Medina Monarch

Monarch up for Auction

2010-08-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well, this is likely to be my last entry on this blog, as Monarch is just days away from being auctioned! The auction is taking place on Saturday August 28th and will be handled by Island Auction Rooms.

It is a huge shame that she may be set to leave the Isle of Wight but the time has come for her to move onto pastures new. The Monarch has been a huge success on the island, but personal circumstances have changed and we would only be able to run a weekend, charter only service from 2011 and our aim has always been to ensure that everybody (no matter how much money they have) can enjoy the boat on a daily basis. Paddle steamers aren't elitist, and they need to be used regularly to let them earn their keep-hence we took the sad decision to send her to the auction.

Below, you will see the information copied from the pre sale information sheet-if we can be of any assistance to potential bidders-just get in touch. We will be running the usual service up until Friday 27th-so you need to be quick and grab your space early!!

Pre Sale Information:

The Monarch is known throughout the world as the smallest paddle steamer in commercial use, and is one of just three examples in British waters to date.

The vessel is powered by a diagonally mounted, compound reciprocating engine which is supplied with steam by a horizontal, shell and tube boiler built for oil firing. The working pressure of the engine is between 130-160 psi, with the maximum boiler pressure set at 180 psi. The boiler is inspected by a independent examiner, and has full hydraulic and steam test certificates as well as metal certificates for all materials used in its construction.

The feathering paddle wheels are of steel construction and have adjustable nylon bearings which are lubricated and cooled by river/sea water.

Also on board is a Paguro 3000 diesel electric generator, powering the Riello oil burner, electric circulating pump, lighting and 12v supplies as well as having ample capacity for the use of power tools or ancillary equipment.

A full ultrasonic survey has been carried out on the vessel (results overleaf) and it is currently fitted with a full compliment of zinc anodes.

The hull has been sandblasted and treated with several layers of zinc based primer, bitumastic covering and finally antifoul.

Boiler Work

Monarch’s boiler is a double pass, dryback, shell and tube design. The pressure vessel was re tubed by Peter Phillips, of Chatham Steam, in 2008 and in 2009 the dryback casing was renewed and the refractory recast by engineers at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. A new pressure relief valve was fitted in 2010, with the secondary valve being overhauled and tested.

A steam powered, auxiliary boiler feed pump was installed in 2009 and rests on a bracket mounted between the dryback casing and steam dome.

Engine Work

The engine has been overseen by Len Pullinger, senior engineer of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. In its time on the Isle of Wight, the valve gear die blocks have been machined, valve travel set correctly and cylinders and pistons fully inspected. An additional drain point has been installed in the LP reception chamber to assist with cold starting.

Crosshead and slide bar lubrication has been converted to oil from grease and is supplied by 6 wick fed oilers originally used on the PS Ryde’s triple expansion engine.

When undertaking work to repair the condensers upper raw water baffle, the economizer assembly was also inspected and a relief valve installed to prevent the feed water system from overheating should a fault occur. This failsafe has been used once, when seaweed clogged the raw water intake and allowed the crew to work on the issue without alarm.

Performance

Monarch cruises at around 6 knots, which equates to approx 42 rpm. The boiler uses 2.5 US Gallons per hour and currently burns red diesel; Monarch’s bunkers hold 40 gallons of fuel under the foredeck.

Whilst designed as a river/lake steamer, she has been used against strong tides with success, notably the River Tamar and the chain ferry crossing on the River Medina.

The vessel is transported easily by road, craning and haulage has always been carried out by Kingswell Heavy Haulage whilst based on the Island, and they have a good knowledge Monarch’s requirements.

The vessel is steered hydraulically and has an emergency tiller arm. The steering pump has recently been overhauled and performs well.

The Paguro generator has benefitted from a new alternator set and has been upgraded to 4kva from 3. It is raw water cooled and serviced annually by Brent Marine based in Newport Harbour.

Television

Monarch is to be featured on the Edwardian Farm, the follow on series to the popular Victorian Farm, in mid December on BBC2. She will also be featured on BBC’s Country Tracks and has been a firm favourite of ITV Meridian Tonight who filmed a short documentary on the vessels renovation.

Being such a rarity, Monarch is often in demand by filming companies who are attracted by her ability to be transported easily to any part of the country.

Join the Jolly Young Watermen

2010-07-18T03:09:00.000-07:00

We have recently been described by a well known New Zealand critic, Kurt Ganzl, as the Jolly Young Watermen of the Monarch. For those of you who don't know the words to this little ditty-here they are:

And did you not hear of a jolly young waterman,
Who at Blackfriar's Bridge used for to ply;
And he feather'd his oars with such skill and dexterity
Winning each heart and delighting each eye;
He look'd so neat and row'd so steadily,
The maidens all flock'd in his boat so readily,
And he eyed the young rogues with so charming an air,
He eyed the young rogues with so charming an air,
That this jolly young waterman ne'er was in want of a fare.

What sights of fine folks he oft row'd in his wherry,
'Twas clean'd out so nice and so painted withal:
He always first oars when the fine city ladies,
In a party to Ranelagh went, or Vauxhall:
And often times they would be giggling and jeering,
But 'twas all one to Tom their gibing and jeering;
For loving or liking he little did care,
For loving or liking he little did care;
For this jolly young waterman ne'er was in want of a fare.

And yet, but to see how strangely things happen,
As he row'd along, thinking of nothing at all,
He was ply'd by a damsel so lovely and charming
That she smiled, and so straightway in love he did fall;
And would this young damsel but banish his sorrow,
He'd wed her tonight before tomorrow;
And how should this waterman ever know care,
And how should this waterman ever know care
When he's married and never in want of a fare.

Anyhow, onto more mundane matters, tides are getting quite late for next week, so Monday there will be a sailing at 1700, but Tuesday and Wednesday there will not be a sailing. The rest of the week is as follows...

Thursday, 1000
Friday, 1100
Saturday, 1100
Sunday, 1130

So join us, the jolly young watermen for a cruise on the jolly Monarch!

The Skip

2010-07-10T00:43:00.000-07:00

Monarch on the Tamar

Joshua Preston of Calstock Ferry

Monarch and the wonderful Calstock Viaduct

Join us on the water in the sunshine!!

2010-07-10T00:39:00.000-07:00

Wow it's hot, we're melting in the wheelhouse and engine room at the moment! Come and join us this weekend at 11.00 for a steam down the Medina and take a seat on the cool and relaxing aft deck whilst we drift past the lovely scenery of the upper Medina!

Monarch Back on Island

2010-06-05T01:46:00.001-07:00

After a wonderful week in the lovely village of Calstock in Cornwall, Monarch has returned to home waters to once again 'do her thing'!
Call 01983 290124 to hear the current timetable.

The Skip

2010-05-23T00:06:00.000-07:00

Here's our girl being loaded onto the trailer by our favourite haulier Robby Kingswell...if you ever find yourself in a position to move a paddle steamer-he's your man!
Anyhow, the Monarch is now on her way and we'll update you just as soon as we can....TTFN

Monarch on Holiday

2010-05-21T23:51:00.000-07:00

Monarch is due to be lifted out of the water today and will be heading down to Cornwall very shortly. I will meet her on Monday and take her up the Tamar to her holiday cottage in Calstock, where she will be the first paddle steamer to visit in 80 years!
Monarch will return to the Isle of Wight just after the Bank Holiday.

Catch you soon,

The Skip

Updates

2010-05-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

Just as a reminder-Monarch is on her holidays from May 24th-June 1st and there will obviously be no Medina sailings during this time.

Last Saturday, the third annual Riverfest took place. It was the first event hosted by the Footprint Trust-and they provided some wonderful entertainment, stalls and activities for everybody. Newport Harbour looked really festive and fun and everybody involved should give themselves a pat on the back for coming together in such a short space of time.

The marshalls counted 4,100 visitors to the quay during the day, which isn't too bad....but next year it will be even bigger!!

We're working hard to make sure that Monarch is in tip top condition to make her transit up the Tamar and have replaced all of the engine gaskets, overhauled the pumps and finally got around to making my wheelhouse habitable again!! Many thanks to John Little for his carpentry skills and Len for overseeing the mechanical bits.

So, without wanting to tempt fate (.....yes, the Portsmouth fiasco is still ringing in my mind!) I think next weeks trip to Cornwall should be a good 'un.

When we're back, I'll post all of the Tamar photos on here-I imagine she'll look spectacular there.

The Skip

Monarch to Visit Cornwall

2010-05-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

Monarch will be away in Cornwall from May 24th-June 1st for a private charter. We are delighted that once there, we will be able to offer a very limited public service between May 28-29th with help from the Calstock Ferry Service. Bookings need to be made through the Tamar Valley AONB Office, or by emailing tamarbookings@medinamonarch.co.uk.

We're working very hard at the moment, not only to arrange Monarch's excursion, but also for our part in the Riverfest. This will be a great family event happening on May 15th on Newport Quay-we will arrive in flotilla with other steam boats and the magnificent tall ships operated by the Little Brig Trust.

See you there!

The Skip

First Sailing of 2010

2010-02-27T01:41:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to welcome the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society aboard for our first available public sailing of 2010. The first group will depart from Gridiron Pontoon at 1030 to view the progress of the PS Ryde removal program. This will be an emotional trip for many as so much hard work has gone into trying to save this vessel over the years.

Passengers can find the pontoon by entering Red Funnel's East Cowes marshaling yard and walking down the passageway at the chain ferry end of the site. Please be aware that instructions have been issued to the organiser not to allow any person access to the pontoon until given instructions by a member of the crew.

We very much look forward to seeing you all!

The Skip

2010 Timetable Available Now

2010-02-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say that the majority of the 2010 timetable is now available at: www.medinamonarch.co.uk

Do make a point of coming to join us this year-if the weather boffins are correct about this summer...it will be a cracking time to get out on the water here on the Isle of Wight!

2010....The New Season Cometh!!

2010-02-07T02:12:00.000-08:00

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

Paddle Steamer Still Chugging Along

2009-10-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

The winter nights are drawing in, the frosts are threatening and the years finest sunsets are lighting up the evening skies. Most people in the boat tripping world give up by now and passengers lose the chance to see the wonderful sight of the trees changing colour, the delightful way low lying mist plays on the water and the sheer indulgence of cruising flat calm waters without the interference of nasty plastic gin palaces...goodness this is starting to sound like a Marks and Spencer advert!
Can you guess yet, that your intrepid skipper quite likes this time of year?
Anyhow, I urge you all to get out of your hermetically sealed and centrally heated homes and offices and come out with us to fill your lungs with the refreshing air that only autumn provides......go on, I dare you.......you might even like it a bit!

Till next time,

The Skip

Winter Timetable

2009-10-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

All Sailings: Please remember....no booking-no ride!! Payment is taken aboard the vessel, but all bookings must be made by telephone at least 24 hrs prior to boarding.

OCTOBER
6: 1230
7 & 8: 1330
9: 1430
10 & 11: 1700
Floodlit Cruise Special (1 hr)
13: 1930 & 2030 - £15pp
15, 16 & 17: 1130
18: 1130, 1230, 1330
20, 21, 22: 1400
23, 24, 25: 1600
Floodlit Cruise to Cowes (2 hr)
28: 1930 - £20pp
Floodlit Cruise Special (1 hr)
29: 1930, 2030 - £15pp
Halloween Floodlit Cruise (1 hr)
31: 2030, 2130 - £15pp

NOVEMBER
1,2,3,4: 1100
5,6,7,8: 1400
14,15: 1030
18,19,20,21: 1300
22: 1400
Floodlit Cruises
27: 1900 (2 hr - Cowes) - £20pp
28: 1900 (1 hr) - £15pp

DECEMBER
Festive Cruises
4,5,6,7: 1400
Floodlit Festive Cruise
11,12: 2000 - £15pp
13: 1000
16,17,18,19: 1200
20: 1300
Floodlit Festive Cruise
22,23,24: 1630 - £18pp

FESTIVE CRUISES WITH LUXURY GIFTS & BUFFET

CHRISTMAS DAY CRUISE
1730 (Floodlit) £45 pp

BOXING DAY CRUISE
1800 (Floodlit) £45 pp

Prices £10 Adults & £6 Children (unless marked otherwise)

Surprise gifts for all Floodlit Cruises!!

Call (01983) 290124 to book. Please book at least 24 hrs prior to boarding.

Floodlit Cruises

2009-10-04T01:03:00.000-07:00

During the winter there will be a limited number of opportunities to enjoy a floodlit cruise on the River Medina and see some of the wildlife that only comes out at night.
Join us for a romantic view of the river and make the most of the dark winter evenings.

October Floodlit Cruise:
Tuesday 13th: 1930 & 2030
Halloween Special
Saturday 31st: 2030 & 2130

Tickets £15 - Adults Only
Call 01983 290124 to book!!

Sailings to Continue Until Boxing Day

2009-09-22T02:20:00.000-07:00

This year's season will be extended until Boxing Day this year, with just a 2 week period in November when the vessel will be out of service for maintenance.

The Skip

Monarch's Electrical Problems Sorted!!

2009-09-22T02:11:00.001-07:00

Finally, the generator saga is over...for those of you that don't know, this is the story so far:

Our very expensive, quiet and reliable generator (required to power the oil burner, circ pump and lighting) needed a new set of windings early in the year and these were ordered in good time for the start of the season. They arrived, were fitted and we toddled off to Portsmouth's fantastic 'Celebration of Steam' to start the season in a glorious whirl of publicity.

Alas, when we tried to use the newly rewired machine...we couldn't even light a bulb with it-not to mention the oil burner and circ pump!

Much arguing later, the generator was sent to Kent to pay a quick visit to the UK's best engineer that deals with these particular machines. He diagnosed that the parts sent from Italy were the wrong ones, and we would have to wait until after August to get replacements as their factory take a long marine type holiday.

As a result, this season we have been using an ondeck petrol genny to provide power for the boat which is both unsightly and necessitates closing off the deck access to the main engine room door to the passengers for safety reasons.

Thankfully, after all of this hassle, we now have a fully functional machine which should last for many more years of punishment on the Monarch. We have even invested in a lead jacket for the generator to kill any noise that it emits as well.

I very much hope that this will improve the passenger experience and with the extra power that we now possess, we can begin this winters planned floodlit cruises on the River Medina...more about that later.

In the meantime, adios me amigos,

The Skip

Timetable Update

2009-08-19T01:35:00.000-07:00

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

This Weeks Sailings

2009-08-13T01:28:00.000-07:00

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

Booking Advisable

2009-08-11T04:23:00.001-07:00

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

Fantastic Steaming Weather

2009-08-09T00:24:00.000-07:00

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

Naughty Radio Two!!

2009-08-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

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

New Couplings

2009-08-04T00:34:00.000-07:00

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

C is for Couplings!

2009-08-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

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

Maintainence Week

2009-07-29T02:05:00.001-07:00

At the moment, the daily tides are getting quite late in the day; and this puts many people off booking a trip on Monarch. We get this about once a month and generally take the boat out of service for a couple of days to give us the chance of a quick catch up on jobs.
This time, The Chief Engineer is on his way to Kent for parts, whilst I shall be aboard, cleaning, painting and removing clutter that builds up over the weeks. Any volunteers for these arduous jobs are more than welcome during Friday and Saturday this week!

Apart from that, the improved Circ Pump is doing very well indeed and gives a mighty gush of cooling water from under the Starboard sponson!

The Skip

Quick Update

2009-07-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if I speak too soon about the fixing of things on the Monarch, or sometimes the timescale to get things done properly.....

Not this time though!!

The boat is, again, running beautifully and has carried passengers today without any delay to the timetable.

Working with steam is a hard and tiring slog, but it is so worth it when a young child gets the chance to pull the cord for the steam whistle whilst their parents relax amongst the gentle fizz made by the paddles on the aft deck. So, the only issue now is the weather-I'll ask the Chief Engineer if he can get that fixed for us too!

The Skip

All Fixed!

2009-07-26T03:22:00.001-07:00

Tis nearly a blink of an eye since I last posted on the Blog, and I am pleased to say that the circ pump is fixed.

The Chief Grease Monkey is currently testing it for leaks and clearances, and all being well it should be plumbed into the boat within the hour! Well done Ian, without your skills we would have lost a days sailing, but instead will be back on our feet (or should I say wheels) without any disruption.

On another note, we will be measuring the float immersion of the paddles wheels today in readiness for this winters big challenge of relieving the boat of her trademark knocking sound. I know I shouldn't really say it, but it does get a little bit irritating when passengers comment on the state of our bearings EVERY trip out. Hopefully I can lay everyones mind to rest by telling you that the sound is not in the engine itself, but actually comes from (we believe) the paddle wheels which are too deeply immersed. It will not be an easy job to complete, nor are we even sure yet how to overcome the problem without losing yet another large chunk of the season-but watch this space for developments.

Anyhow,

TTFN

The Skip

Poorly Circ Pump

2009-07-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

Good news and bad today! The circulating pump (which pumps cold sea water into the condenser) decided to stop working in Cowes. Normally this would be a disaster, but after this winters improvements to the steam and water systems, we can convert the boat to non-condensing (puffing) running.
As this was the first time this system has been used in anger, I made sure that we were on tow coming up river...just in case! Luckily though, we made it upriver from Cowes to Newport Harbour under our own steam before lashing the tug to the boat to maintain full control in what was today, a very busy harbour. Obviously we had to hold the engine back quite a lot to conserve water, she still managed to hold a very impressive speed over ground and she sounded beautiful as normally the wonderful whoosing of the steam is silenced by the condenser.
So, although disappointing, a safety system has been proven to work; and this is great news really! Luckily, another pump is sitting in the workshop ready to be transplanted and we should be back in service before anybody can blink! With this experience safely in the memory bank, we will fit an auxiliary manual circ pump to the boat shortly as yet another safety system.

At the end of the day though-it proves just how safe steam power is-when a boat with an internal combustion engine has a problem they just stop....not us though!!

Anyhow, sailings are happening every day this week-with the exception of Friday and Saturday which are hallowed maintenance days. So do pop down the quay to see your beloved Skipper wading about in thick, deep mud wielding a paintbrush and trying resolutely to remain upright.

Until next time, oh ye nutters of steam,

The Skip

Weather Quite Yuck!

2009-07-17T04:19:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I say, yesterday was foul! Lightening, thunder, hail and heavy rain all decided to pop up when we were well down river with a group from Chichester. Even in my hot box (wheelhouse) I was soaked to the bone...not a nice experience!
Anyhow, there is another charter booked for tonight-and guess what....we're promised more of the same! Ah well, at least Monarch is behaving like a good girl...it's just a shame that the same cannot be said for the weather!

See the Isle of Wight County Press this week for your "3 for the price of 2" voucher.

Till we meet again,

The Skip

Monarch Issues

2009-07-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

To combat those who have contacted us regarding our latest issues, please take on board the following:

We have an issue with a neighbour regarding ship safety, noise and wildlife concerns. None of the allegations, we believe, have any foundation and after 18 months of complaints from one person, malicious gossip and idol threats we have finally involved the Police.

Those of you which have offered letters of support are gratefully thanked, and we may call on you for these should the need arise. But for now, we are logging every incident, every passenger complaint about being photographed (or their children) and every letter sent to third parties about us.

Be very clear, there is no danger to the Monarch because of this harassment, and we fully intend to deal with the situation in the courts should it become necessary. We already have enough evidence to do so, but will wait for further evidence to secure our case.

Be of good cheer ye people of steam, Monarch is here to stay and we very much look forward to taking part in the Island Steam Show this coming August-volunteers required by the way!!

Anyhow, tatty bye for now,

The Skip

Monarch Doing Very Well

2009-07-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

Well, all of the work so far to get Monarch running well has been very successful. The new plumbing and improvements to the boiler has resulted in a far more user friendly steamer that has vastly increased the drivability of the boat and also has improved the safety provision.
Passenger numbers are increasing and I am happy now that two of our volunteers can be classed as competent crew. I will be inviting more volunteers aboard over the coming weeks to train them and increase the crew numbers accordingly.

Last weekend's rendezvous with MV Balmoral was a great success with the exception of one small problem. A kindly power boater decided to pass the Monarch at breakneck speed causing an enormous wake. The boat handled really well, but the temporary generator was splashed which caused it to cut out for 5 minutes...not a good thing when we were expecting Balmoral at any time! Luckily, Cowes Harbour master towed us out of the way to give the Chief Engineer the chance to get everything restarted in time to give the grand old lady a jolly good toot of our steam whistle.

Many people thought that we were broken down, which made steaming out within minutes of landing enormously satisfying! In all, a great day was enjoyed by all and it is a nice thought that Monarch has now 'met' both Waverley and Balmoral at sea.

The auction of the Ryde's engine room console has boosted the boiler fund by just over £500 (hammer price £620 minus auction commissions etc) which was a great result. Watch this space for more fundraising activities.

Work continues to the boat to improve her even more, and I hope to be able to give you further updates very soon.

Until next time.....

The Skip

Flog It Auction Coming Up

2009-06-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

Oooh eerrrr missus, we're going to be on the BBC! We're selling the engine console from the Ryde which we rescued last year for two reasons.....money for the boiler appeal and blatant publicity!
Yes, it's true, the crew of the Monarch are right tarts and love getting on the telly!
The valuation day was a bit of an experience in it's own right, but hugely enjoyable; and the presenter, Paul Martin, seemed very at home surrounded by his harem of admiring ladies!

Anyhow, the auction is happening on June 16th at Island Auction Rooms...so come on and bid! Maybe, just for a bit of a laugh, all Monarch supporters should wear gold, black and red clothes-just so we can spot you all-but please, no gurning...leave that to the skipper.

Anyhow, the boat is running beautifully and we are just getting ready to celebrate John Garside's (volunteer) wedding anniversary tomorrow on board. Last weekend we welcomed our first bridal party from Cowes aboard, they all enjoyed themselves and we paraded up and down the river for their photographer looking marvellous! Congratulations Amy and Dan, we wish you all the very best....and you looked fabulous!

Anyhow, until next time (and sorry for the delay in updating, I shall try harder next time)

The Skip

Ups and Downs

2009-05-21T02:21:00.001-07:00

Right then, first off...the generator saga.
We spent the dosh, did the work and still nothing so Portsmouth Celebration of Steam just didn't happen. All very sad and depressing, but we're offering anyone who waves a programme from the event under our noses a very cheap ticket for four quid. Moving on to lifting back in on the island, all went fine and then the wind happened....stuck in Island Harbour for a few days then. Still sad and depressing, oh when will the struggles ever end!! The generator issue looks to be complicated, so back on with the old auxiliary air cooled thingy and hope for the best. At least this way we know that we can at least run the boat-she simply must make money in the next couple of weeks or things might start to look bleak.
Anyway, last night we steamed up, went for a run up the river and.......perfection! Hoorah, she works! The new boiler feed system is holding up well, we've hydraulic tested it to over 350 psi and so far no probs. The economiser shows no sign of leaking, the condenser is giving us more vacuum than it ever has and the engine *seems* to be behaving (oh gawd where's my bit of lucky wood!!!!!?).
Monarch is now in Newport Harbour and has her first wedding trip this coming Saturday which is exciting, so fingers crossed for a great season.

Random Photographs of Current Progress

2009-04-18T01:21:00.000-07:00

Monarch Looking Herself

2009-04-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while, but Monarch is now looking herself with her fine funnel and gold lines reinstated. Now, I'm not saying that our gilding is the best in the world; but it does look a thousand times better than a strip of yellow plastic sticky tape.
It was rather funny today, John (one of our wonderful volunteers) almost did a runner when told that he might be asked to gild the hull...luckily the fabulous, soothing and masterful skipper gave him the equivalent of a degree course in gilding (in just 2 minutes) and he was set to work!! The results, I think all will agree are superb. I can't wait to see it all burnished so that it sparkles like a wedding band.
Anyhow, work left to do, bit of plumbing, bit of wiring and a wee bit of painting......job sorted! The last few woodwork jobs are left to be sorted and the Monarch should be set for the waves once again!
Pauline, another volunteer, has done an excellent job of applying lipstick to the paddle wheels (wish she's used proper paint as it would last longer...joke) and everything is looking all very festive again.

The only bad news to report is that the generator repairs which are essential for the passenger certificate have cost nearly 800 quid...this is a real setback and even more annoying as the previous owners lies about the gen set's history have resulted in this cost. All very disappointing.

One marvellous bit of news, however, is that the boiler passed it's statutory examination on Tuesday....hooooooray!!!

Anyhow, working towards the Portsmouth Celebration of Steam Event, all is looking good!

Until next time, paddle nutters,

The Skip

Making the best of the weather

2009-04-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

Recently we have been joined by John Garside, a new and very enthusiastic volunteer who has worked hard to smooth out the aft lockers (which were beautifully painted, but ruined by overnight rainfall) and is starting work on stripping the saloon of paint ready for a fresh lick of the white stuff.
Pauline Rorke has been busy rust busting the railings and getting them spic and span, and Ian Rees (Chief Engineer) has rebuilt the engine room wall and is hurtling through the woodwork at a great pace.
The Easter weekend looks set to be fair, weather wise, and I am hopeful that the gold leaf can be applied to the hull so that all that is left to be done is the antifouling and anode changing.

Bad news re: the generator, we may be looking at anything up to £1000 to fix it in time for the coming season, more to come on that very soon. It is essential that early bookings come in quickly, it is charter bookings that get jobs such as this paid for.

Other than that, Monarch is progressing very well and we are hopeful to be afloat again some time next week....fingers crossed!!

Until next time,

The Skip

Work Beginning to Bear Fruit

2009-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

The boiler is in, but we just need to connect it to the steam engine....gawd that sounds easy doesn't it!! Saint Len (Chief Mech Engineer of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway) is busy machining a couple of new flanges and has come up with a superbly simple way of overcoming our problems. Work is getting tough and our thought processes are getting fuzzy, sometimes you need another brain to work things out for you.

The beautiful new/old pressure gauges have been calibrated and are ready to be fitted and all that is needed now is for the boiler feed line to be attached from the economizer; after that a little bit of wiring and she's done!! Goodness doesn't it sound easy....

We are now all geared up for being ready for the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard's "Celebration of Steam", to miss this great event would be appalling, not just in terms of ego but also the huge opportunity that it offers the boat in terms of publicity. The Isle of Wight desperately needs us tourist attractions to get out there and fly the flag, and we hope to be able to do our part in May...we might be small but we leave a big impression!

In terms of volunteering, I wish I had more to report, we have had a lot of offers and a few people come down for a look-but so far only the wonderful Pauline Rorke has been down regularly; I really hope to be welcoming more very soon. So far the funnel has been reinstated and gilded, the railings are beginning to receive their usual livery and the aft lockers have had a fresh lick of paint.

Work left to do:

Bilge Cleaning

Engine Room Wall to be Constructed

Wiring

Wheelhouse Overhaul

Big jobs, but with good weather and a motley crew, this should not take long!! Watch this space!!

Until the next installment, steam fans,

The Skip

Boiler Works

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hoorah, hooray, it's boiler lift in day!

After much hard work and tattyfying, the boiler was finally craned back into the boat today-and what a cracking thing it is. The old, black and nasty sightglasses have been restored to their wonderous glory and the Lee Howl boiler feed pump has been rescued from the murky depths of the bilges to sit, resplendant, upon the steam dome. If anyone ever calls me an old boiler again, I shall point them in the direction of Monarch's water otter and admonish them for the error of their ways...anyway, even though I am not adorned with shiny brass fittings and a fabulous steam powered water pump, I think I'm a bit more handsome than the dear old thing (well maybe only just)!

See below for photos of the craning in, she looks a thousand times better than it ever has done-but don't be fooled, it still isn't big enough for what we need and £15,000 still needs to be raised to get a better one.

As you can see, the engine room and boat still looks grotty as hell, but now that the boiler work is complete, and the weather is being kind to us, miracles will be happening shortly. The best of it is, your glorious Skipper now even has a tan which will help move the work along enormously, I'm sure.

Anyhow, enough for now, the sun is well past the yard arm and Monarch's custodian crew are greatly in need the daily rum ration.

TTFN

The Skip

Saloon Roof Finished

2009-02-24T11:18:00.000-08:00

Marvellous news on the saloon roof, at long last and after rain, snow, sleet, heavy rain and severe frosts, we have been able to replace the rotten plywood and fibreglass roof with a brand new one!! It's been one of those week long jobs that has actually taken a month to complete owing to the awful weather.

Many thanks to Mike Rees for coming over from sunny (or should we say snowy/flooded) Somerset to help lay the fibreglass sheathing with good military style. Another visitor of note was a nameless lady from Wales who is also a member of the paddle steamer preservation society. She came on a rather dull day in terms of work to be done and cheered me up immensely with her upbeat and positive attitude. I don't know about anyone else, but there is nothing like the welsh lilt to brighten up y'day!

Work now begins on the hatches and saloon doors to make the whole structure sound and watertight before we start on the long hard job of cleaning the bilges and reinstating the boiler and ancilliaries that make the old girl chug along!

If you're still waiting for the volunteers pub get together, panic not ye olde steam fans, we will get invites out shortly-just as soon as the boat is ready for you to attack with mallets!

Attached to this post are photos of the manky old roof being removed and the brand spanking new roof going on!

Cheery Bye for Now,

The Skip

Nearly Volunteer Time

2009-01-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

The saloon roof's off and the boat looks appalling, but we reckon she's lost a HELL of a lot of weight, which will improve performance no end! Basically there was not one part of the roof that wasn't entirely rotten so it's a great thing that it's finally gone.
Work has not been progressing very well of late due to the awful weather that we've been having and all concerned are very narked off that we haven't had the chance to get our teeth stuck in as normal. Never mind, I'm assured that re-roofing is a simple and straightforward job, albeit weather dependent and fiddly...good job I'll be on tea duty as the skip and woodwork do not mix!
The parts necessary for the boiler will be purchased this coming Tuesday, and so we should be looking to crane the lumpy old beast back in very shortly. Once the boiler and roof are back on then we can finally let the volunteers come aboard and lend a hand-until then it is just too dangerous to allow strangers to the boat on deck.
Some more great news is that Monarch will be going on holiday in May to the Portsmouth celebration of steam-she won't be gone for long though, just the weekend....so here's hoping we don't book a charter in by accident in the meantime! As always, thanks have to go to Rob Kingswell for being on hand for haulage. Fab as Monarch is as a sea boat, any rough chop and she'll be stuck in Pompy so it's a trip out by low loader again!

Until next time steam fans,

The Skip

Grim News in the Saloon!

2009-01-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Not only has our carpentry king got the paddle boxes and deck to make...he now has to effectively rebuild the saloon! After much digging and poking in preparation for the new engine room housing, a lot of the supporting posts have been found to be rotten and beyond repair. Therefore we have decided that there is no choice but to bring the renewal of the saloon roof forward-it must be done as soon as possible if we are to stay on target for an April start to the season, oh eck missus!
Volunteers are really starting to pour in, and if you're reading this and I haven't got around to talking to you yet, I'm trying to contact everybody individually at the moment and it will take a long time as most of the day is spent on the good ship.
As soon as we know where we stand with the saloon I shall let you all know on here, lets hope and pray for fine weather as I can smell epoxy in the air........... ;o)

The Skip

Layup Going Well Despite the Cold

2009-01-04T06:06:00.000-08:00

Well, the bottom of the hull has been treated to 5 coats of primer and 5 coats of black tar varnish before Monarch gets covered in her new bright red antifoul so there shouldn't be any rust on her for a good few years now! It's funny how much smaller she looks out of the water, but I can assure you that there is still a lot of her to paint!
I have been busy down in the bunkers cleaning out 25 years of slime, grease and unmentionables ready for painting and I hope for this to be finished very shortly. It is very dark and cramped down there, a most unpleasant job but well worthwhile. This season's layup is all about securing her future and carrying out preventative work, so I shouldn't complain really...it could be worse!
The boiler inspector is coming on the 15th Jan and work on the modifications is about to start courtesy of Len Pullinger from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway who will be overseeing the manufacture of a taller steam dome and lines to prevent the engine from priming...something that has plagued us during the 2008 season. Len really is an unsung hero for Monarch, when we considered bringing her to the Island we asked him if he would look after her should things go horribly wrong and I don't think that anybody could have ever forseen just how much assistance he would eventually provide!! Sometimes it's just a couple of hours workshop use at the railway, others a comforting second opinion and then the occasional bit of total hands on craftsmanship by him!! I would urge all readers of this blog and users of the Monarch to support the railway, especially as the boiler fund for Calbourne has been started up again. By supporting Len and his crew you are in some way helping the Monarch as well!
There are a few Friends of Monarch coming through now, but we need more!! If you only feel able to pop aboard for an hour a week and do a bit of polishing or want to go the whole hog and join me to crew the boat-you are most welcome! To be honest, you don't even have to DO anything by being a friend, just join up and let us annoy you every now and then with an update on the boat and get invited to 'exclusive' (!) get togethers in the pub!

Until next time,

The Skip

Monarch to get new forward deck!

2008-12-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hoorah, I'm pleased to announce that sufficient wood has been sourced to plank the forward deck! Regular passengers will, I have no doubt, appreciate that the original (temporary) GRP deck was, although safe and sound, not the prettiest aspect of the boat.
I look forward to seeing the results of the new decking next season!

The Skip

2008-11-26T06:23:00.000-08:00

The hull is now almost totally primed and we're just waiting on Dave from Brent Marine to work his magic on fairing the hull...something that takes him just a minute compared to anybody ese's frantic efforts! Apart from one slightly leaky weld which showed up after the sandblasting, everything is looking good for work to progress to the next stage which is yet more preparation before topcoats are applied-I'm told it's going to be worth the wait!
We're lucky enough this year to have obtained sponsorship from Teamac who manufacture some of the finest paints that I have ever had the pleasure of using. Last year we used a market leading brand (which shall remain nameless) and apart from it falling off in clumps we were dragging a green beard behind us bushier than Alistair Darling's eyebrows. So this year we decided not to use any old muck on the hull and we hope that the new paint system will stand the punishment that Monarch will no doubt inflict upon it!
The leaky weld that I mentioned before has been ground out and re welded by Andros Engineering. I was relieved to see that the area in question was only the redundant/never used hull pocket condenser on the port side and was a seam which might have affected the actual hull plating. We shall monitor issues such as this on a regular basis, but all surveys and professional advice so far tells us that the overall condition of the hull is excellent....phew!
Fingers crossed now that we come across a sufficient quantity of Mahogany to plank the foredeck so as to mach the aft deck in time for the 2009 season; we really do want to see that aspect of the project completed as it will add so much to the presentation of the vessel.
Nothing much to report on the remodelling of the engine room as yet, but we do hope to begin the rebuilding within the next couple of weeks.

One request please to those who have been trying to visit the Monarch whilst she is laid up for the winter. The boatyard is a working environment and there is heavy machinery moving around all of the time. I know that for supporters of the boat it is very interesting to visit and see the work that is underway-but please don't! Try and wait until next year when she is returned to the water as this is safer for everyone. If you want to see her in the meantime, the only way would be to volunteer some of your time and help us get the work done on time.

Until the next time old chaps and chapesses,

TTFN

The Skip

Latest News

2008-11-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

Well, we've sandblasted the hull and everything looks fabulous! Now that Monarch is nice and smooth the painting takes far less time and the finish will be amazing!
Work starts now to re-fair the hull and begin the laborious task of 5 coats of primer, followed by 3 coats of undercoat and 4 coats of topcoat....plus a good 6 coats of black tar and antifoul below the waterline! As you can see....rust aint welcome on monarch!!

We have taken down the wall in the switchroom to make the engine room more accessible and visable for passengers, a new wall will go into the saloon with larger windows to make the steam engine far more of a centrepiece as until now she has been mainly ignored by many of the punters!

More wonderful news is that a small ships telegraph...or more precisely an engine room repeater is to be installed for the 2009 season to give the boat a lovely ring-a-ding-a-ding sound!!

2009 passengers will see a huge imrprovment to the previously rather tired engine room and wee look forward to some feedback from it.

I notice that the blog is being read by quite a few people now, and would really like it if some of you would introduce yourselves by replying to my posts...it would make writing these things far more interesting from my point of view!

Ohh, and if you want to volunteer on the Monarch for next year's season, please send your details through to info@medinamonarch.co.uk and you can be added to the list!

Hope to hear from you all soon!!

The Skip

Season ends abruptly

2008-09-29T06:19:00.001-07:00

The new bearing that we put in for the layshaft looks a bit dodgy....do we take it out and put the boat to bed or do we risk it? Basically the oil seal has come away exposing the ball race-last time the layshaft played up it broke the bearing housings, bent the pump shaft and caused us to remove both feed and air pumps from the system for a while...not something that we want to repeat! Seeing as we take paying passengers we have to be sensible, even though it will involve letting people down.

Had to cancel one charter as a result, felt very bad about it as it was going to be a total surprise birthday present for her husband. We'd rather cause a bit of upset than be the cause of a drama though!

The bearings supplier has been very reasonable though, it agrees that it is just a dodgy piece of kit and a replacement is winging its way accross. We think that the boat is telling us that she's cold and wants to get out of the water now, so plans are being made to get that done.

This winter we need to plank the foredeck, tidy up the saloon and have a bit of a rethink of the engine room. We've just taken off the float chamber and converted her to manual feed water control to stop the engine from priming when the boiler is slightly over full-this seems to be working well.

Newport is by far the best place for us to operate from and come next year we will be basing ourselves there permanently-ok so it's tidal, at least we'll have extra time for maintainence...plus there is an awfully good pub near the harbour; yum yum.

Also, stop press!!

Lots of punters have been coming up to the boat and giving us donations towards running costs-great I hear you say, except that we're not a charity and it does look rather bad to be accepting gifts such as that without being one. Therefore, as if by magic, a new charity is to be formed...Ta Daaaaaah!

Friends of Monarch will administrate the capital expenditure required to keep Monarch in steam, will help market the boat and also help improve access to the river on which she operates. At last, something legitimate for donations to be given to.

Our first campaign is quite boringly a new boiler fund, we need more and dryer steam with which we will be able to run like a banshee down the Medina with frightening reliability! We are looking to raise £16,000 and any donations or offer of assistance will be cheerily received!

And now we stumble again into the winter layup work....I wonder if they make mulled beer yet?

Monarch and Waverley

2008-09-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Amazing, after a good long time of Monarch running smoothly and with no problems we've managed to get out to sea!!

Who would have thought that after this miserable summer we'd have such glorious September weather! The sea was flat calm and we pottered around Bramble Bank for a while with a full load of passengers waiting for Waverley to appear.

I had a few tears at my position on the wheel as we blew whistles at each other with more than a faint realistion that our whistle is louder than theirs!!!

All had a great time, hope to be able to do it again!

Cowes Week

2008-08-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

How disappointing, even after a big splash in the county press no one wanted to come on a paddle steamer for cowes week-in Newport recently we have been getting full boat loads, but down here there just isn't any trade. Lots of pictures taken, but without punters we may as well stick a diesel engine in Monarch and leave it at that.

Alan Titchmarsh

2008-05-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

Hooray for us!!

OK, so she didn't work immediately......

Our High Sheriff, Alan Titchmarsh (not a namesake....the actual one) was booked to join the Monarch at East Cowes Marina with some of his other civic chums to launch the Isle of Wight Walking festival. We couldn't get the blinking boiler feed pump to prime after fitting a super duper new filter to the feed line. Luckily Richard Morris from Thetis Taxis passed by and bought us some time by offering to pick him and his mates up and bring them to Island Harbour-if we managed to get Monarch working by then then they could jump off and join us, if not then he would take them into Newport. Guess what......

WE DID IT!!!!

Much whistle blowing and excitment from Carol (our MP's other half) and we landed our precious cargo at Newport Quay. We didn't tell them it was our first time as we think they'd have abandoned us!!

They sauntered off to make speeches and be posh, and we made preparations to leave.

She broke down again.

Luckily, Richard came up to Newport for a bit of a nose and he gave us a tow back to Binfield. Alan was making a speech so I don't think anyone noticed!!!!!!

Work continues.......

Problems Problems

2008-04-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

We've gone for several runs during which we have had the layshaft bevel gears come free (they were never tightened up in Kent), the water pump filter get blocked which gave us a low water situation resulting in burner cut out (thanks to Sally Taxis who helped us out whilst we drifted for a bit during which time Ian cleared the filters and pumped the boiler up by hand....he's good at that) and everything that holds water leaking.
We'll never be able to carry passengers at this rate!!

We've already had to cancel a couple of charters.

Work goes on....

Electrics

2008-03-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

To put it mildly, I have been miffed. The electrical control box melted the other week and I have rewired, and slightly redesigned the way the Monarch works.

The builder came down to help a little, which is what he did and we seem now to be back online. Was very hard work as we were working at odds to each other, I wanted to improve the circuits whilst he wanted them as they were....all ended amicably over a pint in the Anchor!

We've moved the control box out of the engine room which I think is a great improvement-it did used to look a little like an old fashioned coin operated electric meter, one might wonder if the paddles would stop turning if the 50p ran out!

The Launch

2008-03-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well the press launch went very well, we had a couple of guys down from the radio, one from ITV and the team from Cowes Online. I've spoken to the Editor of http://www.cowes.co.uk/ quite a few times, but have never met him-so it was nice to finally put a face to a name (was hard to see his face I must admit; he's about 8 miles tall and I just about come up to his knees!). The Austin 7's car club came out in force, and a small locomotive was on display courtesy of IW model engineers. All lovely, except for the bloody wind which killed the marquee and any chance of sailings....indeed the awful weather prevented the boat from being fully finished in time either! Hopefully we'll get out in her soon!

boiler test 2

2008-03-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

After much silver soldering on Ian's part and lots of tightening, repacking and servicing (all of which we were told had been bloody done) the boiler finally passed. Not with flying colours I must add, as there were still some minor fizzles from a couple of new joints but we'll let them cool down and tighten them a little tomorrow.

At least we've got a certified boiler before launch day!!

Weather is looking appalling for the event itself though!

boiler test

2008-02-29T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well, she failed.

Previous owners never serviced the guage glasses and inspection of the pipework to the float chamber has uncovered an awful truth; domestic copper pipe with compression fittings being used to carry full pressure steam from the boiler to the floats.

Basically, when asked I could not isolate the guage glass cocks sufficiently and the boiler inspector (even though he's been looking at the boiler for the last 5 years) has never bothered to ask what was under the lagging re: pipes to the float chamber. I'm cross and so is he.

Back to work!

Lift in

2008-02-23T17:14:00.000-08:00

Shes in now, looks marvelous, even though we have still not managed to get the paddle boxes on-never mind should be easy enough on the water. Boiler tester is coming shortly-very tense!

Hull

2008-02-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Ian's birthday weekend-loads of people have turned out to help, Debby and I are getting ready to finish the hull painting, the aft lockers and seats are basically in, Christine has come to help with Laura and work continues to progress quickly.

We painted the paddles bright red today, they look fabulous-the bearings aren't bad either. All of the nuts and bolts are rusted in place and there is a messy weld on one of the feathering arms-I think next winter they will need some attention.

Nigel Rowe arrived today to properly set the burner up, there is no smell of diesel from the funnel now and the smoke and lumps of soot that caused so many problems in Kent are gone...I feel rather smug! Nigel seems a helpful enough guy...even though he persists in calling me Matty (I hate being called Matty) - much lip biting today!

Hull

2008-02-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Work has started to the outside of the hull.

Debby and i have found great pleasure in the breathing in of 'Primacon' fumes-magnificent stuff. We've been under the boat for about 5 hours, it felt like 20 minutes; all the time giggling talking rubbish and being very childish to passers by.

Got a headache now though....

Plumbing

2008-02-11T15:03:00.000-08:00

Oh my God, everything needs tightening, replacing, ripping out-the lot! An April start is not looking possible, but fingers crossed hey?

First Steaming

2008-02-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

The new burner has been bolted in, the float chamber has been attached to the boiler (this makes the water level control automatic...it looks like something that's fallen off a spin dryer though!) and we have managed to raise steam for the first time!
Ian took great pleasure in being the first to blow the whistle on the Isle of Wight!
There seem to be leaks EVERYWHERE on the plumbing, that's tomorrows job to look at...can't help but think all of this was supposed to have been done already *slaps wrist*

refit

2008-02-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

Forward deck is rotten, far too rotten to keep. Ian thinks that now the wood has had time to dry out it has shrunk. A big construction type person came aboard to have a look at the engine and it was bowing under his weight....it has got to go, and quickly. Debbie's other half, Dave has promised to relay the fordeck with fibreglass for this year-at least it won't rot again and will be safe for passengers!

Refit

2008-02-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Debby and I have got the aft deck 'void' treated with anti rust paint and have cleaned out all of the duck mess, black goo and leaf litter that accumalated in every hidden part of Monarch. Bloody backbreaking!

Ian is working hard on rebuilding the wooden seating, deck and supports to replace what has been taken out. Luckily the aft deck plate came out in one piece so that a template can be made.

Barry, the cameraman is still here ever day-he reckons that he'll stay until the job is done as he thinks a half decent documentary could be made out of this...we'll see! He's a lovely guy, and he's got plenty of funny stories to keep us amused!

Refit

2008-02-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

The aft deck, the lovley aft deck, the best bit of the boat, the only piece that we knew for sure would be ok to leave.......well it's buggered! The plywood substrate is totally gone and mould is hanging off of it like an amazonian spiders web.

Barry Jones, the ITV cameraman who came to film Monarch coming off of the ferry has been coming to see how work is getting on EVERY DAY!! Debby from Brent Marine has also been coming every day, can't really believe that she is prepared to help rebuild the steamer for free; to be honest we don't really know her that well but it seems as though she's been around forever already! She had bad news given to her the day we started ripping lumps out of the boat insofar as her Dad was found dead, I guess she's working off the grief-dunno, but she works like a bloody trooper and she is great entertainment!

Aft deck is ripped out now, as well as the seats and lockers, looks like a bigger job than any of us could have imagined!

Refit

2008-02-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

The paddle boxes are buggered, we've srtripped all of the wood off and found loads of sodden car body filler. It looks like the foredeck needs some attention too!

Bad news on the burner-it doesn't work, I've been dispatched to find a new one.

The arrival

2008-01-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

After exploring 4 lfting sites and the practicalities of transporting a 14 foot wide paddle steamer through 9 foot wide streets, we finally decided on Richborough Quay-a derilict WW2 site owned by Raymac Holdings...not sure what they really do, but they have saved our bacon on this one as I've heard horror stories about steaming accross Pegwell Bay to lift out at Ramsgate!
Rob Kingswell, the absolute marvellous man that he is has orchestrated everything brilliantly-I think that if we had used any other haulier we would never have got Monarch out of the Kentish Stour and onto the Isle of Wight!

She arrived late on the ferry and we had to wait about 4 hours at Fishbourne for her to finally roll off, but the light had faded and it was decided that for safety on the roads she would remain over night in the marshalling yard. Dave and Debby from Brent Marine in Newport came with a bottle of Champagne to Island Harbour, but had to come back the next day to finally see her arrive to the hardstanding!

When the day came, she trundelled down the lane into the harbour and after much photograph taking she was lowered down onto blocks for the repainting and refitting to begin. We went over for a closer look and horror of horrors the paddle boxes were totally rotten along with most of the superstructure....things are not going to go to plan methinks!

Planning

2008-01-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

She's nearly here, so I'm starting this blog as a momento of what is to come with the joys etc of owning and running a paddle steamer..............gawd this is exciting, I can't sleep!!

Let's see if I can keep up the postings!