Had to leave boat in Ice this winter ....

[Refueler]

As some know - I suffered fractured spine and still subject to Physio Therapy and Rehab. I could have asked friends to 'help' drop mast and lift boat - but she's wintered in ice before and no ill effects.

Winter is slowly taking its hold with us ... today we skipped around the -2 ... to -5C mark .... with last night dipping to a recorded -11C ..... (I have trailcams arund the grounds to capture 'wildlife' that ventures in - they record time and temp).
Ice is thin at present but it will build .... my channel can get to nearly 1m thick as it is near stationary water. The river with its flow can get to 30 - 40cms thick .... if severe enough for long enough - it has reached 1m thick out there making it hard for those who like 'Ice Fishing'.

Its not unusual to see 20 or 30 people out there - some even camping over night on the ice .... few years back - it was estimated well over 100 people on the stretch just where I am !

Pontoon and Superanne .... she is actually sitting on bottom as water level has dropped significantly.

Looking from near entrance to near channel back to house etc.

About halfway along my bankside looking out at river starting to freeze over ..

Entrance to my channel ....

That's it then to maybe April ... if lucky maybe ice will start to go late March but unlikely.

 

[Wansworth]

Take care inyour condition with slipping on jetties and ice

 

[NormanS]

Thank you for making us thankful that we live in a temperate climate. ? (Even here in Scotland). If it's any help to you, I broke my back, and some other parts, in a work accident many years ago, and I made a full recovery. Hope you do likewise.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Having your own creek to the property sounds wonderful

 

[apogee]

Thankyou for sharing.

 

[Refueler]

Recovery has been slowed - once I was able to walk again - I was silly and broke my big toe. That stopped me having Physio till all clear.
We have 4 cats and 3 dogs ..... 2 of the dogs are twins (brother and sister - Bonnie and Clyde) ... 6 months old and need to be on leads in the grounds or they would run off ... its slow process training them.
One in particular is a real 'puller' - he'd win Tractor Pulling contests. So I have to be very careful on the icy ground now.

First day here ... 8 weeks old. I'd just started walking again then. About 5kgs each.

Now at 6 months they are about 24kgs each .. and still growing ... driving us nuts !!

today :

Boat has a Frost Protector heater of 500W in the cabin .. silicon spray all hatches / sliders etc. Engine box opened up to allow warm air get to engine. Bilge pump lifted out of bilge just in case of freezing. Antifreeze run through raw water system and bog. Christmas LED lights round the boom to show me mains electricity still getting to boat - my gardener has habit of forgetting to reconnect supply lead....... its a long walk from the house to check ! I can now look out of back windows and see the fairy lights.

 

[Refueler]

Take care inyour condition with slipping on jetties and ice

Tks ... believe me - have no intention of having such pain again !!

Cheers

 

[Refueler]

Thank you for making us thankful that we live in a temperate climate. ? (Even here in Scotland). If it's any help to you, I broke my back, and some other parts, in a work accident many years ago, and I made a full recovery. Hope you do likewise.

Cheers

You say temperate climate ... my Brother decided to get drunk one night in his apartment in Southsea on South Coast UK .... that night temps dropped to -10C and he was found frozen to the floor.

He was not only my brother - but my best friend.

 

[SaltIre]

Do take care. With one severe injury already you're on a slippery slope...

 

[Refueler]

Do take care. With one severe injury already you're on a slippery slope...

Oh I intend to ... I've told Natalie - the Physio lass - I have a boat to sail next season !!

 

[William_H]

Hello Nigel. Sorry to hear your injuries are still giving trouble. Thanks for the photos really it is a world completely alien to me as we have never had a frost. Let alone frozen water. That frozen river would certainly curtail sailing. Here summer is finally arriving although I have been sailing since end of September. Beautiful sail (race) yesterday in max 30 degrees 10knots wind. (and beat the 34fter) Good luck with the dogs and I hope they bring you much joy. (warmth) ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Warm thanks to all .....

Its been a difficult time ... recovery back onto feet was quite quick after the operation to glue vertebrae together, but then it slowed and needs a lot of patience and physio.

I would not wish this on anyone - I have a high pain tolerance - but that night it snapped was the most mind blowing excruciating pain imaginable. It was way past mind numbing.

Boat use and organized summer cruise cancelled .... even my RC model flying was not to be.

Many of the jobs I planned for this year have been put back - such as finish headlining main cabin, revise the wiring maze that has resulted from near 50years of boats life, service bilge pumps and Blake bog, adjust set of mast, new sprayhood / dodgers / boom sail cover, new rubbing strake. Just to mention a few of the list !

I'm lucky that my home is also my Office, so work carries on fully. I reduced significantly the travel I do before the incident - so after was not any different. As some know - I have an extensive 'man-cave . workshop' - so when not running the biz - I have the therapy of my model building / organising.

 

[Skylark]

Just reading the thread for the first time, wasn’t aware of your hardship, Nigel, hope you have a speedy and relatively pain free recovery.

I was going to ask about aeromodelling but you answered my question within your last post. My RC activities step-up a notch over sailing closed season. Hope you get to the field nice and soon.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

I feel your pain! I broke my back nearly 50 years ago, other than the odd bout of sciatica I made a full recovery. Just take it easy and don’t over exert yourself.
I like the fairy lights idea

 

[Refueler]

Having your own creek to the property sounds wonderful

As a young lad - I often was with my Father when he went on Govt business to Airports - he was Senior Ops Inspector CAA - but one in particular - Heathrow, he would always stop at a friends house at Kingston on Thames. It was one of those 4 floor houses with long sweeping lawn down to the river. Don had his 'Edwardian River boat' tied up to the bank. We would sit out on the lawn, my Father chatting away with Don about Berlin Airlift and various that they had assisted each other with - one being my Father navigating one of the 3 B17 Flying Fortress bombers from Canada to UK for the movie "War Lover" ... a B17 that my Father took me on at Gatwick just before flying it back to Canada ... I was so young I only remember snippets of it ...
Anyway - I remarked that one day - I would have similar house with boat at bottom of garden.

What I have today is that dream come true.

I look back at paying 2000 pounds a year marina fees in UK - for basically 2 weeks use if lucky. Arriving at boat finding it damp, dirty and batterys flat ...
Bringing her to Latvia was one of the best things I did ....

I have 3 bridges to get under .... I have an A frame to lower / hoist mast. Its just under 1 hour from my mooring to harbour entrance.
Or I can have weekend away trips on the deep / wide river ... with about 30kms to play in. It has small islands to bow up onto ... BBQ ... enjoy peace and quiet. Fishing is really good ... Pike, Perch, Tench etc.

You would think that boat being so handy at bottom of garden - that I'd be on it every opportunity ... but actually its not like that. She will sit for long periods unused ... the most used is my ex Soviet motor boat .....

Yes .... having own mooring channel is a distinct advantage ....

The only downside : Latvian Law says waterfront for 10m back from normal waterline is public access and cannot be closed or developed. With a channel such as mine - to remove the 10m rule from its inner part - it needs a bridge at river end. Luckily - its difficult for public to actually get to river bank - so I have never bothered to create the bridge. Next door neighbour has built a lifting bridge to his channel ....

 

[Refueler]

I feel your pain! I broke my back nearly 50 years ago, other than the odd bout of sciatica I made a full recovery. Just take it easy and don’t over exert yourself.
I like the fairy lights idea

I was looking for something simple and low power to plug in ... being that time of year and sorting through decorations to put round the house ... it dawned on me the 'fairy lights' could be used.

Its rather pretty at night !!

I'm 66 yrs old - so no longer the young go for it person I used to be. But I intend to still boat as long as I can ...

 

[Refueler]

Just reading the thread for the first time, wasn’t aware of your hardship, Nigel, hope you have a speedy and relatively pain free recovery.

I was going to ask about aeromodelling but you answered my question within your last post. My RC activities step-up a notch over sailing closed season. Hope you get to the field nice and soon.

Aeromodelling ....

I have over 70 flying models, 4 boats, 2 cars ... all RC.

I could actually start flying again now that mobility is coming back, but temps are dropping as we go into winter. I have noticed that the cold makes my back and recently healed broken big toe ache more. Before - I would go flying when -10C or lower ... I have special warming sack for my LiPo's ... but now - I don't really want the 'pain'.

I do have an increasing problem .... I have 2 3D printers and a Laser cutter ........... I use model building as therapy .... today I have new models ready to 'maiden' :

1.5m long modern Naval Destroyer
Three 750mm span DH Vampire Jets (2 are EDF, 1 pusher prop)
Full 1.2m Aerobatic classic MK
Four 1m span Avro Vulcan bombers
600mm Mk 5 Spitfire
600mm ME 109F
600mm Hayate Fighter
600mm F4 Corsair
1m F22 Lightning
WW1 Monoplane
1.2m span C130 Hercules
Two DH Mosquito's

there are a few others as well ... but you get the idea !! I cannot stop building !

 

[Wansworth]

My father had a toy making business and we used to go to the London toy fair.Airfix was very generous and Ithink we could have modeled the invasion of Germany and the sinking of the Bismarck?

 

[Refueler]

My father had a toy making business and we used to go to the London toy fair.Airfix was very generous and Ithink we could have modeled the invasion of Germany and the sinking of the Bismarck?

Airfix ..... OH Memories !!

Down to to the shop and buy the Plastic Bag Airfix model .....

Later I was into the large boxed Airfix model ships ..... Victory, Cutty Sark etc. I used to build them and then give as presents to friends / family.

Airfix produced the best Race Car set ... the Airfix MRCC. Cars had steering and much more scale looking than Scalextrix. I had a set - but sadly over the years - it got mislaid, think my brother sold it actually !!

 

[Wansworth]

I read somewhere Airfix is being revived?