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Post by bargemast on May 27, 2017 21:41:34 GMT
I had to look up that Hitachi digger you pictured earlier as I thought it was a photoshop picture. Its an ultra-large excavator with a ~2000hp V16 diesel engine. What a beast. there is a small excavator near Johnv's boat but its half buried due to someone doing something slightly silly with it. My sister-in-law sent me a pic of the dumper truck she was driving on a gold mine in Australia. It looked pretty normal. Then she sent one of her standing next to it, she had to reach up past the tyre to get a hand on the bottom of the wheel rim. Previous driving experience - a moggy minor. HGV test - drive round the block in the local fire engine, if you don't hit anything you pass. I would love to see that picture, I've seen some pretty big dumpertrucks they use for open mining, that sound like the one your sister-in-law is /was driving.
Peter.
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Post by bargemast on May 27, 2017 21:54:22 GMT
so this is it and then plan b...plan b is always good if plan a fails..hoping plan a won't fail....how many more chances tide wise? tomorrow morning and vague possible Monday morning ........ there are a couple of smaller chances next month but to be honest they are a bit of a forlorn hope. Realistically, tomorrow and Monday are it for this year. In the autumn/winter there is much higher chance of a depression causing bigger tides than forecast, so even if there is nothing obvious in the tables, there could well be opportunities I would then have to find somewhere to hang around for a few months ...... I don't fancy taking the old girl out in winter weather ...... I always said that if no one is paying me, I am going to be the original fairweather sailor and stay tied up near a pub until the conditions are perfect So getting out this time of year was favourite Forgotten all about the time again, too late for my beauty sleep, I'm starting to get used to that ugly face that's watching me in the mornings when I'm having a shave, exactly at the same time as he has a shave, now I'll have to lay down on bed for at least a couple of hours to get some rest, I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for you John, and hope to read tomorrow morning that Sabina is floating in deeper waters.
Peter.
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Post by JohnV on May 28, 2017 2:46:18 GMT
What is the saying ? "Plans, made by men for the amusement of the Gods" Again the tide was 3.5 points below. Everybody was here, boats ready to move and spare bodies to take lines etc ....... no chance Trying not to get too depressed about it ....... I have put a very big effort in over the last few months to get things finished so it is a heck of a big disappointment not to be able to get out. The only up side is that a lot of the work needed to be done and Sabina is now totally ready for sea so the next time an opportunity arrives there is not a huge job list to do. I will phone the drydock company on Tuesday and let them know Ah well, the next load of piccies of work will probably be for Shapfell now. I need to improve the cooling water system and paint and antifoul before getting her dropped in the water ..... at least I don't need a big tide for that My mate (who was here tonight and was going to be crewing for me) owns an old gaffer and he has suggested a day sailing next week to cheer me up. Thanks to everyone who has had their fingers crossed for me and to Patty for her "tide dance"
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Post by naughtyfox on May 28, 2017 6:58:57 GMT
Can you not get towed out? Dragged across the mud? By some serious Workhorse Beasty Tug or something? Do you think the water will ever rise enough so that Sabina will get sucked out by water power alone? And then, once released, shouldn't you pop round the corner into deeper water and stay there for a while until your mooring is dredged properly? I'd say a digger on a platform (which will not sink) is the answer. (We have a similar situation here after cutting 3 trees down on Friday, garden full of branches and we're not waiting for the sea to rise and take them away, cutting them all up by hand).
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2017 8:39:34 GMT
Thats a shame At least you have another boat Taking Shapfell from Benfleet to Lechlade and back would be my recommendation. The Thames is magic. If you didn't fancy the pool of London then arrange to come in via Bow Creek and Bow Locks, run down Limehouse Cut then do the regents through London then onto GU to Brentford for a more relaxed run up tp Teddington. That canal section can be done on two day licenses from CRT. Then a week each way on the Thames. What a great bit of boating that would be
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Post by patty on May 28, 2017 14:24:32 GMT
aw what a shame...plan B then...plan B sounds good after your mates took u out for the day...
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Post by JohnV on May 29, 2017 3:42:17 GMT
Yeeee Haaaa !!! They shut the barrier this morning and the tide made !!! Sabina is now turned round and lined up for the gap. Even if none of the other tides make this month, I now am ready for the first tide that makes !!!
As this morning's tide made there is a chance that either this afternoon or tomorrow morning might just be enough ..... everyone is going to standby in case. I didn't have anyone on board with me this morning ..... it was all winch and rope work and as there were people on the boats behind me, they were there to fend off if I drifted back too far. All went nice and smooth with no drama
bloody hell am I so relieved to be moving ....... I really thought I had had it !!!
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Post by naughtyfox on May 29, 2017 4:09:33 GMT
Hoist the Jolly Roger and turn left after Southend! Mind the pier!
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Post by patty on May 29, 2017 5:43:23 GMT
Fab.u..lous..go go go.. I'm so pleased for you...once again into the fray....well soon... fingers crossed again..good luck
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Post by Stumpy on May 29, 2017 6:35:19 GMT
Well Done John
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2017 7:17:19 GMT
Good news
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2017 8:14:01 GMT
Bon voyage!
Rog
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Post by TonyDunkley on May 29, 2017 8:54:37 GMT
Yeeee Haaaa !!! They shut the barrier this morning and the tide made !!! Sabina is now turned round and lined up for the gap. Even if none of the other tides make this month, I now am ready for the first tide that makes !!!
As this morning's tide made there is a chance that either this afternoon or tomorrow morning might just be enough ..... everyone is going to standby in case. I didn't have anyone on board with me this morning ..... it was all winch and rope work and as there were people on the boats behind me, they were there to fend off if I drifted back too far. All went nice and smooth with no drama
bloody hell am I so relieved to be moving ....... I really thought I had had it !!! Great news, John. Have the tides been making below prediction at your Standard Port ( Southend ? ) or just up Benfleet Creek where 'Sabina' is ? I'm assuming that this barrier is to landward of where you are and closing it had the effect of making the incoming tide 'back up' against it and rise a bit more in the same way as it would normally back up against any 'fresh' coming down if there hadn't been such a long dry spell.
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Post by peterboat on May 29, 2017 9:02:56 GMT
How many bottles did you have buy to bribe them? Good news anyway John look forward to you coming up North and meeting up with you. Hope all goes well in the days to come
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Post by faffer on May 29, 2017 9:05:54 GMT
Top notch kida, wish i could see your face wit the big relief and grin Just dont go back head for the sunset if i was you lol.
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