dave moore

I completely agree with the advice given above but if you are determined to push ahead then Terebine Driers, available from decorators’ merchants may help to shorten the drying time.

I used to fill the injector pump on our J3 with engine oil, a dipstick helped to ascertain the correct level.

I suggest that you approach Wrights of Lymm. I’d get 2 brushes, a size 5 and a 3. Their 1315 series is a long sable chisel, their 1310 series is a slightly shorter version. I prefer the longer version but that’s just me!

If you’ve an idea of the size of letters you want to paint, I can suggest appropriate brush sizes.

I’ve spent much of my life around letters as a signwriter. Casual, brush scripts look deceptively simple but require dextrous brush manipulation to execute properly. Formal letters are easier for beginners. I favour long haired chisel ended sable brushes, available from specialist suppliers such as Wrights or Handover or Craftmaster. They are not cheap, neither is the synthetic enamel paint used. I admire the willingness to practise but it’s a long road to a decent casual script. Many years ago I taught signwriting at a local college, many of the students were anxious to try these fonts, quickly discovering their difficulty. Good luck, happy to advise further. Dave

I saw this in the back cabin of an Allen boat a few weeks ago. In that case, flatting, re-undercoating and graining is the only solution. I suspect damp is responsible, I know that the boat was left for long periods closed up. I would have thought that good, oil based varnish would have kept moisture out, unless it was already present in the undercoat, somehow. Sorry I can’t offer anything more helpful. Dave

Just a thought, too…..external scumble requires several coats of varnish once dry and it doesn’t hurt to add additional coats every 12 to 18 months or so. Also, touch in any scratches promptly, especially around the gunwale area where feet move. I’ve seen many cases of flaking and peeling varnish where this has been allowed to happen!

Depends what you mean. I carried 2, an 8’ long ash cabin shaft fitted with a boat hook and a 16’ long shaft with no hook, again ash, both used to help manouvering, mooring etc. Most Chandlers will stock the shorter, Brinklow Boat Services usually have the longer option.

Do you mean the box mast found on working boats? I’m not sure what a mast head, on its own, is. And yes, I’m normally in a situation where I can do a bit somewhere then move on to something else.

I used to paint diamonds freehand using the lightest colour, usually white or cream as the base all over colour then adding colours in descending depth. Yellow next, then red and finally blue or green. Any slight gaps are covered with a thin black line that picks them all out. These days I usually use low tack signwriting tape, one colour at a time, then adding a black outline if required. I try to proportion each diamond where the width is half of the length. That’s fine on cabin top diamonds, any part ones finishing by the slide where they won’t be noticed, on other areas such as bow flashes, that may require some adaptation. In the main…” If it looks right, it is right “

A friend of mine lives in the village. As of last week, the Fly was closed, the Bridge open but not doing food and the Combermere just changing hands. Best I can do, I’m afraid. Dave

I used something similar to extract oil from the sump of our Kelvin engine. It beat dipping an old can in to get the stuff out. Never got round to fitting a proper pump!

On a lighter note, I’d like to point out that all of the hand painted country signs carried by the various teams were the work of fellow signwriter and boat decorator Meg Gregory, painted locally at her base near Wolverhampton. Many were in appropriate canal style. I hope she’s proud of her efforts….

Potter’s cabin, duck/ swan hatch….what about the coot flaps???😉

As a local, I disagree with comments about the Vine at Kinver. It’s now under new management, they have worked hard to turn things around. Yes, the Cross is well worth a visit and Hartlands butchers and the bakery, both on the High Street, are worth patronising. Further on, the Anchor at Caunsall is excellent for decent beer and wonderful cobs. The whole stretch from Stewponey down is delightful.