Spring duties (with pics)

[scubaman]

I went down to the boat on Tuesday to do some sprucing up in case a potential buyer should turn up soon.

The boat is in a warm shed and everything was fine and dry. Minor fixes here and there, cleaning the saloon from top to bottom and some polishing of the hull was on the agenda.

That's a police Targa next to ours

Got the transom shining again

A new pair of props waiting to be fitted. This following the minor contact with a rock last summer.

Taking a well earned break I wandered in to the neighboring shed where the larger boats are being kept.

Spot the boat, anyone?

No prises for this one.

And a clue for the first one.

The place is a drying dock. The boats on the sides are lifted with the cranes on the background while the bigger ones are drydocked on the floor.

This Dutch fellow looked brand new. The canopies were being fitted, hence it being the only boat uncovered.

Wandered on to the next shed to meet a boat carpenter about fixing the teaking on our boat (see pic #3). It turned out they are into classic wooden boats and import & renovate them according to customer's requests.

They had a really nice -52 Chris Craft waiting to be done (shame it was wrapped in plastic, so no proper photos).

The one on the left is an early 50's Chris Craft Riviera (?) They are re-doing the under water bits.

I felt a bit ashamed to be asking for such a trivial job as sandig the teak, but they were happy to take it. They seemed to take great pride in their work and I'm sure my teak is going to look good.

I stayed over night at the boat and thoroughly enjoyed working on the boat. It'll be long two months before we can have her on the water.

So not quite summer yet, this was what was going on not too far from where to boat is.

And no, it's not the result of the financial crisis, they had an ice fishing competition. The ice is almost meter thick...

Roll on summer! Thanks.

 

[Croozer]

I love see through pics. Youre such a tease

First one is Princess 42?

I love the Chris Craft even covered up. She must be lovely in the flesh

 

[BartW]

thank you for the photos scubaman, very interesting !

how do they actually manage to sit all these boats on the bottom of the dock ?
when the water goes out, all boats touch ground more ore less at the same moment
many people are needed to guyde all the boats on the blocks at that moment ?

 

[Firefly625]

once again scubaman you have posted some fascinating pictures, thank you!

 

[scubaman]

thank you for the photos scubaman, very interesting !

how do they actually manage to sit all these boats on the bottom of the dock ?
when the water goes out, all boats touch ground more ore less at the same moment
many people are needed to guyde all the boats on the blocks at that moment ?

I was wondering about that as I typed the post but decided not to comment as I could't think of an explanation...

But it could be that the dock gate is open from the top and the crane picks the boats up one by one (from the lake side) and lowers them into their cradles waiting at the floor.

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

really enjoy seeing n reading posts like this.....thanks alot .........MORE PLZZZZZZ

 

[Philiz]

Very interesting set of pics, thanks for taking the time to post them.

 

[DAKA]

Very interesting post seeing how boating is different in the rest of the world

I'm sure I have seen the guy in blue on a sailing boat, if it wasn't him he looks equally as enthusiastic about his sport

 

[rafiki_]

Life in Finland must be very slow, if the best entertainment is to drill a hole in the ice, and sit by it for hours.

I used to do a lot of car brake and handling testing in the North of Sweden, sometimes in Finland. Winter in the artic circle is very strange. 2 hours of daylight means that you have little interested in the time of day, and just get on with things as necessary. Other than working, there was nothing to do. So I guess that is where the ice fishing comes in!!

 

[Ripster]

Life in Finland must be very slow, if the best entertainment is to drill a hole in the ice, and sit by it for hours.

I used to do a lot of car brake and handling testing in the North of Sweden, sometimes in Finland. Winter in the artic circle is very strange. 2 hours of daylight means that you have little interested in the time of day, and just get on with things as necessary. Other than working, there was nothing to do. So I guess that is where the ice fishing comes in!!

I spent a little time working in Finland, though a while back now and my understanding at that time was in the North, the Women outnumber the blokes by 2 to 1. Therefore boredom was never an issue. Time was killed by lots of time drinking and going to Saunas and ice baths where you would try to spot your friends!

 

[rafiki_]

I spent a little time working in Finland, though a while back now and my understanding at that time was in the North, the Women outnumber the blokes by 2 to 1. Therefore boredom was never an issue. Time was killed by lots of time drinking and going to Saunas and ice baths where you would try to spot your friends!

Is that becasue the blokes all disappeared down ice holes, on their way back to shore, having embibed on the Lappish jiuce?

 

[scubaman]

I love see through pics. Youre such a tease

First one is Princess 42?

I love the Chris Craft even covered up. She must be lovely in the flesh

Yes it's a P42. I haven't seen many with blue hulls though.

The Riviera had the original steering wheel with a lever in the hub that was the throttle. The engines being rebuilt as well. 5 point something liter petrol engine with straight exhaust. I do hope to see them in action next summer.

 

[Croozer]

and hear them in action

 

[scubaman]

Life in Finland must be very slow, if the best entertainment is to drill a hole in the ice, and sit by it for hours.

I used to do a lot of car brake and handling testing in the North of Sweden, sometimes in Finland. Winter in the artic circle is very strange. 2 hours of daylight means that you have little interested in the time of day, and just get on with things as necessary. Other than working, there was nothing to do. So I guess that is where the ice fishing comes in!!

TBH you don't see many young people doing that.

People in the Lapland use to say that in the summer there are two things to do: drink and have sex. And in the winter there is less drinking...

But yes, winters are long, dark and cold.

 

[scubaman]

I spent a little time working in Finland, though a while back now and my understanding at that time was in the North, the Women outnumber the blokes by 2 to 1. Therefore boredom was never an issue. Time was killed by lots of time drinking and going to Saunas and ice baths where you would try to spot your friends!

I don't know if it's the same in your rural areas, but here I thinks it's actually the opposite. Typically it's the men that take up running the farm after their parents and women move into cities and get an education and a job. Methods for passing the time still applies

We even had a reality show on telly called 'A bride to the farmer'.

 

[AndieMac]

We even had a reality show on telly called 'A bride to the farmer'.

In this country the show is called 'The farmer wants a wife', not that I watch it of course , just that the adds come up in commercial breaks .

Thanks again for the interesting boat pics Scuba, we call that dry dock system a graving dock, in fact my office at work is part of a hotel built directly over the top of an old one.

I guess the big boats on the lower level are located into position using a similar principle to the Dockwise submersable ships, with pre-set cradles.

 

[scubaman]

thank you for the photos scubaman, very interesting !

how do they actually manage to sit all these boats on the bottom of the dock ?
when the water goes out, all boats touch ground more ore less at the same moment
many people are needed to guyde all the boats on the blocks at that moment ?

I asked about this when I was at the boat again two weeks ago. When the basin is empty, the cradles are anchored to the bottom (some of them are wooden) after which the basin is filled up again. Then boats are brought in and the basin is emptied again. They have mobilised the local dive club to assist in making sure that the boats find their cradles securely as the water level drops.

All very well, but the ice melted a week ago and it has been +18 this weekend, and they can't get my boat into the water before next week.