Dockmaster tales

iangrant

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Chatting to the dockmaster when the boat was lifted recently (water pump leaking, seacock wouln't turn off etc) he had three lovely tales

1: a guy turned up at the marina slip with his new rib, "yea, 40 grand that one!" so you'd like to use the slip to launch it, so you know what you are doing? asked the dockmaster, of course came the reply, so down the slip and into the water, some time later the guy pops up on the radio to the marina office. "can you help us we are sinking?" sinking?? you are a rib", OK i'll come out in the workboat and meet you to bring you back in safely,

On arriving at the rib the dockmaster pointed out the bung taped to the steering wheel, the reply from proud new owner, "Hmm wondered what that was"

2: A boaty DIY'er decided to fit some new kit, armed with his drill and tools ran a neat hole to fix the equipment, sadly the drill popped through under the waterline.

3: One evening a boat owner heard water running and popped his head up to see where it was coming from, certainly not anywhere around his pontoon, he realised it was from inside his boat, one of the skin fittings on the forward seacock had failed.

These fella's see it all, always worth a minute to chat.


Ian
 
Agree with the sea-cock issue Ian, generally one of the most neglected pieces of essential machinery on the boat.

The older boats with mild steel painted levers on the sea-cocks, in small area bilges under lazarettes, etc. that never dry out, and rarely get thought about, will suffer from corrosion.

The sound of flaking paint crunching under the grasp of your hand, and the thought of the handle coming off, as you strain to pull the lever through the agonising 90 degree movement :eek:

That reminds me, got to check those valves...........:)
 
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