Still breaking the ice after all these years

[mykaskin]

Well, the heroic effects of Tom Kitchen to reach the Folk Awards by boat didn't seem to sway the judges, but at least it produced a great video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxwCucEC_A

 

Many fibreglass boats were passed without sinking, and the only obvious damage to Spey was the tar being pulled off the ice plates. Tom's nerves however are still recovering I think.

 

Enjoy,

 

Mike

[Chris Pink]

I wouldn't do that.....

 

 

....without lighting the back cabin stove.

[alan_fincher]

OK, Mike - I'll freely admit to knowing little of Bolinders.

 

But it looks like that one can't be reversed without a dive into the engine room ? (Or that's what he seems to need to do, to make one of the turns).

 

What's that all about ? I know it's a black art, but I thought one usually practised from the steering position ?

[BenC]

What a great clip. Just want to leave work and go and play on my boats in the ice now!

[luctor et emergo]

A novel, if somewhat cumbersome, way to select reverse though..

[allybsc]

Well, the heroic effects of Tom Kitchen to reach the Folk Awards by boat didn't seem to sway the judges, but at least it produced a great video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxwCucEC_A

 

Many fibreglass boats were passed without sinking, and the only obvious damage to Spey was the tar being pulled off the ice plates. Tom's nerves however are still recovering I think.

 

Enjoy,

 

Mike

Thank you for sharing this, it made my morning!

[richardf]

Awesome video. We spent a few days with the crew from Spey at the Droitwich reopening. They have recently renewed pretty much the whole front half of the boat and are training their children (aka The Tar Babies!) how to repair wooden boats. A great bunch of people.

[mykaskin]

OK, Mike - I'll freely admit to knowing little of Bolinders.

 

But it looks like that one can't be reversed without a dive into the engine room ? (Or that's what he seems to need to do, to make one of the turns).

 

What's that all about ? I know it's a black art, but I thought one usually practised from the steering position ?

 

I'm guessing the reversing rod is bust - so into the engine room it is!

 

Mike

[alan_fincher]

I'm guessing the reversing rod is bust - so into the engine room it is!

And there's me thinking it is bad enough to have to dive in there only when the engine has just died on me, (or indeed I need to turn the tunnel light on).

 

Don't think I'd fancy a trip along the gunwales each time I needed "reverse" for a bit s well!

[Naughty Cal]

Great video. It is interesting to see how different boats go about breaking the ice.

[Guest]

What a great video - cheers.

[tug-major]

nice to some one eles playing on the ice top video

[a.p.now]

such a lovely boat

[journeyperson]

I wonder if it ever freezes solid in the aqueduct tank? The weather can get all around it.

[mykaskin]

I wonder if it ever freezes solid in the aqueduct tank? The weather can get all around it.

 

I wondered also if it would be worse, but it was thinner than most of the ice around it for some reason. Perhaps also the opposite is also true and the sun (when it does shine) gives the water much more heat than when it's in the ground.

 

Mike

[Derek R.]

Pure speculation as I do not know for certain, but in the event of ice forming thick enough I would think the tank would be drained so as to prevent it becoming a solid block, and causing possible damage to steelwork in the process.

 

Any over bridge road surface will ice up quicker due to the wind reducing temperature all round the structure. Similarly gateways and hedge breaks along a road will allow wind chill factor to form ice sooner and thicker in the immediate vicinity.

[Laurence Hogg]

Pure speculation as I do not know for certain, but in the event of ice forming thick enough I would think the tank would be drained so as to prevent it becoming a solid block, and causing possible damage to steelwork in the process.

 

Any over bridge road surface will ice up quicker due to the wind reducing temperature all round the structure. Similarly gateways and hedge breaks along a road will allow wind chill factor to form ice sooner and thicker in the immediate vicinity.

I believe the tank is "converted" inside, however you should not rock a wooden boat, the iceplating if done properly down the sides is a thin line of plate inline with the unloaded waterline, what they are doing exposes the upper and lowere unprotected timber.

[billh]

I believe the tank is "converted" inside, however you should not rock a wooden boat, the iceplating if done properly down the sides is a thin line of plate inline with the unloaded waterline, what they are doing exposes the upper and lowere unprotected timber.

 

Laurence, I think you are talking about Spey's tanks and Derek is talking about Barton Tank.......

Are you saying that you shouldn't go ice breaking with a loaded or partially loaded wooden boat because the "done properly" ice plating isn't in the right place ?

At the other extreme is Scotia, ice plating 4planks up , or Joel, plating full length and 3 planks up.

Bill

[J R ALSOP]

Fantastic pictures Mike, takes me back to boating in the ice in 1962 there.

[nigel carton]

enjoyed that!

[Richard T]

Just been listening to the Folk Awards on I-player - the sound of a bolinder makes a pleasant accompaniment to the music!!! What great way to get to the ceremony. Pleased to hear where some of the awards went - like Tim Edey and June Tabor. Didn't listen live as we were at Symphony Hall Birmingham for Transatlantic Sessions Live - that was some evening.

[tree]

Well, the heroic effects of Tom Kitchen to reach the Folk Awards by boat didn't seem to sway the judges, but at least it produced a great video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxwCucEC_A

 

Many fibreglass boats were passed without sinking, and the only obvious damage to Spey was the tar being pulled off the ice plates. Tom's nerves however are still recovering I think.

 

Enjoy,

 

Mike

Thank you for sharing, I really enjoyed watching it,cor blimey lol, it sure looked like a lot of fun

[Guest]

Superb boat,superb vid. Thanks for taking the trouble to post

[carlt]

If anyone is in touch with the Spey owners could you ask them if they would like the load balancing sluice thingy that goes in the midway stank boards, off Usk?

 

It's a nice bit of iron work and would be far better off in their hands than sat in my garage doing nothing.

 

I tried to get a message to them through the President bods, at the TTBR a couple of years ago but received no reply.

[richardf]

If anyone is in touch with the Spey owners could you ask them if they would like the load balancing sluice thingy that goes in the midway stank boards, off Usk?

 

It's a nice bit of iron work and would be far better off in their hands than sat in my garage doing nothing.

 

I tried to get a message to them through the President bods, at the TTBR a couple of years ago but received no reply.

 

I am in touch with one of them and I've forwarded your offer