Boating this weekend?
November 9th 2006 19:04
What boating do you have planned for this weekend? It looks like it could be a cracker. My plans are rather dull probably in comparison to evryone elses but I have to do what must be done. I keep two boats permanently in the water and they need to have their bums rubbed.
Firstly there is my tinnie. It is around 14' long and has a 15 hp motor. I use it a lot to tender my yacht and also as a fishing boat. It also acts as my "Aussie Ute" as I live on the waterfront or on my boatand it gets me to places on the water which is easier than driving the car. I don't have antifoul on this boat so it is not long before the bottom is weedy and covered in shell. This slows the boat down a lot and adds to the fuel bill. I can't just use ordinary antifoul on the bottom as a lot of the paints contain metals that would react with aluminium and ruin the hull. Of course one day I will find the right paint (or be able to afford it) and that will settle that.
Secondly I have my yacht with which I teach sailing. This sits on a mooring and as there is little tide flow in the lake there is no opportunity to have water rushing along the hull to agitate the antifoul to keep it working. This of course can be done by sailing a lot and in the last couple of years I have been out sailing, racing and teaching five days out of seven. Business has however slowed down so much that I am lucky to get out once a week for a race.
The tinnie gets pulled out on to an unsuspecting bank, leaned over and with a scraper and stainless steel wool I go to work. It takes about an hour of hard work to do both sides and than she is fine for another four weeks or so. Of course being a lazy sod I leave it for eight or ten weeks and the job then is harder. I will do this on Saturday morning, possibly near the local boat ramp.
The yacht is to large to haul out without a proper slip way and there was a time I could careen it against a wharf but without the tide in the lake that is not an option. I free dive under the hull and rub it down that way. I just use a pair of goggles and a soft hand broom and if there is any shell a scaper. The yacht has a three good coats of anti foul so I don't anticipate shell but the slime on the hull is the beginning of weed. As winter is over I am again fine for swimming under the hull. The last time it was done was by one of my crew who used scuba and a wetsuit back in late June. He claimed then the water was very cold. This I am leaving for Sunday and I hope it is a bright sunny day. It will not change the water temperature of course but swimming in the sun is a lot more fun.
I hope your weekends are more exciting.
Firstly there is my tinnie. It is around 14' long and has a 15 hp motor. I use it a lot to tender my yacht and also as a fishing boat. It also acts as my "Aussie Ute" as I live on the waterfront or on my boatand it gets me to places on the water which is easier than driving the car. I don't have antifoul on this boat so it is not long before the bottom is weedy and covered in shell. This slows the boat down a lot and adds to the fuel bill. I can't just use ordinary antifoul on the bottom as a lot of the paints contain metals that would react with aluminium and ruin the hull. Of course one day I will find the right paint (or be able to afford it) and that will settle that.
Secondly I have my yacht with which I teach sailing. This sits on a mooring and as there is little tide flow in the lake there is no opportunity to have water rushing along the hull to agitate the antifoul to keep it working. This of course can be done by sailing a lot and in the last couple of years I have been out sailing, racing and teaching five days out of seven. Business has however slowed down so much that I am lucky to get out once a week for a race.
The tinnie gets pulled out on to an unsuspecting bank, leaned over and with a scraper and stainless steel wool I go to work. It takes about an hour of hard work to do both sides and than she is fine for another four weeks or so. Of course being a lazy sod I leave it for eight or ten weeks and the job then is harder. I will do this on Saturday morning, possibly near the local boat ramp.
The yacht is to large to haul out without a proper slip way and there was a time I could careen it against a wharf but without the tide in the lake that is not an option. I free dive under the hull and rub it down that way. I just use a pair of goggles and a soft hand broom and if there is any shell a scaper. The yacht has a three good coats of anti foul so I don't anticipate shell but the slime on the hull is the beginning of weed. As winter is over I am again fine for swimming under the hull. The last time it was done was by one of my crew who used scuba and a wetsuit back in late June. He claimed then the water was very cold. This I am leaving for Sunday and I hope it is a bright sunny day. It will not change the water temperature of course but swimming in the sun is a lot more fun.
I hope your weekends are more exciting.
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Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
I did a lot of harbour photography a few years ago.
I get so excited by those spinnakers and it's quite hard to get a really good shot, but I have more than a few of those.
I'll do some more again one day. It's a lovely activity. My son loves sailing but I think it's a while since he did any.
Good luck with everything you do.
Always happy to help out a new blogger.
katyzzz
Comment by TomN
Boat Heaven
I'd love to see some of those photos one day. I did a lot myself with my last partner but they were left in her computer. My son also did a lot of sailing, up to national level but has given it away for school firstly but now for uni. I did manage to get him to say yes to being my decky for my 60th next week for which I have a charter catamaran.
Cheers
Tomn
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Happy Birthday, good luck for Saturday.
katyzzz
Comment by TomN
Boat Heaven
Cheers
Tom