PV Grebe

[thewharfonline]

I was out working on the boat (dressed warmly though because it was fffffffreeezing!) agin the other day! I flipped her completely over and began stripping the top and inside of the boat. However the paint on the inside is pretty strong nd as such we're thinking about only chipping off the rough bits and sanding the rest. Not to mention the bot is full of covered and concealed areas so stripping and repainting the inside completely would have been a nightmare!

So with only a few more days of stripping left I'd say we'd be able topaint her soon!

[thewharfonline]

Ok everyone! Thanks to talking with Roderick my interest has again risen in my boat and as such some updates are in order!

So what's been happening!

Well we got the Grebe and flipped her up and high pressure water gunned the inside, removing some of the paint and all of the dirt! (Quick an deasy and sopping wet!)
Then the bad news...we discovered some rot, which has probably been assisted in growth by the fact that she has lived under tarps for most of the year!

Deciding this wouldn't be a nice way for the Grebe to go we loaded her on a wagon and a wheels barrow and took it up to my grandparents house where we loaded her into a shed to continue working!
The benefits of this are that I no longer have to worry about the cold
I can have access to tools, lighting and heat!
Any changes that need to be made can be done instantly...don't have to worry about unrolling an extention cord finding the tools and everything!

So I'm about to go out and work on the Grebe again now, but while I do that take a look at some of the pictures we took of the move to the shed!

[thewharfonline]

Well I arrived up at the shed and the rot we had found had already been fixed up! (Go Grandpa!)

So yesterday I sanded and scraped off the bottom of the hull in preparation for priming. I also removed part of the boat with a crow bar. They are the bits that bump up against a wharf or landing etc I don't know the name, anyway they're gone and the sponsons will replace them!

We also removed the last remaining full handle along with the remnants of the handle that snapped off.

When I get home today I'll probably go up and work on her a bit more!

[Khephre]

I also removed part of the boat with a crow bar. They are the bits that bump up against a wharf or landing etc I don't know the name, anyway they're gone

I've always called them rubbing strakes but I've also heard them referred to as outwales...

Tony

[Brian]

Has it been definitely decided to go for a Side-wheeler design rather than a Stern-wheeler option?

I am asking this, as some PD contributers seem to have posted Stern-wheeler plans.

Best of luck

[thewharfonline]

Yes it will be a sidewheeler simply because I don't like sternwheelers....

As Murray River water flows through my veins I am more used to side wheelers- sternwheelers not being very suitable for the twists and bends in our rivers. So that's why it will be a side wheeler, the reason sounds a bit snobbish mind you but I prefer side wheelers and there's nothing I can do about it.

I feel it may also take up less room with the shaft being in the middle of the boat with the engine instead of having arms to the back of the boat. I also don't think a sternwheel would suit her! She deserves sides!

I know gunwhales are the part on top of the boat but are they also the 'rubbing strakes'?

Oh well it really doesn't matter because they will be sponsons soon!

[Khephre]

yep - gunwales will do as well. And if your gunwale runs across the ribs then its an internal scuppered gunwale

Mate if you have Murray River flowing through your veins.....then yechhh! Isn't that the river that looks so brown and muddy that local reckon it flows upside down, with the bottom on the top?

I agree with sticking with the sidewheeler concept for your boat - I'd worry that a stern wheel would concentrate too much weight at the stern

Cheers
Tony

[thewharfonline]

Mate if you have Murray River flowing through your veins.....then yechhh! Isn't that the river that looks so brown and muddy that local reckon it flows upside down, with the bottom on the top?

Tony

Tony, it's called River Fever and 95% of Murray River books talk about it, All The Rivers Run the film has it quoted by Brenton Edwards (John Waters). I caught the river fever something like 14 years ago and it doesn't leave you...that's why the Murray Flows through your veins...blood is thicker than water...Murray Water is thicker than blood...sad but true lol

Yeh a sterwheel would pull her down especially as she only sits very shallow in the water.

Sean

[Peter Webster]

Tony,
         You are getting mixed up with our beloved Yarra River which is a tidal river and flows through the centre of Melbourne. It is still areasonably clean river and has cruises on it including one with a steam boat, unfortunately not a paddler though.
Peter Webster

[thewharfonline]

There's actually another company that operates a steam boat too, I sailed with them for my birthday last year, not on the steam one though. It's being fixed up in Echuca!

Yeh the Yarra isn't hyalf as nice as the Murray!

[anth]

sean
        so are you going to make her steam powered...... more fun! :wink:

[thewharfonline]

sean
        so are you going to make her steam powered...... more fun! :wink:

:More Fun
:More Time Consuming
:More Work
:More Expensive
:More room taken up

...I'd like to make her steam but it's not going to happen. I can't afford it and however romantic steam is it's not going to work for this boat. You see I want to be able to get outside switch her on and paddle around. Not have to fire up an engine! This is more practicle, mind you I have thought of remodelling a traction engine model at one stage to power the engine...but it would be too expensive!

So that's why I'm not using steam even though it would be very nice!

[ya33a]

Not a paddler - well the sort we think of here initially but a converted paddler of a different sort....

but a 1 man steam canoe, what will they think of next?

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~storerm/Steam/Steam_Canoe.html

To view it put the mouse over the whole line of text and copy it 'Ctrl & C' at the sme time then paste 'ctrl V' in the header of your internet page - (info for young players)...lol..


Andrew

[paddlesteamerman1]

Well Sean, You dont dissapoint do you!!! I was expecting a 'real' paddler, but I suppose it gives what it promises. Still it is better than my boat though... It does look like a lot of fun and I hope it keeps giving you fun. I have forgotten how you intend the paddles to operate, was it motorised or hand powered???

[thewharfonline]

I can't afford a full size yet...maybe one day! She'll be motorised to some degree, don't know exactly how yet...a new idea every week!