin, by far the best price available with all the necessary accessories - and 2 batteries to boot, mine arrived today, and I was pleased to find how lightweight the unit is, i think it will be invaluable for clearing a little space and tidying up the locale at some of the wild moorings. (as soon as the battery is charged I will be heading to the garden for a quick test run.)

[grendel]

oh wow, at 6000 rpm that blade that looks like a circular saw just whistles through a 1" thick sapling, I also like te description of the 'blackness colour version, where the stainless steel blade is suitable for tougher grass and older people (chops them off at the ankles I guess)

[Smoggy]

You gotta love chinglish descriptions.

[grendel]

The engine compartment air vents sit each side of the cockpit, unfortunately  the wooden mounting plate for one of them had suffered the degradations of time, so the collection of pieces were brought home and glued into a passing semblance of the  original, now I had some measurements I could take. It was clear that the junction between  deck and cabin side was an odd angle. So after having my bandsaw drive belt fail, I did all the work on the table saw, using a forstner bit to cut the interior shape out., then it was a matter of shaping and sanding, followed by a good dose of Danish oil. ( it will be varnished once on the boat.)

[kpnut]

On 21/08/2023 at 16:56, grendel said:

oh wow, at 6000 rpm that blade that looks like a circular saw just whistles through a 1" thick sapling

Hope you’ve got some chainsaw trousers for that beast! 

[Smoggy]

1 minute ago, kpnut said:

Hope you’ve got some chainsaw trousers for that beast! 

I've used a chainsaw many times and found the best h&s clothing to be an old pair of deck shoes shorts and t-shirt,  it keeps the mind focused. 

[kpnut]

9 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

I've used a chainsaw many times and found the best h&s clothing to be an old pair of deck shoes shorts and t-shirt,  it keeps the mind focused. 

Not sure whether to laugh or cry, Smoggy. Gives me the jitters when I see someone using one without protective leggings. 

[YnysMon]

Indeed! When I was in my 20s (long time ago) one of my work colleagues got a call to go to the hospital…her husband had been using a chainsaw that had struck a knot in the wood, had bounced off and cut his neck. Thankfully, he survived. Chainsaws….please take extra care. 

[grendel]

Indeed, but decent footwear is really all that's needed as it's basically a Strummer. A work colleagues  neighbour had a chainsaw accident, while working on a tree right on the property boundary, this guy was a yachtsman and a climber, he tied off the branch he was cutting  to ensure it was controlled,  however when it dropped, it swung down  knocking the ladder out from under him, as he fell the chainsaw took off his ear, and then he impaled his side on the fence. The only chainsaw I have is a mini one on the end of a pole for pruning. 

[kpnut]

7 hours ago, grendel said:

Indeed, but decent footwear is really all that's needed as it's basically a Strummer

Just been told chainsaw trousers wouldn’t be effective anyway as the blade would just cut through rather than getting snarled up. 
 

I admit to keeping a pair of garden shears on board in case a bit of trimming is required. I do like to see where the bank stops and the river starts when I wildmoor. 

[LondonRascal]

I bought and have used this Strimmer, and it's look it worse than it's bite. Does well with Grass and Reeds - this was me working away on the Bure last summer at the mooring I have coined 'Pump House Corner' and somewhere just downstream of Irstead on the Ant.

 

[grendel]

agreed, but all that is needed is a little cleared at the edge of the mooring and a couple of feet wide section to get to the path, where I moored at the end of short dyke, i could only get on and off at the bow - the rest was solid nettles, it was that or moor across the ladder, as it was i had to throw the rope across the wilderness and put my rhond anchors in at the edge of the path.

[Smoggy]

On 28/08/2023 at 23:48, kpnut said:

Not sure whether to laugh or cry, Smoggy. Gives me the jitters when I see someone using one without protective leggings. 

The main thing with chainsaws is knowing where on the bar is the kickback point,  stick to cutting halfway on the bottom will not kick just get bogged down, be very wary cutting with the tip, and work out where the tension is on what you're cutting and often cutting upwards is the way to go.

And always hold with the bar to the right (not easy for left handers) so if it does kick it shoots past your head and scares the crap out of you instead of finding the soft squishy bits you didn't want it to find.

The scenario people forget while worrying about the saw itself is standing on a fallen tree cutting away without thinking of the weight distribution, cut the wrong bits out of turn and they can roll over on you, I know of a well respected tree surgeon who died from the tree he was cutting rolling over him.

[grendel]

 

,Well it's that time again, first trip of the year. A few jobs need doing, a clean out and air of the boat. 

The trip here was horrendous, roadworks all the way up the a11, accidents here and there, then just short of my turning for beccles they had shut and blocked the a11. I headed in the direction the one sign showed, then drove 5 miles without a side turning or another sign, so I turned right where the car in front did, only he pulled up as he was lost too. Eventually by keeping the setting sun on my left I found a road I sort of knew, arriving at beccles after 9pm, a good 5 hours after I set off. Right time to get the kettle on and get a fray bentos pie in the oven, gas on, now where is the matches or lighter, in the drawer - the one that'd stuck fast 10 minutes patient prying with a screwdriver and I was rewarded the lighter was out of gas on fortunately the spark did the trick.

Just waiting for my pie to cook, then it will be bedtime.

[chrisdobson45]

On 28/08/2023 at 23:38, Smoggy said:

I've used a chainsaw many times and found the best h&s clothing to be an old pair of deck shoes shorts and t-shirt,  it keeps the mind focused. 

I worked in the Middle East for most of the 1990's, I still shudder at the thought of the welders wearing "safety" flip-flops. As Smoggy said, it kept the mid focused...

[grendel]

This morning a quick trip to lidls, where I got most of what I had forgotten to  bring, plus a window vac (only £20 - bargain), back to the boat to bring her to sailing readiness. Low tide was something around 9am, so I would be pushing the tide a bit, finally left about 10am, and had a leisurely pootle down to Oulton Broad to discuss future upgrades to water rail, then it was time to carry on, nearly high water now, so not too bad heading downriver. I passed petos Marsh as there was a boat moored there- nearly stopped at Dutch tea Gardens, but decided to carry on, Somerleyton was empty, but I carried on,  finally stopping at herringfleet.  Where I decided it was time to have breakfast, beans on toast.

Next to carry on  with the  cleaning,  I have already used one pack of wipes, everything  had a layer of black, everything  needs cleaning, and there are a couple of leaks to locate.we took a decision to remove the box over the steering  quadrant,  as it frees up deck space,  and needed repairs too.

I have managed to dodge the showers and the sun  is shining. 

[grendel]

Just on 8 foot at Somerleyton bridge  at high tide.

[LizG]

If you remove the box over the steering quadrant you or a crew member will get there ankles clipped very painfully or be sent in the river.   The current model which was more streamlined was fitted around 10/12 years ago replacing quite a large contraption that Herbert Woods carpenters fitted back in the late 1960s!

[LizG]

Found another photo of the previous incarnation 2009
 

[grendel]

The issue we are having is when the rudder was replaced, the nut is higher than the board on top, to remedy this the board would need to slope, directing rainwater right where the water comes in at the back, so Dave has taken the pieces back with him, in case we want to reinstate it at any time, with just me aboard when I am crewing, there's a slim chance of me getting  my leg trapped,  by removing it, we take it back to original.

[LizG]

I'm missing something somewhere? I didn't realise the rudder had been replaced or did I miss that. I know the old one the bearing was loose? But didn't realise there was a new one in place??

[grendel]

The old one was replaced during the haulout last year, it was bent in several directions, both the shaft and rudder so a replacement was made and fitted with nylon bushes to prevent the slop.

[grendel]

I left herringfleet after breakfasting this morning,  with the top up and the side canvases in place due to the persistent drizzle.4 hours later I caught a lucky break between  dragon boat races, and headed to norwich yacht station. I think I may have passed 4 boats out on the rivers. I did pass Chilton lady  moored up at the shops in norwich

[grendel]

I breakfasted at norwich yact club and by 8.30 was catching the last of the tide downstream., the tide turned around Brundall  and I decided somewhere nearer to Reedham was going to be my destination. Its been raining off and on all morning. 

Eventually Hardly Cross was picked as a destination,  just my luck, wind offshore and tipping it down as I came in.

Now time for a public service announcement,  behind the Quay heading at Hardly cross (upstream end) the ground is a sheet of s.ippery mud.

Carefully avoiding the slippery Quay heading I stepped off the boat to the ground behind the Quay heading, which was even slipper, my foot went out from under me, well the water wasn't too cold, and I still had the rope, this got tied off to the chains under the Quay heading, several of these chains are in dire need of repair as about 3 broke when I grabbed them. Next , with the boat secure-ish, I needed to get out of the water, so using the chains I worked  my way down to the ladder and pulled myself out, returning to water rail, who was patiently sitting there just off the Quay heading waiting for me to stop playing silly beggars.

Anyway I got the rope and tied her up, placed my slips, and then it was time to get back aboard, carefully.

Then get out of my wet gear, dry off and get the kettle on, now I just have a bunch of wet clothes ( and a wet fleece) to sort out

So was I wearing a lifejacket- no, but I would recommend  people wearing  them. Would it have made any difference to me, probably not, as I swim like a fish, and probably wouldn't have bother to inflate it if I had been wearing it ( I use a manual inflate lj, so can choose to inflate or not) the ladder gets quite narrow at the top and was a tight squeeze for my bulk, a life jacket may have hindered meat this stage. 

Anyway, those of you who are reading this, take it as a stark warning of what can happen.  If it does happen to you, remain calm, don't panic, sort the boat out and make it safe, then get yourself out of the water. I knew I was going in the second my shore foot slipped, so finding myself in the water was no surprise., everything from that point forward was carefully thought through before I did it.