Wooden Motor 'IAN'

[David Schweizer]

Well I got that one wrong then.

 

I could have sworn they are in glasses, and I've not seen pictures of Laura with them.

 

Thanks for putting me straight, even if it means I'm going to take some flak from one of the other posters.

 

(But then he said your dad never steered - so he can't have too much of a go at me, can he ? )

 

Our friend Phil who took the picture, (still a great supporter of the canals), will be really fascinated to here that someone he pictured has commented on it 40 years later, I'm sure of that!

 

No flak, despite the derogatory comment!

Edited September 6, 2009 by David Schweizer

[David Schweizer]

I have found Rose Whitlock's biography, and my recollection of her statement that Bill was not permitted to steer is almost correct.

 

Rose's account states that Bill was initially taken off steering and put onto full time lock wheeling in 1953, when they joined Laura Carter on her two boats Ian and Iona. After much complainng he was again permitted to steer but managed to jam the two loaded boats in Buckby second lock for two hours. After this incident he was placed on permanent Lock wheeling, and I quote from Rose's biography "From then on he was only occassionally allowed to take the helm of the butty and this only in the lock free long pounds"

 

I realise that this statement from Rose does not comply with Michael's recollection, and am more than happy to accept that Rose's account may not be completely accurate, but it is what she said, and that is how I reported it. I meant no offence to the family and apologise if my earlier comments caused any offence. I am sure that Micahael's sister Joan (who I meet up with most years at every Braunston Historic boat show) would confirm that I always had, and still have, the highest respect for all the Blue Line crews, who we got to know so well on their weekly runs through Uxbridge in the 1960's.

Edited September 7, 2009 by David Schweizer

[Kez]

Bit belated...

 

Ian is in deceptive condition; while she looks okay, she need a total rebuild. Rough estimate: £150,000. She used to be in Crick, and sank 3 times because the bilge pump failed. I raised the alarm on two of her duckings.

Apopros of nothing, I'm saving up and learning how to rebuild/look after wooden boats. Ian will be mine

[Mike Nicoll]

Bit belated...

 

Ian is in deceptive condition; while she looks okay, she need a total rebuild. Rough estimate: £150,000. She used to be in Crick, and sank 3 times because the bilge pump failed. I raised the alarm on two of her duckings.

Apopros of nothing, I'm saving up and learning how to rebuild/look after wooden boats. Ian will be mine

since IAN went on the market i have had to put ARCTURUS & SIRIUS up for sale due to ARCTURUS needing new bottoms, ive been quoted £25,000 not the sort of money that i have at hand.

SIRIUS has been rebottomed. the boats are in good shape & i think the price of £30,000 for the pair

is fair.

[Timleech]

since IAN went on the market i have had to put ARCTURUS & SIRIUS up for sale due to ARCTURUS needing new bottoms, ive been quoted £25,000 not the sort of money that i have at hand.

 

That sounds like a 'premium' quote to me

 

Tim

[Mike Nicoll]

That sounds like a 'premium' quote to me

 

Tim

depends how you look at it! the engine a lister HA2 the fact that both boats have had a lot of work done on them. so if you add the cost of the rebottoming to my price you then have two very good

and historic boats for £55,000

[Chris Pink]

depends how you look at it! the engine a lister HA2 the fact that both boats have had a lot of work done on them. so if you add the cost of the rebottoming to my price you then have two very good

and historic boats for £55,000

 

I think Tim means that £25,000 is a lot for a set of bottoms, although in many cases you're talking chine planks too.

[Mike Nicoll]

I think Tim means that £25,000 is a lot for a set of bottoms, although in many cases you're talking chine planks too.

yes the price i was quoted did include the chine planks

[Timleech]

I think Tim means that £25,000 is a lot for a set of bottoms, although in many cases you're talking chine planks too.

 

I was, but I am well aware that 'new bottoms' a) won't be cheap (not priced it up recently) and b ) can lead to other work almost certainly including new keelson, we don't know what was included in the quote.

 

Tim

 

yes the price i was quoted did include the chine planks

 

OK, then you're into shearing etc as well, it soon adds up!

 

Tim

Edited November 10, 2009 by Timleech

[carlt]

I think, considering the significance of Arcturus and Sirius, £30k is more than reasonable and it must be heart rending to have to part with your boats, especially considering the family history, on top of their heritage importance.

[Kez]

I think, considering the significance of Arcturus and Sirius, £30k is more than reasonable and it must be heart rending to have to part with your boats, especially considering the family history, on top of their heritage importance.

 

£30k for a pair is a fair price, depending on the condition of Sirius. I'll still go after Ian though, I've had my eye on her since she first came into Crick.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Kez

[Mike Nicoll]

I think, considering the significance of Arcturus and Sirius, £30k is more than reasonable and it must be heart rending to have to part with your boats, especially considering the family history, on top of their heritage importance.

yes it is very sad that i have to sell them, but iam trying to be realistic, i have not got the money needed for the work that has to be done. so for the boats someone that has will be able to keep them going.

the quote was for every thing involved in the rebottoming which also included new kelson.

SIRIUS has had complete rebottoming rebuilt sturn end.

[antarmike]

I have one over-riding memory of Ian. Way back about 1978-79, Ray and Gill had gone to France for a fortnight, (or Holland)

 

I was left to baby sit their pair. Ray told me there is a "roses" chocolate tin full of caulking under the counter, if anything starts leaking, use that.

 

I was tied with Bilster, and Ian with its butty below Croxley.

 

Feeling bored I decided to take the heads of my Petter PD2 to replace the oils seals on the push rod tubes.

 

Working liesurely over several days, I didnt think a lot about Ian, but one day, it was sitting very low. I unlocked the engine room, to start her engine to pump out the water, but found the exposed flywheel, sitting several inches in rising water. This was the good old days, when Oil in the bilges was common. I decided against starting the engine not wanting to sling oil/ water mix all over the engine room.

 

A hurried rebuild of my enine was called for, so the heads went back on, strips of solder on the pistons. The engine was turned over a few times to squash the solder to work out the bumbing clearance at TDC, and what shimming was needed under the cylinders.

 

It took about three hours to do this and Ian was noticably lower in the water. I pumped her out, using the Jabsco, on the Petter. And looking round the boat found a leak on the sternpost to swim planking joint.

 

Ian was "docked" on the Cill at Croxley, so I could investigate the leak from outside. A fairish size screwdriver entered the hole with no resistance, and wiggled around freely.

 

It didn't take long to knock in all the Caulking Ray had left me, and the hole seemed no smaller, so plan B was called for.

 

I tarred the back of the lid from the roses tin, and tacked it over the hole, half on the stern post, half on the planking.

 

I re-floated Ian and the leak had stopped.

 

When Ray and Gill returned from Europe I told them how big the hole was and how I had effected a purely temporary repair, with a RToses tin and tacks. Ian just said "Oh Okay, I'll have a look sometime. Thanks." in his normal relaxed (think Dillon, magic roundabout) state.

 

As far as I knew he never touched what I had done!

Edited February 2, 2010 by antarmike

[carlt]

I told them how big the hole was and how I had effected a purely temporary repair.

Temporary repair?

 

Having seen holes plugged with tampons, t-shirts, a crystal wrapped in a handkerchief (still in place after 12 years, I believe) and a nappy I think tinplate and oakum sounds pretty permanent, to me.

 

Only the nappy was me, by the way and it was only used, as a bung, while I mixed up some charlie and cut the tinplate.

[Paul H]

I have one over-riding memory of Ian. Way back about 1978-79, Ray and Gill had gone to France for a fortnight, (or Holland)

 

Although Ray and Gill had Lucy, they never IIRC owned Ian, I think you're thinking of Aster another lovely wooden motor now much rebuilt.

 

My abiding memory of Lucy is sitting in the back cabin with Ray surrounded by lace and brass listening to Hawkwind blasting out of scumbled speakers. Very surreal.

 

Paul H

.

[Neil@CanalVoyagers]

Having seen holes plugged with tampons, t-shirts, a crystal wrapped in a handkerchief (still in place after 12 years, I believe) and a nappy I think tinplate and oakum sounds pretty permanent, to me.

 

I'd heard porridge used to work quite well - is this true or is someone having me on?

[carlt]

I'd heard porridge used to work quite well - is this true or is someone having me on?

I suspect they were having you on though I can see racking with porridge oats (raw) may well block a hole in the very short term.

[antarmike]

Although Ray and Gill had Lucy, they never IIRC owned Ian, I think you're thinking of Aster another lovely wooden motor now much rebuilt.

 

My abiding memory of Lucy is sitting in the back cabin with Ray surrounded by lace and brass listening to Hawkwind blasting out of scumbled speakers. Very surreal.

 

Paul H

.

My memory, Yes would be Aster, where did that one come from, 40 years is a long time....

[Laurence Hogg]

My memory, Yes would be Aster, where did that one come from, 40 years is a long time....

Fellows Morton and Clayton, Uxbridge dock 1932.

[Timleech]

I suspect they were having you on though I can see racking with porridge oats (raw) may well block a hole in the very short term.

 

Probably suggested by someone who doesn't like porridge.

 

Aerosol builders foam can be very good, but don't try it for breakfast.

 

Tim

Edited February 2, 2010 by Timleech