So yesterday was "tender day"... and not because I was still feeling that way from laying on the gravel most of Wednesday.. 😀
Started off by fitting the racks to the car as I planned to bring the tender home so I could work on her in the garage this week... a trip down to the club and the eldest daughters boyfriend came down to give me a hand on to the roof bars with the tender.. so first job done..
Bidded goodbye to the boyfriend (after he'd visited Sparrow - I suspect one day he may be a boat owner but not yet!) and time for the next job, the tender launching trolley, which is in a sad and sorry state...
Said trolley came to me via an eBay advert three or four years ago and was in poor condition then, but it cost me less than £20 so I consider it fully depreciated, and as it's sole purpose is to carry the tender the mere 20 or 30 yards to the water or back it doesn't need to be in road worthy condition...
Having said that over the last few years the wheels have got stiffer and stiffer, and one of the support struts from the axle to the pad the dinghy sits on has rotted/rusted completely away, which means the dinghy slides over and presses down on the wheel, and and and... you get the picture..
First job then was the wheels - did these a couple of years ago and had the foresight to replace the retaining clips with stainless R clips which worked admirably and came out easily.. wheels off and a check of the axle hole on the wheel showed them to be clear of obstruction so it wasn't them, the axle itself however showed a hardened collar of blackened almost carbide deposit.. tap with the screwdriver showed this to be mostly oxidation/hardened grease/mud and whatever - a tap with the end of the screw driver chipped it off to good('ish) metal underneath... cleared it all and the wheel spun again - did the same to both sides, good spray with white grease, replaced clips and retaining washers, and job done..
Next job was to replace the strut supporting the pad the dinghy rests on which had gone completely.. to do that, bodgery of the highest order was adopted..
Scrounged a block of wood from the club yard (bit of 2 x 3), cut it to size, then drilled through the trolley from both sides and screwed it in... a liberal spray of Hammerite over all. and also rust spots (ie. most of the trolley!) and the trolley was good to go back to the pen for another season..
No pictures - I am embarrassed at both the state of the trolley, and the heights of bodgery that I have attained!
Time for a break - pint of Hobgoblin from the boat bar, and then time to finish off the lighting started last weekend - had to re-solder one of the strips, so connected it back in - screwed it to the shelf - tested (working!) and taped over all remaining joints and cable clipped the wires away tidy - that one's completely done now....
Wind was howling, but as it was dry'ish I took the opportunity to put a coat of preservative on the outboard pad, and that was me done for the day....
Must do before launch in priority order...
- Fit the new cockpit hatches (but they need prep'ing and painting first)
- Another coat on the outboard pad
- Another couple of coats on the washboards
- Tender repair/paint
- Windex
- Boarding ladder
