Broad Ambition - TLC Time Again

[BroadAmbition]

You will have no doubt have seen those LED signs that display your speed on 'A' roads?

There is one up here near to Thorne just before a village 30mph zone. I once accelerated hard towards it on the mighty Tiger to see just what it's top reading was.  It read:-

'Impressive'

Griff

[Guest Jayfire]

Must be nice to know something has finally found you impressive in some way after all your years of trying Charlie 

[CambridgeCabby]

I received a speed awareness course for driving at 25mph in a 20 zone at 03:00hrs , no other cars or pedestrians to be seen , was on a road  which was only made a 20mph zone due to a school being there , 20 years ago it was a 40mph zone , 

[BroadAmbition]

Being ignorant a few years back in my Vivaro work van, I was tootling along the road from Stalham towards Repps.  I was in a sixty zone, doing 56mph.  That cost me £100 and three points 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

These are our onboard 'Sound Sausages'  they fit in the gap between the wheelhouse lower sides and cabin sides when they are lowered.  They stop engine noise coming up and more importantly crew members dropping items down the gap.  They have now been recovered to match the rest of the recently recovered upholstery and will be taken back onboard during my next visit

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

That’s another job ticked off

Griff

[NeilB]

Mmmm, nice cakes!

 

[BroadAmbition]

They were!

And another one ticked off. The original tv pole bracket fitted in 07, the sticky pad residue put up a fight

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

There’s no stopping this Skipper. 
 

At Richo’s basin, pinched one of their rowing dinghys and washed ‘B.A’s waterline. 

That leaves the clock to sort out at some point 

Griff

 

[Lulu]

How is your four footed crew member doing on the boat Griff? 

[CambridgeCabby]

1 hour ago, Lulu said:

How is your four footed crew member doing on the boat Griff? 

She is wonderful , certainly Broad Ambitions new commander 

[BroadAmbition]

An issue came to light, the cranking starter battery was struggling to turn over the Beta and progressively getting worse.

So a quick trip to Boulters for a battery drop test.  Normally I would do this mysen with our own onboard drop tester, however we have lent it out and not got it back yet - Typical. Anyroadup at Boulters the battery passed the drop test - Bugger.

So there is another issue, it least it saved me forking out for a new battery.  The engineer stated it can often be the breaker casing resistance and a high amperage draw.  Well these items are as cheap as chips and available off the shelf.  So I changed it over, we will see in due course if this has done the trick

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

The onboard 'Ships' clock,  I changed the mechanism over, the new hands were tooooo long so I had to cut them down (The originals would not fit the new mechanism).  Also the centre spindle is longer so the protective round glass cover will no longer fit.  It looks terrible too although keeping time once more.

So we bite the damn bullet once more and purchase a new or good second hand quality brass ships clock.  So if anyone has, or knows, or spies a 6" suitable ships clock - I'm your man,

Thanks,

Griff

[Karizma]

23 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

An issue came to light, the cranking starter battery was struggling to turn over the Beta and progressively getting worse.

So a quick trip to Boulters for a battery drop test.  Normally I would do this mysen with our own onboard drop tester, however we have lent it out and not got it back yet - Typical. Anyroadup at Boulters the battery passed the drop test - Bugger.

So there is another issue, it least it saved me forking out for a new battery.  The engineer stated it can often be the breaker casing resistance and a high amperage draw.  Well these items are as cheap as chips and available off the shelf.  So I changed it over, we will see in due course if this has done the trick

Griff

 

good to know ..... thanks for sharing.

[BroadAmbition]

So, as per the norm and failing miserably to source a decent quality 6" ships clock in brass I lost patience wi mysen and have ordered a Weems and Plath 125 endurance clock.  Lifetime guarantee £106:00 inc the p&p and it should be with me tomorrow in time to take down and fit this weekend

Griff

 

 

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Onboard, fixed in place and working just fine.  It also covered up the original screw holes up and it much easier to remove for battery replacing, bonus.  Another item ticked off

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Our secondary cast iron mudweight (18kg) has progressively got itsen in a terrible state.

It is kept in the aft deck locker that isn't watertight from the weather.  It's been living in there since 2007 and hardly sees daylight.

It was proper rusty with no traces of paint left on it, plus the lifting hoop on the top was very rusty and getting very thin and in danger of parting company with itsen too.

I brought it home recently, got a mate to grit blast it, cut off the hoop and weld a new one on (Came off a luggage carrier from a Hardly Dangerous apparently)

I then gave it two coats of G4 - First photo, then two coats of smooth hammerite - Second photo.

It's now looking its best once more and no danger of losing it.

Why yellow? - Cos I had some in t garage to hand

Griff

 

[ranworthbreeze]

29 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

Our secondary cast iron mudweight (18kg) has progressively got itsen in a terrible state.

It is kept in the aft deck locker that isn't watertight from the weather.  It's been living in there since 2007 and hardly sees daylight.

It was proper rusty with no traces of paint left on it, plus the lifting hoop on the top was very rusty and getting very thin and in danger of parting company with itsen too.

I brought it home recently, got a mate to grit blast it, cut off the hoop and weld a new one on (Came off a luggage carrier from a Hardly Dangerous apparently)

I then gave it two coats of G4 - First photo, then two coats of smooth hammerite - Second photo.

It's now looking its best once more and no danger of losing it.

Why yellow? - Cos I had some in t garage to hand

Griff

 

Are sunglass optional 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

28 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

 

I brought it home recently, got a mate to grit blast it, cut off the hoop and weld a new one on (Came off a luggage carrier from a Hardly Dangerous apparently)

 

 

Haha, known in certain parts as Hardly Abletons.

[BroadAmbition]

Are sunglass optional?

Only the underwater versions

 

What with 'B.A's forthcoming workload, I can see me having to do a flying visit down to the wetshed in between her being crewed up to do a minor engine service.  I can't get my breath, I carried out a major engine service in April, since lockdown has eased and her bookings have been taking off, new owner with his novelty factor involved it won't be that long before the next 250 x Hrs have been logged on her engine counter and it's statutory service time again.  The Beta is supposed to be serviced every 250 x Hrs or a year whichever comes first, at this rate she will be needing three services in a six month period - Wow!  That's a first

Griff

[Andrewcook]

Hi Griff when is B A due to be coming out of the Water for her side's to be Cleaned and inspection and re antifouled to be done as to keeping the Beta Engine in First Class  Condition with regular servicing shedual you do Griff. 

[BroadAmbition]

Andrew - I will have commented on this one earlier in the thread but to recap, she should have been out of the water earlier this year for her biannual AMP but Covid put paid to that and I decided not to take her out during this summer season as we have already missed far too much time afloat since March 2020.  The list of maintenance items is currently static and hopefully will remain so until we get her out April of 2022 which is provisionally booked in with a yard and our own diaries

The upgrade list is slowly getting longer having said that there ain't too many items on the list at present, some of these items we can and will attend to whilst she is in service, booking maintenance weekends as and when we have the opportunity to do so

Griff

[Andrewcook]

Hi Griff as to B A is now schedule to be out of the Water in April 2022 mean while you wil now be just concentrate on Engine Maintenance with out any other major upset to B A while out afloat more this year all being well with this lock down now easing continuing.  One interesting note for you Griff have you had an invite for B A to attend the Queen's Special anniversary event in 2022? 

[BroadAmbition]

One interesting note for you Griff have you had an invite for B A to attend the Queen's Special anniversary event in 2022? 

If you are referring to her Platinum Jubilee celebrations - Me personally - No, which is a surprise 

As for 'B.A' - I had a look at this when it was first publicly announced, there are no plans to have another Thames Pageant, which is somewhat of a relief, besides there isn't really enough time left now to plan it even if they had decided to have another one

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

The Fwd smoke / monoxide sensor has failed, new batteries made no difference.

Could I purchase one locally a fortnight ago when onboard?

No chance, plenty of single systems being smoke or carbon monoxide but no dual items available over the counters.  So had to wait until got home then ordered a single unit.  Now fitted.  We have a second one in the aft passageway that is still working fine

Griff