PV Grebe

[thewharfonline]

No Bryalah wasn't a real paddler it was a model with a model sailboat hull we got off some friends. I look at those old posts now and go...sheesh I've grown up!

I think the more interesting one is the other real paddler thread created by me about building my own with the plans and wanting to build everything myself...I was a nutcase for thinking those things! Now I have a boat and it's coming along nicely so I'm happy!

James I can tell you now I've been doing this whole research, purchase and pre-paddler work for way over a year now so nothing will happen 'asap' it will happen 'asaic' -as soon as it can!

I suppose that's the best advise I can give for now...that and if you're stripping paint by a heat gun!

Just a slight reflective peice I guess here over the last year and a bit and just seeing what's been happening with Grebe-
-I think purchasing the second hand hull was a great idea especially for the price.
-The fact that it actually sailed was also very good...and it didn't sink either which was fantastic
-Getting the heat gun worked a dream for stripping paint...and I'm glad I did strip the paint because of all the spots I'm patching up now
-Getting help from parents/grandparents is vital and well worth it...if I would have been restoring Grebe by myself she would be sunk at the bottom of the lake
-Don't let those adults helping you take control- if so Grebe would be sunk at the bottom of the lake with wheels made from rubber tyres and powered by two drills
-Keep motivated as work happens more when you are
-Drop out of school to repair and restore more full time (well one can dream can't they!)
-Remember pink primer is not the final colour of the boat so don't get to worried when you see your boat pink...but laugh when you see the Hero pink!
-Fill all gaps because otherwise you're going to have to do it after...to bigger gaps!
-Buy good paint scrapers!
-Take lots of photos!

There that is my reflective piece so far on the construction of Grebe more actual Grebe work soon!

Sean!

[thewharfonline]

After a nice machine sand Grebe has now been primed on her bottom. So she's nice and pink on her underbelly!

Hull sides will be worked on next

Photos soon!

[thewharfonline]

Well Grebe is out of action today for a few reasons...
1) The Primer requires 24 hours to dry (ho hum twiddles thumbs in boredom)
2) I have work today so I'll be busy for a few ours there and as such a few hours less to work on the boat
3) Mum is making me study for my exams next week....yay the excitement!

So hopefully I will be able to get out on Grebe tomorrow so that I can sand back the primer and put on another coat! Then move onto filling the sides and making sure no large gaps exist...annoying little buggers they are!

I think at this rate I could have the hull refloated by New Year...however christmas work hours are going to pop up which will stall that progress!

Sean

[thewharfonline]

New colours for PV Grebe...however on this computer that I am on the screen is darker and as such the colours probably aren't exactly what I want!

Anyway colours are from the actual bird Grebe so it's looking more like one now!

[paddlesteamerman1]

That looks very swash!!!!
I think that for the SJ colours I was going to use the Pev, but have changed to using that Alexander Artubuthnots colours!!
I think that maybe the hull of the SJ could be floated in... AGES AWAY!! Ah well!!

Lookin' Good

[thewharfonline]

Now by Alexander Arbuthnot colours you would mean Red and White correct?

Alexander Arbuthnot and now Adelaide (unfortunately) are only creme and Maroon basically because of Ranger. Ranger was the first boat in Echuca to carry these colours and (similar to Mildura red,white and blue) Echuca now has a fleet of the same colour boats.

Adelaide should bear a chocolate brown and white/light creme colour while Alexander Arbuthnot was Red and White, hence why my model was those colours, however the colours were not accurate to original boat colours of the A.A.

I assume you're going with the Creme and Maroon. A way to see what colours work I found is to cruise round estates of houses. They all have colour schemes that work together and mix well so if you're looking for a good or unique colour scheme check out your houses.

I'll be heading up onto Grebe soon again to sand down her primer coat and put on another one so that she's nice and primed. After that we'll either get some paint and undercoat or flip her over onto her side so that we can work on patching up the sides of the boat before sanding and priming like the base of the hull. The back of the boat needs a bit more work before we prime that.

[paddlesteamerman1]

Nah, no I wont be using the Maroon and Cream scheme anymore, to many boats have that, and I want to be original in the Murray..
Mildura has its Red, White and Blue.. Echuca has the Maroon and Cream starting to pop up everywhere ( the Emmylou also has it, which makes 4 boats) and the South Australian towns are all different to each other..
I really like the Industry's colours.. They suit it, and I think that they could suit the SJ (if I put the round paddle boxes on, I visualise it with square paddle boxes and that colour scheme, but maybe I should just try it and see!!)
I change my mind to many times!!!

[thewharfonline]

As you may have noticed there has been no work performed on the Grebe lately.

But my plans currently stand at this-

As we are currently in a drought 'Lake Bryan' (as Roderick often refers to it) is slowly dropping in water level...I have never seen it this low. (We use the water to water plants and gardens on the property)

Dad and I will be out there soon sinking pylons in for 'Grebe's' private jetty...that's Mum's request.

As time rolls by I am currently contemplating completing Grebe in 'row boat' form, painted nicely so that she can accompany her private jetty.

Then (as I still want her to be a paddler) I will knock up a hand powered paddle shaft and enjoy myself with that for awhile.

From there on engine plans will be re-established. The steam paddler canoe in another thread shows that any size boat can become a paddler...even if it is a little squishy.

[thewharfonline]

This weekend my dad and my grandpa got out on 'Lake Bryalah' and began work on Grebe's private Jetty...

The following are photos from today (we didn't take any yesterday when we sunk the first pylons were sunk)

As you can see the water is quite low at the moment ('irrigation' purposes) but when the water is 'very full' during the middle of winter the jetty will appear to float on top of the water.

I know it's not paddler- but it will be part of Grebe's story. This is the only post I'll make on the Jetty.

Hope you like the photos.

[paddlesteamerman1]

Sean I am really jealous now!!!!
You are lucky to have that lake - and now a jetty... WOW..
Our dams practically have no water in them.. so SJ wont float - but when they are full they are large enough to house the boat..
In fact - now that you have posted photos of the jetty.. I might consider building one when SJ becomes ''water worthy''... (If she ever does!)..
It looks great though..
How far down have you driven the piles into the bank??

[thewharfonline]

Wouldn't have a clue James- I played no part in building the Jetty at all. She's getting her final touch- Hand Rail- on Saturday. I recommence work on Grebe possibly during the School Holidays as a way to take a relaxing break from work. Easter is crazy in a lolly shop.

[thewharfonline]

Ok so the above photos show a fairly empty lake...still lots of water in it though.

The picture you are about to see is quite different.

The Jetty is now finished. The water is now full.

This happened overnight, no joke.

We got some rain, and we sit on a natural water course. When the rain first arrived we got excited because first one rung, then two rungs of the ladder on the side of the jetty were 'drowned' by the water.

Then Dad picks me up from work one Friday night, it's raining, and he says 'Bet it will be filled up by tomorrow'. I doubted. The lake had a lot!!!! of water needing to be placed into it to fill it up.

But sure enough I woke up the next day and there it was, full! And still filling. Over on the opposite side to the jetty was a tiny little water fall.

Crazy.

Roderick, has first hand been on the Jetty on what he calls 'Lake Bryalah', yet he saw it only a matter of days or weeks before it was full so this is the first time he has seen it full.

Note: I think the water level is higher now and that there is a lot of debris in the lake- just as you'd expect from a river after a flood.

[Roderick Smith]

I have had an e-mail from Sean.  He now has a second boat.  It came with paddles, but not on wheels on a drive shaft.  He got it at a good price before inflation set in.  This could be a big blow to the PV Grebe project.  It can hardly be called a tinny, but calling it a 'rubbery' could lead to awkard reporting ('Sean buys rubbery for use with his girlfriend').  The photo which he sent looks as if he is preparing to mount a Phantom of the opera cameo with his theatre company, in the wake of Fiddler on the roof, Star wars and Little shop of horrors.  The boat has been named Anaconda.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[thewharfonline]

So Today was 'Boat Day' once again out here on the lake, or the Birthday of Grebe. And we did go boating! Cath and I returned to the lake, however not in Grebe, but in the smaller Anaconda. We didn't think it was going to be a nice day- but the clouds broke and it was once again beautiful, just like three years ago.

On Sunday I considered 'Is Grebe at a state where with just some paint we could refloat her?' and perhaps we're close, but perhaps we're not. I really need to get some marine paint and some time.

Paddling around on the Anaconda has made me realise one thing though- she really needs her older cousin to join her! It would be nice to have two boats on the lake.

What has also been good aside from floating on the lake has been using the Jetty, we've never used it until the other day, so it was good to see that it worked!

The name Anaconda comes from the shop where we spontaneously bought the boat- in case any one was wondering.

Hope all has been well!

Sean

[thewharfonline]

With the economic crisis the way it is inflation seems to be the way to go- Oh I'm funny! We bought another inflatable boat this weekend, a smaller boat which is MUCH cheaper in quality- we call it the kids toy compared to the real boat. But it made for some fun, and was towable which was interesting fun. Will post pics.

What it has also lead to is an interest once again in getting Grebe out on the water, in whatever form that may be. Will look at working on her again after my trip to New York in December.