RogerRat
New member
It’s always nice to get a way to somewhere warmer even if only for a week as we did. 4 hours in a plane will normally get you somewhere nice and warm in May and this time we ended up in Bodrum, Turkey. Partially because it was easy but also because we knew there are some great harbours with loads of different boats to appreciate, sail and power.
Here’s a classic view over the bay from the resort:
Great views, land/seascapes and plenty of large boats some over 100 ft a fairly large anchorage, to be seen on the other side of the bay about 10 miles west of the old town and Bodrum castle.
Still, shoe-horned in amongst all these hotels and holiday villas and bars, we found a cute lil’ old boat yard right next to the beach and water sports team. All type of boats in there being worked and refitted in time for the summer season and tourist’s lire’
Looking at this boat you can see a lovely new mahogany transom has just been fitted and the caulking is being placed and spread out. The local tool used as a squeegee is actually a potato cut in half and kept moist in a glass of water.
Invited on board to have a closer look we were horrified to see massive amounts of daylight through to the ground. Oh yes, this is common practice. If you want to clean out your bilges just wash them through and put the planks back in later. If you find that hard to believe, look at these…
It was like taking a trip back in time, no cranes, no forklifts, no foremen, no ‘Elfin safety, meaning no Hi-vis, safety boots or helmets no ladders, just 2x2s’ nailed together and no cradles. It was amazing to see some of the tradesmen working on boats that had literally been dragged up the heavily greased railway sleepers to spend several months being ‘refurbished’
The next day one of the larger boats was due for re launch. It all seemed pretty straight forward to us as we had worked out the pulley system and how the capstan was going to drag the boat back down the slope back to the water.
Now, if you haven't got a crane, there are plenty of ways to move 20 tons of 30 old boat up and down a ramp. These guys choose the electrical, hydraulic winch, but in this case it's a massive capstan. Just drag some heavy cable up and down the beach, attach them to a good anchor point and your set to go.
Huh, got that wrong, this boat was too large for the two piece cradle she was standing on. Yes two separate pieces, chained together. The problems were just beginning as the loading on the small cradle had created very localised spots of pressure and tension when the planking bent under the load, this caused stressing and splits below the water line and the boat had to winched back up to flatter ground to carry out repairs, filling and painting with what looked like red oxide. The vessel needed a larger cradle so one had to stolen from another boat in the main yard.
As they were trying to slip the boat down the ramp, they noticed it kept sliding off to starboard and the ‘engineers’ were wondering why. Until they took a closer look at the rear end of the starboard ramp and found that it had virtually collapsed!
The next problem was that the cradle / sled was jamming on the sleepers. The rear end had broken off so the rear end was dropping down in between each sleeper as there was no lift to allow it ride up and over.
You can also see a large spike or nail hanging down that was doing its best to score through them as well.
Well trying to lift 20 tons plus of old wood, engine and fancy dummy rigging is not easy with out the usual hoists or cranes we are all so used to.
These guys use a bottle jack that’s 220 volt powered and plugged into an old lamp flex as an extension lead.
24 hours later they were trying to for third time lucky. And yes it went on down into the water at a smooth pace and majestically drifted back afloat.
Guess what?
No fenders, no mooring lines attached and no engine start. They nearly put the bowsprit through another moored behind them. They did really well under the circumstances but it was a little like being in a front row seat at the Muppet show. :encouragement:
RR
Here’s a classic view over the bay from the resort:
Great views, land/seascapes and plenty of large boats some over 100 ft a fairly large anchorage, to be seen on the other side of the bay about 10 miles west of the old town and Bodrum castle.
Still, shoe-horned in amongst all these hotels and holiday villas and bars, we found a cute lil’ old boat yard right next to the beach and water sports team. All type of boats in there being worked and refitted in time for the summer season and tourist’s lire’
Looking at this boat you can see a lovely new mahogany transom has just been fitted and the caulking is being placed and spread out. The local tool used as a squeegee is actually a potato cut in half and kept moist in a glass of water.
Invited on board to have a closer look we were horrified to see massive amounts of daylight through to the ground. Oh yes, this is common practice. If you want to clean out your bilges just wash them through and put the planks back in later. If you find that hard to believe, look at these…
It was like taking a trip back in time, no cranes, no forklifts, no foremen, no ‘Elfin safety, meaning no Hi-vis, safety boots or helmets no ladders, just 2x2s’ nailed together and no cradles. It was amazing to see some of the tradesmen working on boats that had literally been dragged up the heavily greased railway sleepers to spend several months being ‘refurbished’
The next day one of the larger boats was due for re launch. It all seemed pretty straight forward to us as we had worked out the pulley system and how the capstan was going to drag the boat back down the slope back to the water.
Now, if you haven't got a crane, there are plenty of ways to move 20 tons of 30 old boat up and down a ramp. These guys choose the electrical, hydraulic winch, but in this case it's a massive capstan. Just drag some heavy cable up and down the beach, attach them to a good anchor point and your set to go.
Huh, got that wrong, this boat was too large for the two piece cradle she was standing on. Yes two separate pieces, chained together. The problems were just beginning as the loading on the small cradle had created very localised spots of pressure and tension when the planking bent under the load, this caused stressing and splits below the water line and the boat had to winched back up to flatter ground to carry out repairs, filling and painting with what looked like red oxide. The vessel needed a larger cradle so one had to stolen from another boat in the main yard.
As they were trying to slip the boat down the ramp, they noticed it kept sliding off to starboard and the ‘engineers’ were wondering why. Until they took a closer look at the rear end of the starboard ramp and found that it had virtually collapsed!
The next problem was that the cradle / sled was jamming on the sleepers. The rear end had broken off so the rear end was dropping down in between each sleeper as there was no lift to allow it ride up and over.
You can also see a large spike or nail hanging down that was doing its best to score through them as well.
Well trying to lift 20 tons plus of old wood, engine and fancy dummy rigging is not easy with out the usual hoists or cranes we are all so used to.
These guys use a bottle jack that’s 220 volt powered and plugged into an old lamp flex as an extension lead.
24 hours later they were trying to for third time lucky. And yes it went on down into the water at a smooth pace and majestically drifted back afloat.
Guess what?
No fenders, no mooring lines attached and no engine start. They nearly put the bowsprit through another moored behind them. They did really well under the circumstances but it was a little like being in a front row seat at the Muppet show. :encouragement:
RR
