what a lovely time we are having.

[cuthound]

1 minute ago, Athy said:

Likewise - we're planning our first visit to Trojan since November, as we're eager to mingle with the Bank Holiday traffic on the roads and on the canal.. Goodness knows how many layers of muck we'll have to wash off. Then the Brasso will come out...

But Mr. Hound, your boat is moored ten yards from your door if I recall. What's your excuse for waiting until now?

No excuse, except it only the roof that goes slightly green over winter. A combination of the boat mainly being in the shadow of the house and my laziness 

If I do it about this time of year then I can pretty much guarantee enough sun over spring & summer to keep the green away. If I do it earlier, it might need doing twice.

[Athy]

1 minute ago, cuthound said:

No excuse, except it only the roof that goes slightly green over winter. A combination of the boat mainly being in the shadow of the house and my laziness 

If I do it about this time of year then I can pretty much guarantee enough sun over spring & summer to keep the green away. If I do it earlier, it might need doing twice.

You are acquitted without a stain on your character (or, one hopes, on your roof).

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

And both my Smartgauges read 100%. YIPPEE again!!

But are they telling the truth? 

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

But are they telling the truth? 

Is there an echo in here? 

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, rusty69 said:

Is there an echo in here? 

That is because I answer posts as I get to them, not after wading through a couple of pages of posts and then going back to find it, but I don't care because I am a hobby boater and I am sitting on my boat after a good days cruising with a glass of red and reply to this.

[X Alan W]

8 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

 

Oh and its always either too hot or too cold to ever wash a boat.

Or to wet ,to dry ,or there is an "R"in the month

[mrsmelly]

56 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But are they telling the truth? 

Dont start him off!! 

[matty40s]

Still a bit chilly in these parts...

 

 

Edited April 11, 2017 by matty40s

[Sea Dog]

I'm another one having a lovely time. The boat is still wearing her winter muck covering and I really ought to rinse her off and I've a few odd little jobs to do too, but nothing that'll stop us sailing when our daughter joins us for a few days on Thursday. Added bonus is the TV reception is too poor to bother with, so I'm having to put my feet up and listen to music. 'Course, it is much easier to have a good time when you really do have bugger all to whinge about!

[Horace42]

11 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Absolutely correct. I find its usualy hobby boaters that moan cos they boat when they should be tied up. Oh and its always either too hot or too cold to ever wash a boat.

.....and for me.....even when the weather is perfect.

[Drayke]

No complaints here, boating is lovely, but someone tell me what washing a boat down is and, what is Brasso , some kind or new drink maybe?

[mrsmelly]

13 minutes ago, F DRAYKE said:

No complaints here, boating is lovely, but someone tell me what washing a boat down is and, what is Brasso , some kind or new drink maybe?

Some people live in areas that never rain so apparently they take a bucket? full of water and wash their boat, some even POLISH them afterwards  you may have seen these kind of people because I have when I have passed them in their driveways with buckets of water washing their cars as I drive to the good old car wash were some big brush jobbies do it for me. Brasso is a substance rubbed onto Brass to turn it from its natural colour into a false shiney, sickly look a sort of similarity to spray tanning.

[Drayke]

8 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Some people live in areas that never rain so apparently they take a bucket? full of water and wash their boat, some even POLISH them afterwards  you may have seen these kind of people because I have when I have passed them in their driveways with buckets of water washing their cars as I drive to the good old car wash were some big brush jobbies do it for me. Brasso is a substance rubbed onto Brass to turn it from its natural colour into a false shiney, sickly look a sort of similarity to spray tanning.

Does that not make the sun reflect in ones eyes.

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, F DRAYKE said:

Does that not make the sun reflect in ones eyes.

Yes I believe it does and I doubt it is good for the brass as its not its natural colour and must remove some of it when its rubbed. 

[Drayke]

Maybe they rub it hoping that a genie will appear and grant them a wish.

[MtB]

On 11/04/2017 at 21:34, mrsmelly said:

Yes I believe it does and I doubt it is good for the brass as its not its natural colour and must remove some of it when its rubbed. 

 

My old boater mate once told me never to polish the brass as "it takes all the history off".

He is so right about so many things...
 

[Athy]

9 hours ago, F DRAYKE said:

Maybe they rub it hoping that a genie will appear and grant them a wish.

Yep, I wish it would stay shiny for a bit longer.

[Momac]

The chief officer and I very much enjoyed last weekend on the R. Trent  in glorious sunshine . Not too many boats about on Saturday but there was a  Sunday afternoon rush to get back to Farndon.

Hazelford Lock seems slow to empty so there may be some fault with one of the sluices.  But we  were not in a hurry.

There are only a very few hire boats in our neck of the woods .  Unfortunately the little day hire boat at Fiskerton seems to attract groups of male idiots who are probably fuelled on beer  . The hire boats at Gunthorpe aren't really any nuisance.

[Naughty Cal]

14 minutes ago, MartynG said:

The chief officer and I very much enjoyed last weekend on the R. Trent  in glorious sunshine . Not too many boats about on Saturday but there was a  Sunday afternoon rush to get back to Farndon.

Hazelford Lock seems slow to empty so there may be some fault with one of the sluices.  But we  were not in a hurry.

There are only a very few hire boats in our neck of the woods .  Unfortunately the little day hire boat at Fiskerton seems to attract groups of male idiots who are probably fuelled on beer  . The hire boats at Gunthorpe aren't really any nuisance.

No its just the big Brooms up that way who are a real nuisance instead 

[cheshire~rose]

I am looking forward to enjoying boating this weekend - spoken as a hobby boater looking forward to untying the ropes and taking a gentle trip up the prettiest canal in the country. The bluebells are on their way, the wood anenomes are in competition with the wild garlic, the kingfishers are showing beautifully and there is blossom on all the trees. Laura's Cafe at Shireoaks will have a piece of Bakewell tart with my name on it and I am hoping Diane's ice cream shop might be open at Turnerwood.

Yes boating is all about enjoyng the scenery and relaxing if you can - but I am worrying about whether I have enough crew to move the other old boat, Python, a couple of days up the cut and whether everything that needs to be done will be done in time for her to get a BSS next week (gas safe chappie arriving Thursday, sparkies arriving Friday) and how we are going to get another 25 man days of crewing from volunteers in the next 4 weeks so that she can accompany Dawn Rose (The Cuckoo Boat) as welfare boat and then it's up the tidal bit to get a quick hull inspection done (nothing concerning - it's just been 2 years since she was rebottomed and the surveyor requested it was inspected because the bedding in process could cause an odd rivet to pop here or there) and the fire extinguishers need to be taken elswhere on the agreed date for service and do we have anyone who can make the cushions for the bench seat for us and has the guy who promised to get us the paint for the cabin come up trumps and we really need to buy some new ropes and ......and .........and .........

Oh yeah..... I must reamember boating is so relaxing

[Athy]

4 minutes ago, cheshire~rose said:

, the wood anenomes

Sweet little chaps, with their cute pointed hats...

Greeno for your post - and I hope that your subtle appeal for volunteers and donations does not fall on deaf eyes.

[mrsmelly]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

Yep, I wish it would stay shiny for a bit longer.

But its not supposed to be shiney, shiney is its unatural state. A bit like milk with " Full milk " written on the bottle!! There is no such thing, there is only milk as nature intended and processed watered down crap going by other names.

[bizzard]

Its probably wise not to polish boats especially flat surfaces like the roof and mainly reds. An old friend of mine who was a vehicle paint sprayer and became an investigator-trouble shooter for a very large vehicle paint company who went around garages and paint shops diagnosing painting troubles, discovered that mainly after wax polishing and it rains, globules of rain sit on the surface for ages before drying up and contract into little domes, these domes are lenses and will magnify the sun burning through the wax and can burn spots all over the paint surface. These spots are usually pale to white coloured and can't be removed.   Just like a boy scout starting a camp fire with a magnifying glass.

Edited April 12, 2017 by bizzard

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, bizzard said:

Its probably wise not to polish boats especially flat surfaces like the roof and mainly reds. An old friend of mine who was a vehicle paint sprayer and became an investigator-trouble shooter for a very large vehicle paint company who went around garages and paint shops diagnosing painting troubles, discovered that mainly after wax polishing and it rains, globules of rain sit on the surface for ages before drying up and contract into little domes, these domes are lenses and will magnify the sun burning through the wax and can burn spots all over the paint surface. These spots are usually pale to white coloured and can't be removed.   Just like a boy scout starting a camp fire with a magnifying glass.

Best not to paint and then polish a wooden boat then 

[MtB]

3 hours ago, bizzard said:

Its probably wise not to polish boats <snip>

It's not wise to have a boat in the first place. That's where the trouble stems from...