Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Timetable Update

Timetable Update:

August

Thurs 20:
1300 (1 space)
1200

Fri 21:
1200 (fully booked)
1300

Sat 22:
1230
1330

Sun 23:
1300
1400

Mon 24:
1400
1500

Tues 25:
1400
1500

Wed 26:
Fully Booked

Thursday, August 13, 2009

This Weeks Sailings

As many of you know, we operate one guaranteed sailing per day and open up other time slots once the boat is fully booked. Because of this system, it is essential to book in advance for the Monarch. This week's sailings are:

Thurs 13th:
1445 - Fully Booked
1545 - Fully Booked
1645 - Spaces Available

Friday 14th:
1600 - Fully Booked
1700 - Spaces Available

Saturday 15th:
Fully Booked

Sunday 16th:
OUT OF SERVICE

Monday 17th:
1000 - Spaces Available
N.B This is the only possible sailing of the day due to tidal conditions

Tuesday 18th:
1100 - Spaces Available
1200 - Spaces Available

Wednesday 19th:
1100 - Spaces Available
1200 - Spaces Available

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Booking Advisable

The steamer is getting very busy and we are starting to turn passengers away that have not booked. The timetable changes every day due to tides-as do the number of available sailings.
Each day, there is one guaranteed sailing and when that is booked up we open another time slot to prevent the boat from running light. If you wish to join us, please call 01983 290124 or 07545 624501 to get your name down so that we can make sure that space is available for you.

Sailings are beginning to get a little later in the day at the moment, because of the fluctuations in the tidal pattern and passengers can join us at (in my humble opinion) the nicest times of the day on the Medina to enjoy the wildlife and glorious sunsets!

The boat itself is running wonderfully, and passengers are commenting very highly on the smooth ride that Monarch is offering of late!

For those that follow this blog regularly, I am pleased to be able to say that the generator saga is nearly at an end...it looks like the factory sent us the wrong part-so hopefully soon, the current temporary generator can be consigned to history!

I'm afraid, I don't really have anything funny to say at the moment as everything is rather hunky dory....how boring!!

Anyhow, steam fans, TTFN

The Skip

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Fantastic Steaming Weather

Monarch has covered about 100 miles since Friday, and she has done this faultlessly. The passengers have all had a lovely time and there was much interest in the little ship down river at Cowes Week.
From now on, the number of Cowes charters will start to drop off and Monarch will remain on the upper Medina for the majority of the time.
I was delighted, yesterday, to be able to welcome 4 prospective new crew members aboard to experience the boat, and I hope that we will see much more of them in the coming weeks.
Please, please, if you are thinking of joining the Monarch for a trip-telephone and book yourselves on...we had to turn people away yesterday!!

Anyhow, until next time,

The Skip

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Naughty Radio Two!!

As a fellow ginger, I have much time for Radio Two's Chris Evans; however, he said on Tuesday that we were a paddle steamer based on the Isle of Man! I shall send him a little map of our British Isles to remind him where our own little Alkatraz is so that he doesn't make the same mistake again!!
So panic not, punters-we're still here and steaming on the Isle of Wight...and I have even better news to report!! Since replacing the couplings, the engine has returned to silent and smooth operation. The trips today, since putting the new parts in, have been amazing; with only the sloshing of the water to be heard and not Monarch's trademark thump.
All being well, we shall continue service until Christmas Day when she will have a well earned rest for a month or so before being plunged back into regular service again.
Anyway, life aboard the worlds smallest paddle steamer is generally lovely, and a very busy week ahead is beckoning. Watch out Cowes Week....Monarch is coming!

Until next time,

The Skip

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

New Couplings

Well, they cost several hundred pounds and look like a cross between a giant Duplo block and a dog toy! We are replacing our fabric/rubber couplings with Polyurethane elements which should offer greater resistance to our very hostile engine room environment. The guys down at Renold in Cardiff seemed slightly bemused that we had driven from the Isle of Wight to get them; but to have waited any longer for delivery would have impacted on us heavily.
Anyhow, we'll be sailing at 12.30 today, after the new couplings are in and the paddleshaft assembly has been inspected.

The Skip

Monday, August 3, 2009

C is for Couplings!

Well, I write this whilst travelling from the Isle of Wight to Cardiff to collect parts for the Monarch! After inspecting the engine over the weekend, it was decided that the flexible couplings which drive the paddleshaft need to be replaced. As a result there will be no sailings today as the only place to get these enormously expensive disks of rubber is Wales!
All being well, the Port coupling will be back in before tomorrows sailings and the starboard one will be changed over in the early evening. After being tethered to the Medina Valley all season, it's rather nice to be driven in a modern vehicle through different countryside!

Anyhow, until the next time,

The Skip