Author: NickB

Wow, what a week!

NickB Uncategorized 3 Comments

It’s been an amazing week here in Ullapool. I’ve rowed for Seil today. in the over 60s mixed – we came 6th in a field of 11 boats, putting us up to 25th on the leaderboard.

I’ve also rowed for Stornoway (old friends) and for the glamourous Portsoy Skiffettes in their pink boat, coxed Selkie, ceilidhed ashore and afloat and met some amazing people, all in sunshine amongst amazing scenery.

More later plus pix when I manage to get the laptop connected. Right now it’ s time for the medal presentations and the final ceilidh.

What we are doing in the Skiff Worlds

NickB Events 0 Comment

As far as I can make out from the SCR website these are the races that Selkie is entered in –  plus the cruise in company to the Summer Isles on the Tuesday.

Wednesday:
50+ Mixed Heat 2 Wednesday 10th July 1400hrs  (Lane 2)

Thursday:
Open Mixed A Heat 1 Thursday 11th July 1130hrs   (Lane 5)

Friday
40+ Mixed Heat 2 Friday 12th July 1230hrs             (Lane 2)

Saturday
60+ Mixed FINAL Saturday 13th July 1330hrs          (Lane 1)                                                

 If there are any others that I have missed perhaps someone else can add them. Kathy and myself plan to be in Ullapool from the Monday if the wind gods are kind (we are sailing up).

See you there!

 

Wednesday’s painting didn’t happen

NickB Building the boat 11 Comments

No painting today for two reasons.

Firstly, only two people turned up. The minimum number to comfortably do the inside of the boat in a session is three.

Secondly, the undercoat was still a bit soft. Paint had pooled between the stems and the planks near the keel fore and aft, and any runs were too soft to really sand down satisfactorily.

David and I scraped out the worst of the the wet stuff down the side of the stems then sanded the first coat of undercoat down  and wiped it down with white spirit. Another  quick wipe should be all that is needed before painting on Sunday.

We really need to start geting two coats a week on now – Sundays and Wednesdays – so more hands are urgently needed for the painting team if we are to launch in May. We also need some more fine sandpaper. Fine should be all we will be using on the paint from now on.

Tuesday’s painting session went well

NickB Building the boat 4 Comments

Thanks to Ray Norris’s space heater and the bits of water pipe  some kind soul left in the shed  yesterday’s painting session went very smoothly  and the second coat of primer on the inside of the hull is (finally!) complete.

The space heater really warmed the place up and the paint went on very easily as a result. We put the tarpaulins over the waterpipe hoops, and I       don’t think the tarps are touching wet paint anywhere. We left a small tube heater inside to keep temps up a bit while the paint is  drying.

Total time including prep and covering up was 2 hours. Provided (Easter!) Sunday brings at least three people to the shed  it should be  no problem sanding down lightly, wiping with white spirit and  doing a coat of undercoat. Ray is going to bring  us another bottle of gas for the space heater.