James Owen

Only certain now that Steve Priest has named the painter..? I'm sure you would have come to that conclusion eventually of course....

Darrell Broscomb is based near Oxford and has plenty of experience with Dutch Barges. From memory I think he also lives on one?? www.dbmarinesurvey.co.uk A thoroughly nice chap and knowledgeable too.

Hydra

The works currently being undertaken involve the building of a new road across the adjacent field, there is slow but steady progress being made.

You're absolutely right, I must have imagined what I saw earlier.

There's been a fair drop of rain recently, this has resulted in more trees down over the cut now and further slippage spilling over the towing path and into the water.

There's very little available space along that stretch to stack anything, least of all several tonnes of felled wood. Notwithstanding that many dossy boaters would then help themselves to a few logs, creating significant mess and further damage along the way whilst posing a risk to themselves and the surrounding area......best to take it all away.

From when I owned, albeit briefly, the Scales.

I've worked on and rebuilt a few of these boxes over the years Chris, once you get here (Brinklow) I can take a good look at it and make the necessary adjustments. If you're not confident on making the bottom road trip without first looking at the box I can probably get over to the Cyprus, tail end of next week if that's any help?

It's a fair bit worse now too... There's a further slip where the gabions are which has now blocked the towing path (lucky for the Spudley fellow he wasn't there) although the navigation at that point isn't affected. In itself not the greatest issue but it does highlight the instability of the cutting and the resulting hazards the contractors will likely face while working. I can see the bottom road getting a fair uplift in traffic for the foreseeable unless that's closed as well....

What are you looking for?

If anyone is interested (and I don't mean the usual negative, doom mongers on here that pick fault with everything) there is an opportunity for the right person to acquire the Gort. It hasn't been advertised yet and I by no means claim to have any 'inside knowledge' but I believe the current owner has very recently decided to sell up.

That would make her 69' 9"?

Shorter than the original shortness?

Words fail me 🤣

I think that was probably the intent, but with the canvas going forwards from the conventional cabin shape to the cratch (once built of course) but also providing a section that was watertight and connected to the main conversion?? Maybe, yes...but a 'new build' fully riveted hull, which is correctly proportioned and topped with engine room and back cabin in an 'as built' style with an additional sympathetic conversion..you couldn't commission that level of 'new build' for the same price now? They look like two inch guards to my eyes.

I'm surprised the Hydrus hasn't sold yet, there can't be many boats of that standard available on the market?

Fresh horses!!!

I was once told the easiest way to tell which is which was to look into their eyes... Roger's were ££ signs 😁

That's because you ask the wrong people 😉

A noisy ahead gear will, as Tony says, be failing/worn reduction gears and I can probably hazard a guess as to the reason why. As mentioned, they are straight forward to repair and most parts are either obtainable or makeable. The only part I had to make on the last one I rebuilt was the main shaft itself but that box had really gone awry 😀

It's a Ruston's version of the 3G Blackstone box, dissimilar casting/housing but near identical internals. They're straight forward and easy to work on although the OP doesn't mention what the "problem" is...

Yeah I know but I'm after a genuine marine version 😊

Exactly, I want the AS out of the Anson...

Not a bad experience per se, they used to be rather helpful and keen to go the extra mile. These days they're a bit 'Sleeman and Hawken' -ish...fine if you have a part number.