Stern Gear

After stopping and starting there has been some progress on the installation of the stern gear.  The thrust plate Andy had fabricated has been welded into the bilge area.  Paul (the welder) told me he’d had to “build it up” to get it in correctly and it now looks like a solid piece of steel.

Andy asked me if I could clean the plate before priming all the bare metal.  I duly started with a wire brush and vacuum cleaner before giving it a coat of primer.  Latter I managed to apply two coats of bilge paint.  The weather was hot and dry so the paint went off very quickly.

Andy then made a start on fitting the dripless seal and Python Drive.

Mid afternoon I was walking back to Waiouru when a rowing boat passed the wharf.  My first though was “She must be lost?  The ocean is in the other direction!”

I think she had become distracted by all the attention and had run aground.  Actually this is OAR (Olympic Atlantic Row) and their website states

In July 2012, British entrepreneur Andrew ‘Mos’ Morris will leave dry land and home comforts behind to row non stop from Bristol to London via the inland waterways. Celebrating the best of British and raising money for the OAR Legacy, Mos aims to arrive in time to enjoy the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.

After extracting herself from the mud and shrubs she gave me a big smile before passing through Padworth Lock on her way to the Thames.

Meanwhile, James has almost finished the crockery rack.  Perhaps there will be a photo of it tomorrow!