luctor et emergo

Good point, we did not consider hull flexing.

When I was discussing the prospect of buying a boat with a work colleage the other night, we wondered if you could use Hammerite paints on a boat, because it's qualities seem to make it perfect for a damp environment where the the boat is subject to loads of bumps and scrapes. Could you paint the lower hull with Hammerite, instead of blacking it? Hammerite is very impact resistant, and inhibits rust as well. We could only see the cost, and rather long curing time, as a possible set-back. Mind you, neither of us are marine engineers, and this was during the '04.00 cuppa after work', so we may well have been miles off... Thoughts?

Well, it would if you want to cruise the network, as you will be going back the way were you have just been. Technically that may cause you to breach your CC guidelines, as I understand that you are to be on a 'progressive journey, not returning to the same place within a year'.

Devious.... I like...

When I lived in a small village near where the Rhine enters The Netherlands from Germany, we used to joke that if you put a film roll (remember those ) in the river for four minutes, it would be perfectly developed... Although to be fair, the biggest problems were with the river Maas (or Meuse) from French and Belgian industry. The volume and speed of the Rhine allowed it to carry most polutants (from the German Ruhr area) away without to much direct harm.