Mobo drying out near Portishead

[Morpheous]

Anyone know a nice location near Portishead where I can safely dry out? This may be a slightly hairbrained scheme but...

I have a seacock that has failed, it was stiff, suddenly loosened although handle still attached and its stuck shut. Looks like the seacock valve will need replacing. If I have it lifted and chocked at Portishead its going cost me £300.

So a possible plan is go somewhere nice and safe dry out, change seacock, refloat. There are some obvious issues here - its been in the boat for 20 years and probably well stuck being one.

 

[srm]

Can not advise on location, have not been in the area since early 70's.

However, I did change a seacock between tides on my last boat - but my adrenelin levels rose with the returning tide.

Suggestions:
Have all components prepared in advance, with backing / reinforcing pad cut and drilled and epoxy coated etc. so that you just have an assembly job.
Old seacock may be difficult to remove so heavy tools, blowlamp or whatever ready to use as soon as water is low enough.
Have a viable and realistic plan B with all materials ready for temporary sealing of holes if the job takes longer than expected (don't they all) and the water level will get to the hole(s) before you finish.

Best of luck.

 

[mrbloto]

and watch you dont get neaped

 

[Frontier]

what if something goes wrong and you cant get it fixed in time? better have some bungs handy

good luck with it

D

 

[Morpheous]

Yep softwood bungs on the list and a full toolkit. Still might chicken out and have her lifted. Just feeling the pinch at the moment and making sure I really need to shell out.

I have suggested we go back to the bucket method (it's the toliet seacock broken) that I had in my first cabin boat years ago. This has not found favour with SWMBO.

I can get a cheaper deal on the lift if I can get it done within an hour - a lift and hold. But sods law states it will be stuck and i will have to replace the through hull fitting too

 

[trapezeartist]

I believe there's a grid round in the Avon at Pill.

 

[jason -and the arguenauts]

see if you can do a deal elsewhere, in Cardiff Bay for example.

 

[Who]

This may be a slightly hairbrained scheme but...

Slightly !

Pay the money and do it properly. At least that way you will still have a boat.

I have heard there is a cheaper lift out in Cardiff. They may be able to help.

 

[srm]

I can get a cheaper deal on the lift if I can get it done within an hour - a lift and hold.

Its not all that hair brained if planned in advance.

As mentioned in the earlier post I changed a complete sea cock between tides - removed an odd mix of pipes and gate valve and put a proper Blakes conical valve in its place. it took all the time available, about 3 to 4 hours with everything going smoothly. Old skin fitting had to be removed with physical violence though.

As well as bungs ready for temporary plugging of holes the valve was in a locker that was watertight to well above the waterline so even without valve or bungs I would have floated off OK.

If you only have a gate or spherical valve to change it may be possible to do it within an hour, but I would check the cost of the second and third hour. I have noticed some yards will do an overnight lift and hold, may be worth asking.

 

[kds]

You can dry out safely on the hard in Watchet marina - ask them first.
ken

 

[Mymobo]

I agree with WHO. Pay the cash and get lifted. There may be cheaper lifts in Cardiff but in have to factor in the cost of fuel and time. I am glad I berth at CBYC at Cardiff, a lift is only £55

 

[Morpheous]

£55 - unbeliveable! A round trip to Cardiff cost me about £70ish so would be a saving. I had a good look at it today, access is not that good, I can see me ending up grinding the flange off the through hull fitting and pulling it through so I'm going to go for a lift and hold at Portishead.

Ah well. bout time marinas did nectar points I reckon

 

[Mymobo]

That's why I love CBYC. I won't tell you the yard storage fees .

Good luck with the lift.

 

[Morpheous]

Did the lift and hold overnight last night, amazingly I was able to unscrew the old one without too much trouble. Might have something to do with spraying penetrating oil on it for a week!

So if I can convince swmbo we should be over to Cardiff this weekend

 

[Mymobo]

Give us a wave if you see us. We are off to watchet in the afternoon.

 

[Morpheous]

Will do, good luck with the locks, just phoned barrage control to confirm we woul dbe able to get in, they reckon in is OK but getting out could be tricky!

 

[Morpheous]

Got in. took almost an hour to get through but made it in the end. Think I might have seen tonybarebones at mermaid quay. in Penarth now, heading to the Oyster Catcher later. Hopefully easier getting out tomorrow.

 

[brent45]

I agree with WHO. Pay the cash and get lifted. There may be cheaper lifts in Cardiff but in have to factor in the cost of fuel and time. I am glad I berth at CBYC at Cardiff, a lift is only £55

 

[Morpheous]

Yep, she has been lifted and its now all done. As it happened it all went very smoothly but then hindsight is a wonderful thing. What I hadn't factored in my budgeting for running a mobo was how many times per year I was going to have to be lifted out. Ah well.