Last week Jims boat broke its mooring. It let loose and all that stopped it drifting away was the chain dragging on the mud.
I went down last Monday after work and Jim was struggling. I didn't have my oars with me so couldn't get out to Sprite and help drag Jims boat back. I wish I had because in the end later that evening his boat had drifted so much it had to be rescued by the RNLI.
So this weekend just gone I started helping him make a new mooring block. I've scrounged a couple of tyres and a plywood sheet. Enough to fill with concrete. All I need to scrounge is some steel bar to make the mooring ring to set in the concrete. Not bad for nothing.
He also needs new chain as his seems to be pretty much shot. Most likely why it parted in the first place. That might be a bit more expensive.
I've also got his engine at home because it wouldn't work , hence why he couldn't recover his boat on its own.
I'll be busy then. :-)
Well done... you're a good neighbour... don't Langstone Harbour Board maintain the moorings???
ReplyDeleteHi Steve, I still feel back for not helping more the night Jim was down there, but I was a bit hamstrung not having oars in the car. LHB only maintain the deep water moorings. One of the things that makes Langstone such a cheap place to moor is you're effectively paying ground rent on the mud moorings; you lay and maintain your own gear. But the active word is maintain, you need to check things at least every other season. It's pretty easy to do, you just go out in the dinghy when there's about 6 inches of water and pull the chain up on deck. The water is shallow enough to see to the top of the concrete block so you can check for wear.
ReplyDeleteMark - I saw the boat you are talking about drifting about last week. She had just taken the ground a few meters away from mine (blue snapdragon with the "dodgy" legs). I tried to walk out to get a hold of the chain but the sand turned to mud and I didn't have my boots. I did email LHB about it so I hope they got in touch with the owner! FYI there is a mooring block ready to go on the foreshore between my boat and the house boat. Two big truck tyres bonded together, it's been there over 2 years now... Rich
ReplyDeleteHi Rich, thanks for the info. Jim's boat is now on the beach opposite the ECA. A couple of boats are tied up to those truck wheels, they may get a bit upset if I swiped it. I've got the tyres and the plywood for the base, I should be able to get some steel rod. If not I've got an old stainless exhaust in the garage I can sink into the concrete and use to attach the chain to.
ReplyDeleteGosport boat jumble on Sunday 10am too!! Might get some self-coloured long link sinker chain. I'm going for the 19mm stuff as that's what LHB seem to recommend.
DeleteRich, I'll be there on Sunday, I have a small shopping list and a big rucksack to fill.:-)
ReplyDelete