What a winter it has been!!!! I can report that there has been no painting, frenetic activity or maintenance achieved on the boat, apart from pumping out the bilges and clearing snow from the decks....at the end of the day what else could have been done!
Not only has the dreadful weather stopped any meaningful work on the boat, but it has also crippled me. Yes...I slipped on the ice like an old lady and have broken my arm. Could someone who drives up and down a river on an eccentric little paddle steamer enjoy an everyday, simple fracture? Not on your Nelly!! I have snapped the top bone in my arm (Humerus) and very nearly had to go and have, what sounded like, horrendously draconian and painful surgery! Thankfully for me, I have cheated the surgeons knife and live to tell the tale.
Over the next few weeks, we are determined to get the mahogany foredeck laid and install the new boiler feed pump which will further remove our reliance on the auxiliary layshaft (seen at 90 degrees to the crankshaft). Other than that, it is boiler test time again soon and once complete and fully certified for another years steaming will will get on with what we do best and get the old girl chugging along again.
Happy New Year!!
The Skip
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