Different way to Blacken Boat

[cotswoldsman]

I have now moved down to Glasson on the Lancaster Canal (Branch) when in Glasson the next stop is through the sea lock and out onto the Lune and Irish sea. I was talking to a boater who was re painting his boat and he tod me to do the Blacking he had gone out through the Sea Lock and beached his boat when the tide went out and done the blacking thought that was different have heard many different ways but was the first time I had heard of taking boat out and putting it on the beach!!!!

[journeyperson]

How long do you have between tides though, is it long enough for the bitumen to dry?

[cotswoldsman]

How long do you have between tides though, is it long enough for the bitumen to dry?

 

Not sure but think he had taken it up on a very high tide so had a few days before next very high tide. Will ask him when I see him again.

[Tim Doran]

I guess that you would have about 12hr between tides give or take.

 

 

Tim

[Tim Lewis]

I have now moved down to Glasson on the Lancaster Canal (Branch) when in Glasson the next stop is through the sea lock and out onto the Lune and Irish sea. I was talking to a boater who was re painting his boat and he tod me to do the Blacking he had gone out through the Sea Lock and beached his boat when the tide went out and done the blacking thought that was different have heard many different ways but was the first time I had heard of taking boat out and putting it on the beach!!!!

 

You can see similar on the barge stands on the tidal Thames.

 

Tim

[Aunty_Rinum]

Not sure but think he had taken it up on a very high tide so had a few days before next very high tide. Will ask him when I see him again.

If you beached it at the top of high water springs you would have two weeks before it refloated.

[County4x4]

I think the chap in question said that he'd sent off a load of photos of the exercise to one of the waterways magazines, so it may be appearing on a news stand near you soon!

 

Andy

[Tam & Di]

You can see similar on the barge stands on the tidal Thames.

 

Tim

 

 

We used to use the half-tide grid at Strand-on-the-Green on the Thames quite often. You get about 8 hours between tides, which is plenty for black varnish or whatever. We've used various draw docks as well (ramps to allow carts/trucks to go onto the foreshore to transfer cargo from lighters), but you can't clean and paint the bottom then.

 

 

edited to add piccies - and to note that with portable plant you can do welding and similar maintenance jobs too. We did take narrowboats out onto the river, but I've not got photos handy. Our little coaster Swiftwood is on the Putney drawdock, and our 80' barge Friesland on the grid at Kew just before we took it (Friesland - the grid is still where it belongs!) to France/

Edited August 19, 2009 by Tam & Di

[TheWilk]

I know who you mean, I think he was out there for a day.

 

I have now moved down to Glasson on the Lancaster Canal (Branch) when in Glasson the next stop is through the sea lock and out onto the Lune and Irish sea.

 

Does that mean you're going out to sea??!

[cotswoldsman]

I know who you mean, I think he was out there for a day.

 

 

 

Does that mean you're going out to sea??!

 

 

Well did catch the ferry from Knott End to Fleetwood yesterday, and if this winds carries on might well be out there.

[FORTUNATA]

I've noticed some of my blacking is coming off where the waterline meets the hull and a little below. It's like a brown liquid that comes off in the water if you clean the hull with a rag. Under that is shiny steel. I guess the diesel in the water has broken some of the bitumen down but I could use some way of adding a bit of blacking to the sides again, without hauling the boat. It's only been in the water about 10 months.

[WotEver]

I've noticed some of my blacking is coming off where the waterline meets the hull and a little below. It's like a brown liquid that comes off in the water if you clean the hull with a rag. Under that is shiny steel. I guess the diesel in the water has broken some of the bitumen down but I could use some way of adding a bit of blacking to the sides again, without hauling the boat. It's only been in the water about 10 months.

 

I've heard of laying straps under the hull attached to the offside hand rail on the boat, and something secure on the towpath side, and then ratcheting them up tight until the boat has sufficient list to expose the waterline, but I'm not sure how easy that would be to achieve in practice.

 

T

[RLWP]

I've heard of laying straps under the hull attached to the offside hand rail on the boat, and something secure on the towpath side, and then ratcheting them up tight until the boat has sufficient list to expose the waterline, but I'm not sure how easy that would be to achieve in practice.

 

T

 

It's very hard. Or it was when I tried it. I couldn't get a significant amount of list that way to do any good.

 

Richard

[WotEver]

It's very hard. Or it was when I tried it. I couldn't get a significant amount of list that way to do any good.

 

I figured it might be

 

There's a yard not far from me that would quote ever such a reasonable fee to crane a boat out in the morning onto hardstanding and then back in at close of play. He does have to pay his (self-employed) crane operator though, so it won't cost pennies.

[jordy]

We used to use the half-tide grid at Strand-on-the-Green on the Thames quite often. You get about 8 hours between tides, which is plenty for black varnish or whatever. We've used various draw docks as well (ramps to allow carts/trucks to go onto the foreshore to transfer cargo from lighters), but you can't clean and paint the bottom then.

 

 

edited to add piccies - and to note that with portable plant you can do welding and similar maintenance jobs too. We did take narrowboats out onto the river, but I've not got photos handy. Our little coaster Swiftwood is on the Putney drawdock, and our 80' barge Friesland on the grid at Kew just before we took it (Friesland - the grid is still where it belongs!) to France/

 

Did you have to contact The PLA to use the stands... Do they charge a fee??

[blackrose]

We used to use the half-tide grid at Strand-on-the-Green on the Thames quite often. You get about 8 hours between tides, which is plenty for black varnish or whatever. We've used various draw docks as well (ramps to allow carts/trucks to go onto the foreshore to transfer cargo from lighters), but you can't clean and paint the bottom then.

 

note that with portable plant you can do welding and similar maintenance jobs too. We did take narrowboats out onto the river, but I've not got photos handy.

 

Unfortunately current PLA regs which you are now required to sign and return before booking either the Strand on the Green grid or the Isleworth draw dock (not sure about Putney), are fairly restrictive about the type of work which can be carried out there. No generators, no pressure washers, etc, etc. I've been out at both locations and the problem I had was trying to get the hull clean. In my opinion its only really worth it for having a look and painting over any patches - trying to black a whole boat there is impractical.

 

At Strand on the Green in particular, any noisy powertools or steelwork will be responded to with phone calls to the PLA from angry residents.

 

Isleworth Draw Dock (London Apprentice)

 

Strand on the Green Grid (Chiswick)

Edited August 24, 2009 by blackrose

[blackrose]

Did you have to contact The PLA to use the stands... Do they charge a fee??

They're free but you have to contact the PLA who will post you a hard copy of the rules & regs. Once you've signed and returned them you phone one of the PLA launches to see if either are available and to book them.

 

Harbour Service Launch: 07711-640095 or 07711-640128. Bear in mind that they may be on the move when you call and they might ask you to call back later.

Strictly speaking, to use Strand on the Green you'd need VHF radio as its downstream of Brentford.

Edited August 24, 2009 by blackrose

[blackrose]

I've noticed some of my blacking is coming off where the waterline meets the hull and a little below. It's like a brown liquid that comes off in the water if you clean the hull with a rag. Under that is shiny steel. I guess the diesel in the water has broken some of the bitumen down but I could use some way of adding a bit of blacking to the sides again, without hauling the boat. It's only been in the water about 10 months.

Some builders do a crap job of blacking - best to get it out and do it properly soon if you can. My 1 year old blacking (on a new boat) just fell off as soon as the pressure washer hit it!