Friday 2 August 2013

More Work to be Done - and a bloggers meeting

Arriving at Uplands Basin I found that the 2-pack epoxy had been applied - and looked very smart - but only up to the top rubbing strake, leaving about eighteen inches of the old backing exposed. Whenever I've had Starcross blacked before it's always been done up to just below the gunwales and I was rather expecting this to have happened again. Of course, by now she was off the slipway and back in the water and Dave's view was clearly that this was a little job I could do myself!
Boat-owners seem to treat this area differently: some continue the cabin-side paint scheme down to the top strake, others have it "blacked".  Given that it was blacked before and blacking is easier to touch-up that paintwork I think I'll go for blacking - and just hope it doesn't look too different from the 2-pack below it.
More seriously, the gunwales need attention. The non-slip coating has cracked in places and is peeling off and there is some corrosion where the cabin sides meet the gunwales. This is going to need doing soon, with the coating being scraped-off and re-applied and some rust-converter applied in places to the cabin. Again, something that Uplands Marina is apparently not interested in doing.

I next spent a happy hour or two mopping rainwater from the bilges. There's usually a little down there and it had rained a lot the last time I was out back in June, but it looks to me as if someone at Uplands hasn't been too careful about keeping doors and hatches closed whilst she's been up on the slipway.

After discovering all this I decided to take Starcross out for a trip down to Rudheath and back to "charge the batteries" (both the boat's and mine).  Approaching Broken Cross I was hailed by a cyclist on the towpath, who introduced himself as "Barry from Northern Pride". Actually, Northern Pride was his previous boat. He and Sandra are now aboard "AreandAre" and if you're not sure how to pronounce that just follow this link to their blog.
 
. We had a long chat on the towpath and agreed that next time we met it should be over a pint or two.  Barry set off back to his boat, which I'd passed at Wincham Wharf without noticing, whilst I went down to Rudheath to wind, saying that I'd probably see them on the way back, which I did, being able to get this photo and also saying hello to Sandra.
Barry and Sandra,Northern Pride AreandAre


As you can learn from their blog, Barry and Sandra have a few issues to contend with before they can continue to follow their chosen way of life and I hope they get these sorted out over the next few months so we can meet up again for that drink.

 

3 comments:

Barry and Sandra said...

Great to see you JIm - sorry it was so rushed and we didn't have chance to get Barry's camera out!
Thanks for the good luck wishes and hope to chat properly in the future.
Sandra (& Barry)

Anonymous said...

Definitely approve of blacking to the gunwales. So many boats (including our old one) are painted below the gunwales and then people get upset when they get scratched. In my opinion, the hull extends up to the gunwales and should therefore be blacked up to them!

Amy
Willow

Jim said...

Amy,
I shouldn't complain - not after reading all that you are doing on Willow!
Jim