Issue 22/5October

2013

The magazine of the Seamaster ClubVolume 22

SEAMASTER CLUB

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Please note that all the items shown on this pages are intended for Seamaster Clubmembers and their families only, they are not for sale to non-members. The SeamasterClub makes no profit on any of these items.Copies of The Seamaster Story may be made available to non-members upon request,but at a commercial price.

Embroidered Sports ClothingEmbroidered Sweat Shirts, Polos, etc. We can offer a wide selectionof colours and styles, embroidered with the Seamaster Club logo.Prices:Fleece - specify full or half zip £21.00 + £3.50 p&pSweat Shirt Round neck . . . . £15.00 + £2.50 p&pSweatshirt collar attached . . £16.00 + £2.50 p&pPolo Shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £11.50 + £2.00 p&pBaseball Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . £8.50 + £1.30 p&pAll prices include embroidery of the Seamaster Club logo andyou may add names if you wish.

Seamaster Boat Logos:We can supply full-colour vinyl transfers with your model number, which are now available for allSeamaster models , including Sailers, at £20 per boat incl p&p. Other logos, etc., may be arranged toorder.

Logo PlatesLogo Plates for “30” or “8M” logos areavailable @ £30 + carriage (POA) per setOther plates can be made to order.

Seamaster Club BurgeesSeamaster Club burgees are now available in two qualities.Standard single-sided priced at £10.00 and de-luxe double-sided priced at £20.00, both prices include p&p.

ORDERING & PAYMENT:For all items on this page & page 43 please order from Brian Rowland, 113Park Avenue, Orpington, Kent BR6 9EG enclosing the correct payment.The Seamaster Club cannot accept credit cards. Please pay for all goods bycheque payable to “The Seamaster Club”.

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CONTENTS2 Seamaster Club Merchandise

3 Contents

4 Diary Dates

5 Members’ Weekend and AGM 2013 update

6 Chairman’s Report

7 From the Editor

8 Membership News

10 News from the Regions

15 Readers Letters, etc

A Thank You to a Coordinator

Second Melody

Roof Leak in 8M

Fitting a Shower in a Seamaster 27

Convert “Open plan ” or not.

And where can I buy a hood?

Good Pub Food in the Broads

“Gearbox slip” and new Rubbing Strake on a 30

20 Despatches from your President

More on the Diesel Bug

23 Shipwrecked – well nearly

25 Heavy Helm on a 23 Sailer

New Boat, First Trip with Peter Gwyn-Griffiths

27 Environment Agency - Managing 24-hour Moorings

28 Commercial Adverts

31 Members Classified Advertisements

41 Your Committee

42 Area Coordinators & Technical Advisors

43 Seamaster Club Publications for Members only

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and any other content of entries in thismagazine are those of the contributors; The Seamaster Club, and theEditor , do not accept responsibility for such content.

Cover Picture: Eye Catcher, a Seamaster 815 Sailer, is for sale in our Small Ads -see pages 31/ 2 for details.

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DIARY DATES

2013

October 5th Norfolk Broads - Lunch with Dilham Boat Club, The Rising SunColtishall 12.30pm

November 2nd/3rd Seamaster Club AGM & Members Weekend, Holiday Inn,Shepperton, Thames

November 12th Copy date for Issue 22/6 of Seamaster Lives On

November 24th Committee Meeting & Social, Orpington.

Late Nov/early Dec Gt Ouse & Fens End of season / Xmas meal - date and venue tba

December 1st Issue 22/6 of Seamaster Lives On published

December 7th Norfolk Broads - The Christmas Bash, Wayford Bridge Inn

Coordinators are requested to notify the editor as soon as new events are scheduled fortheir area.

All copy should be sent to the Newsletter Editor: email: editor@seamasterclub.org or post to:

Brian Rowland, at 1 13 Park Avenue, Orpington, Kent BR6 9EG

COOKHAM 2013

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Members’ Weekend and AGM 2013updateJust a reminder that the Members’ Weekend andAGM will be held this year on Saturday 2nd andSunday 3rd November in the Thames region. Thevenue will be the Holiday Inn, Felix Lane,Shepperton, Surrey TW17 8NP, where we havenegotiated an attractive package for members.Many members like to stay overnight and we havenegotiated special room rates of £75 double and£55 single for b & b on the nights of 1st and 2nd November. If you wish to stay overnight andyou have not previously booked with Brian Rowland please contact Dawn or Michael at thehotel on 01932 899933 or 01932 899988 (switchboard) and remember to ask for theSeamaster Club special rate.This is the first time the Club has been back to the Thames for over 8 years and we lookforward to welcoming a number of you from that region as well as from around the country.The venue fits our usual AGM criteria of being close to the water, with good transport links,and a reasonably competitive price.On Saturday late morning we will hold the popular boat jumble in the Car park of thevenue. There will then be an informal buffet lunch, followed by the formal AGM. There willbe plenty of opportunities for discussion either on technical matters with Paul Killick andother Committee members, or indeed on any subject. Members are encouraged to raiseany questions at the formal AGM, although some advance notice to the Committee wouldbe welcomed, if possible, to allow appropriate preparation.To conclude the afternoon we will have a short talk from the Royal National LifeboatInstitution. The RNLI have provided speakers in the past on a variety of topics and all haveproved most interesting and, on some occasions, full of surprises.In the evening there is an optional Dinner for those who wish to prolong the day or indeedmake a weekend of it. The hotel itself is set in 11 acres of leafy grounds with complimentaryparking, and a fitness centre with gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room.Of course, the Thames Valley is a very attractive venue in its own right, and this year wehave not arranged anything specific, assuming that Members may be happy just to travelat their own pace to explore their chosen sights. Some suggestions are given below.Nearby at Shepperton Lock is the headquarters of Nauticalia (Ferry Lane, Shepperton-on-Thames, TW17 9LQ), open both days for those gift/ Christmas present ideas for theboater who has everything. On the more hard chandlery side, Chertsey Meads Marineboatyard is just up the road, very helpful specialists in BLMC/ Perkins/ Ford engines,Enfield Z Drives and a plethora of spares generally. They are well versed in Seamastershaving had 30s and 813s in their hire fleet. (The Meads, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 8LNwww.boatgear.info).Slightly further afield are Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace and gardens, and theattractions of London itself, easily accessible by road or public transport (Walton onThames mainline or Hatton Cross underground). Whilst the massive Pinewood Studiosat Shepperton are not open to the public, the Warner Brothers (Harry Potter) studio tour isavailable all year round (pre-booking required) at Leavesden near Watford (Junction 20M25 www.wbstudiotour.co.uk). There is certainly plenty to see and do to fill the weekend.Your Committee hope as many of you as possible will feel able to join us at this event.The calling notice announcing arrangements for the AGM will be issued early in October.

Chairman’ s ReportI write this report having just returned from the Broads Autumn Weekend at thepicturesque Salhouse Broad, near Wroxham, Norfolk. Another enjoyable weekendin good company (and spirits – enough said!) with 12 boats attending, plus 2 othercrews joining by road making 27 of us for Dinner on Saturday. A more completereport will be in the next magazine, but it just shows that it takes more than a littlebit of rain (and wind) to put Seamaster Club members off!I always say there’s no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothing (fail to prepare,prepare to fail, etc). The end of the season can be a lovely time out on the water, much less traffic (thedreaded hire craft) giving the chance to have the rivers to yourself, if you get up early enough, and tosee the many and varied wildlife. We recently saw 4 kingfishers just in the 1 hour cruise down fromColtishall to Wroxham. Mind you it was about 7.30 am to make the low tide to get under the bridge.Another time recently we set off from Somerleyton on the Waveney in Suffolk at 5.30 am to hit slackwater at Great Yarmouth around 2 hours later. Fantastic, except I’d forgotten the sun didn’t come uptill 6 am, and also it was misty on the water. Finally got the chance to use my navigation lights after9 years! Again, a splendid display of wading birds crossing Breydon Water at that time. Even on theThames we saw many kingfishers, plus the now ubiquitous Red Kite, once rare but successfullyreintroduced to the Chilterns. More unusually we saw Green Parrots and Freshwater Turtles whichhad probably escaped from Beale Park, a nature reserve near Pangbourne. I appreciate late seasoncruising can be more difficult on rivers with locks such as the Thames or Great Ouse which aresometimes closed to navigation due to strong stream running. If you can however, do get wrapped up,fire up those Eberspachers if you have them, and try and get out for some more boat time, you knowit makes sense!Having said all this, our thoughts are now starting to turn to the winter lay-up and the “wish-list” forour 813, “Coldstream II”. There always seems to be something, over and above draining/recommissioning of the domestic water system, engine service/ oil change, battery charging etc. Asever there are helpful notes in the Members’ Area of the website on winterisation if you’re going todo this yourselves. We finally need to have 2 internal bulkheads replaced either end of the galley area(one part of the wardrobe, one next to the heads). Under previous ownership our boat suffered fromwater incursion when the windows leaked and were “bodged” with mastic. We have had our windowsresealed twice in 9 years, the general flexing of the fibreglass on lift-outs probably being a factor (seeTerry Weller’s excellent article in the last magazine if you fancy doing this job yourselves plus againsome stuff in the Members’ Area). To get to the bulkheads involves dismantling the galley; such wasthe way the boats were constructed. Hence we are looking at new work surfaces/kitchen sink in thegalley, and washbasin/ shower/ shower tray in the heads – joy. And there was me thinking of savingany spare cash for an eventual new engine or even a bow thruster. Again there are previous articles inthe magazine archives on re-engining a 27 with a Nanni. Not a simple process as the original engineswere offset and are also wider than modern diesel engines. This requires new engine bearers to bemade and a new gearbox in the case of 813s. Think I will have to keep cherishing my originalThorneycroft 1.8 for a few more years.This will be the last magazine before our Members Weekend and AGM at The Holiday Inn, Shepperton,Thames on 2-3 November. Please see a separate article touching on the attractions and giving a flavourof the programme. It will be good to see some new faces attending as well as our usual loyalsupporters and the Committee look forward to meeting you then. The usual calling notice andinformation pack will be sent to you in October. Nomination forms will be included and any membersoffering their candidacy to join the Committee will be most welcome. I should add, contrary to mylast report, that Lynn Dye has now freed up some time and is happy to stay on as Minutes Secretary,for which the Committee is extremely grateful.Happy Boating, Peter

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From the Editor

Sylvia and I have managed to visit several areas this year inluding rallies atRanworth in the Norfolk Broads and Beccles in the Suffolk Broads (PlantersPunch is moored in the middle at Burgh Castle), at Little Paxton on the GreatOuse and Cookham on the Thames and it is great to see so many memberspulling together and enjoying themselves in these areas. My thanks to eachof the area coordinators for their sterling work.

However, once again I am seeking a new volunteer, this time in the Great Ouse & Fens areawhich has been most ably covered by Sandra Woodham for the last few years. She hasdone a grand job, as did her predecessors, and deserves our thanks and good wishes forfuture boating with, dare I say it, a non-Seamaster. Traitor! - only joking.

So, a new coordinator is required for the area. It need not be a terribly demanding job beinglargely what you make it. Fundamentally it involves fielding queries from other members onthings to do with Seamasters and in this role if the coordinator does not know the answerthey need only refer the question to one of the committee who will take it on board. Also,keeping a look-out for possible new members. In the Great Ouse area it has also beencustomary to run rallies, both afloat and in pubs which requires a little organising but againis not difficult. In all of this the committee is here to help.

It would be a shame to see the activity in the area decline so come on, where is thatvolunteer?

I am pleased to say that I have received plenty of material for this issue and, indeed, havehad to keep some back for the next issue. In this issue, in response to a suggestion byPaul Killick our technical advisor, I have included a reprint of an earlier article on the changesto diesel fuel. For the next article I have also been asked for articles on:

fitting a shower into a Seamaster 27 and

reprint of an article re modifying the rudder on a Seamaster 23 Sailer for betterhandling.

Free 24-Hour Moorings: At page 27 is a press release from the Enviroment Agencyannouncing a trial of a new way of managing their free 24-hour moorings on the Thames.I welcome this initiative on the Thames or anywhere else; we are plagued by moorers whodump their boats on these moorings and leave them there for days or weeks preventinggenuine cruising users from being able to moor there overnight. I have seen it on theThames, Broads, and elsewhere on rivers and canals. Like people who do not pay theirlicence fees these long-stay moorers are most unwelcome. Many of these boats are alsoparticularly untidy - or worse. Fines and removals are to be welcomed.

Seamaster Club Members’ Social W eekend and AGM 2013: A final reminder of this eventwhich is described more fully by our Chairman in page 5.

Enjoy what remains of the season.

Brian Rowland

NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE MEMBERSYou may have been handed this magazine by a friend, and now be wondering how to find out moreabout joining the Club. For more details, please contact:

Brian Rowland, 113 Park Avenue, Orpington, Kent BR6 9EG Tel: 01689 824531

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MEMBERSHIPDETAILS RE-

MOVED

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Sans Souci rally 2012

NEWS FROM THE REGIONSTHE FENS AND GREAT OUSE

Where has the year gone so far, here we are,fast approaching the end of summer and theend of another boating season is drawing nigh.Since my last article we had our usualwonderful Sans Souci rally in the garden ofmembers Sylvie & Mike Chase’s home on thebanks of the river at Little Paxton. 20 membersattended with some arriving by boat and othersby road.Those who “boated” down were:-

Mo & Paul - SaratinaKevin & Angela - Old Bones

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Polly & Allan - Holly RoseThose who drove were:-

Marion & Barry - White KnightBrenda & David - Eastern PromiseRose & Brian - DoreliaSandra & Alan - ArianaSam & Bob - Evermore

We were very pleased and grateful that Brian& Sylvia Rowland came all the way from Kentto join us. It was lovely to see them both.This year the weather was kinder to us andwe all enjoyed ourselves until late into theevening. A raffle was held which raised£38.00 for club funds. Once again, on behalfof us all, can I express our gratitude to Sylvie& Mike for their hospitality and use of theirhome and gardens for this rally.

On a sadder note, this will be my last articleas Alan & I have bought another boat(unfortunately not a Seamaster) so I haveresigned from the Club and we now urgentlyneed a new Co-ordinator. I have enjoyed mylast 3 years undertaking this role. Pleasecontact Brian Rowland if you would like to fillthis vacancy.I wish you all the best for the future and nodoubt I will be bumping into many of youboth on and off the river.Happy boating and cheerio.Sandra WoodhamArea Co-ordinator

THE NORFOLK REGION

Surlingham lunch28th July 2013

When I booked the Surlingham SundayLunch a few of the Southern Broadsmembers said they would like to make a

weekend of it so that’s just what we did. Theweekend started on Saturday lunchtimewhen we met up with Mayfly on the RiverYare for an afternoon in Surlingham Broadthe details of which will be covered underanother article. Opus II joined Mayfly andRum Navy on the broad amongst greatexcitement as they had brought along theirnew crew members - Alfie and Murray theirnew puppies who seemed to have taken toboating like a duck to water.We moored at The Ferry Inn at Surlinghamlate afternoon and decided it was only politeto have a nice afternoon drink outside. Theafternoon passed very quickly as we spentthe time chatting and entertaining the dogs.They attracted much more attention than anyof us or indeed our boats.

Those attendingRoger and Pat - New MoonAngela - Emma LouiseDorothy and Eric - Lady MargaretAlan and Hilde - KoraliRoger and Dottie - DelightPeter, Sandra, Alfie and Murray - Opus IISusan and Michael - MayflyJon and Caroline - Rum Navy

Next morning we awoke to a very windy daywhich made mooring up extremely difficultfor some boats as would be proved later.We all enjoyed a splendid lunch – for anyonethat hasn’t eaten at the Ferry Inn please do –you will not be disappointed. After lunch wesat outside and soaked up the afternoonsun.I was rather annoyed when a rather largeBroom 37 reversed into Rum Navy as theywere leaving their mooring – as they wereabout to head off I requested they return tothe shore which took them an age despite the

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vast array of thrusters and two engines! –inspection revealed no damage had beendone apart from the pride of the Broomskipper. Seamaster boats are built towithstand these challenges.The River Yare is the largest river on theBroads and we try each year to ensure thatwe have an event on each and every riverwhich works well. Thanks to all of you whocame along.

Caroline and Jon - Rum Navy

The Navy Lark, Beccles16th-18th August

In organising the Beccles weekend I wasconfident that I had everything under controlMy plan was to leave on Thursday aroundlate morning for the five hour trip to Beccles,get there first and organise the mooringleaving the Harbourmaster to his own work.My plans did not take into account that byThursday lots of Seamasters would alreadybe on the River Waveney and had been forsome time. On the way to Beccles we metup with Delight and as we both travelleddown came across Goosander (it was greatto see Stan again!), Opus II and Mayfly.On getting down to Beccles late afternoonit was clear our Chairman was alreadymoored up with several other boatsincluding Stornaway and Glengariff.The temptation to avoid the Indianrestaurant in Beccles lasted about 30minutes before we decided to sample thedelights of the India Gate. Fortified withsome excellent fare we returned to the Yachtstation and retired after what had been, formany, a very long day especially for thosewho had travelled from the northern broadsacross Breydon Water (always a treat!).Friday was a bit of a late start and by thetime showers had been completed manyof the 19 expected boats began to arriveseeming to fill up our allocated spacesrather quickly. As it turned out we hadcalculated the width of the moorings withina couple of feet and there was space foreveryone. Shore power was connected,possibly establishing a new world record for

the number of splitter leads used andeverybody braved the slightly changeableweather to catch up on the Norfolk gossipjust as Brian and Sylvia arrived from theWaveney House Hotel in Beccles wherethey were staying – a very comfortable stayby all accounts.

Boats Attending: Rum Navy, Mayfly, Korali,Touchwood, Emma Louise, Delight,Coldstream II, Lady Margaret,Northstream, The JB, New Moon,Stornaway, Jenny Wren, Stengeo, OpusII, Mr Tickle III, Break in the Clouds,Goosander, GlengariffBy Road: Brian & Sylvia Rowland andColin & Lynn Dye

With all the boats safely moored, Fridayevening saw everyone donning SundayBest ready for the evening at The WaveneyHouse Hotel where a good time was hadby all. The staff looked after us well and thefood was hot and the wine chilled – perfect!!!Saturday was time to relax and sitting in thesun was a pleasant way to spend the firstpart of the morning but not liking to sitaround when a drink is on offerarrangements kicked in to transport around25 people to the Locks Inn at Geldeston forlunch and to sample some very nice beerbrewed by the Green Jack Brewery basedin Lowestoft. The original plan to catch theBig Dog Ferry from Beccles to Geldestonwas ditched when I learnt their outboardhad blown up and the ferry would not berunning. Taxi’s were hastily arranged withsome difficulty to take the majority of us from

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A to B. A smaller group relished the challengeof a long walk to Geldeston and built up athirst on their journey, arriving lookingsurprisingly fresh from their efforts. An evensmaller group came down by river on aselection of inflatable boats and on Will’sJenny Wren.All good things come to an end and soonwe headed back to Beccles where we helda committee meeting – it was good to seeColin and Lynn Dye who had made a specialjourney to Beccles. Discussion covered allaspects of the Club’s activities and plansincluding the AGM in November.With official business out of the way it wastime to think about the activities for Saturdayevening. Since we changed the meal toFriday this has become a much morerelaxed affair and as people made theirselection from the Pearl River Chinesetakeaway the sound of corks popping filledthe air. The £334 order was rung throughand people began to assemble in the tentwhich proved to be a bit of a squeeze –perhaps it’s time to think about thatextension???Once again all the food arrived safely andonce consumed some of us went to the funfair where we headed straight away for thedodgem cars which was great fun, so muchso that we all went on again. It is fair to sayour boat handling skills are far superior toour driving skills based on the crashes thattook place with a deliberate high speedramming technique favoured by all!Safely back on our boats after a medicinalbrandy or two to recover from the dodgems,peace and calm reigned over the Yacht Station

and a good night’s sleep was enjoyed after abusy day.Sunday arrived with plenty of sunshine andas the tent was cleared away plenty of teaand coffee was consumed. Mooring feeswere paid and we departed to pastures newfor some and home for others.Thank you to everyone who turned up andmade the weekend a very enjoyable one –19 boats to a rally is a good turnout and agood time was had by all, meeting somenew members and the usual crowd ofSeamaster Regulars who always make aneffort to attend. If you only come to one event,make it Beccles. The town is great and thestaff at the Yacht Station are all verywelcoming.See you next year??? – the moorings arebooked already so all that is needed is you!!Jon

THE THAMES REGIONCookham WeekendSeptember 6th- 8th

The weather on Cookham Meadows proveda complete contradiction, ranging throughsunny, hot, cold, blowy, pleasant and OK!Having been away with my “Aussie relies”on a family “Reunion” throughout Walesthen home to the Isle of Man, memberscould not get hold of me so in optimisticmood, having seen the Aussies off toQueensland I jumped on Tarroo Ushtey andmade for Cookham in boiling hot weather.Arriving on the Friday, I found the CookhamRegatta / Show also on for the weekend.Where were we going to moor? By eveningthere were 4 Seamasters spread out

“inconveniently” to protect our moorings forlate-comers. This worked well with a finaltally of 6 boats plus three cars. As the showwas on the cars were able to come ontothe meadow also.Friday evening was a bit of a blur, Iremember the bridge of Tarroo Ushtey filledwith a mixture of very good looking “younggirls”, sufficient nibbles and liquidrefreshment and an abundance of goodhumour and laughter.Saturday the crews had a great time at the“Fair” and Regatta (dragon boats, skiffs,canoes, etc racing) and some great stallsetc., all in all a “classic” village fete. Asmembers arrived on Saturday (I had pre-booked at the Kings Arms) with menus inhand the crews chose their meals. By 18:30most crews were in the Kings Arms enjoyinggood humour and the odd drink, thence intoa private room to enjoy excellent service,really good food at a very reasonable priceand rounded off by a surfeit of jokes andgood humour and a toast to which the“Gentlemen” stood – the ladies received itwith due humility (did I see a blush?)Sunday saw some boats head home; allagreed it was a happy and friendly weekend

and wish to do it again in 2014, to coincidewith the Cookham Fair / Regatta so why notput it in your diary too.Other boats went upriver to Marlow meetingon the free town moorings and enjoying agreat evening at the Marlow Donkey – to berecommended.Finally Tarroo Ushtey moved reluctantlydownriver with Harmony Row.All in all a weekend to remember, niceboats, great people and an abundance oflaughter.The following boats attended: TarrooUshtey, Harmony Row, Great Bear II,Holyport, My Solace and Mischief Maker andwe were joined by Sylvia & Brian, Pat & Derekand Chrissy & Andrew who came by roadI conclude by thanking all for such amemorable and happy weekend, thank youall so much.PS Due to demand I shall try and resurrectthe weekend at Middle Thames Yacht Club.PPS: If anyone finds the expensive fishinggear, with a yellow float last seen in thepossession of a cormorant at Cookhamplease contact Mr White, Harmony Row.Peter Gwyn-Griffiths, Thames Coord

Readers Letters, etc

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Tel: 01628471368

A Thank You to a Coordinator:Berkshire9th September, 2013Dear Brian and Sylvia,It was very nice to see you both at the ThamesCookham Rally at Cookham Meadow and tobe able to socialize with some of the otherClub Members. The Dragon Boat Races andVintage Car Regatta on the Saturday were anadded bonus, plus being lucky with theweather on the day.It was great that Peter was able to organizeand reserve the tables and pre-book menusfor all 17 of us to enjoy a very nice meal andcompany at the King’s Arms in CookhamVillage.Also we would like to thank Peter forentertaining us on Friday afternoon whenwe arrived. The moorings at the Meadowwere excellent for getting on and off the boatand the water depth was deep enough. Alltogether it was a very enjoyable weekend.We hope we will have more events nextseason on the Thames.Yours truly,Ray and Val (Valray)

Second MelodyFrom: Peter & Mary To:paul@seamasterclub.org

Hi, Paul,SM is in trouble again.German mechanics have diagnosed theengines’ uncontrollable surging after anhour’s use as being due to wear in thecompressor / injector pumps. They (thepumps) have been removed and as wellas the injectors; engineers in Fenton aredealing with them.The other problem is that the starboard ‘Pbracket’ has a crack which suggests that itshould be replaced before serious damageoccurs. Where can I best obtain one? I haveno measurements for the shaft and hopethat it is a standard size for a Perkins 4108.Your comments on both these matters wouldbe very much appreciated.I hope that you are well and look forward to

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seeing you at the AGM.Best Wishes, Peter Harvey.

Hi Peter and MaryIf your injector pumps have never beenserviced I don’t doubt they could be right,you’re not using road fuel are you? If you aredon’t! It’s totally unsuitable for thoseengines! Will cause much damage toinjector pumps!Brian wrote a fair amount in the magazineabout this issue when the Bio-Content andcleaner fuels first became available. Moderndiesels (Common Rail) are designed to runon it, our old mechanical fuel injectionssystems are not.The boating press have also written loads ofarticles on the subject.After scribing the above the more I think of itthe more I am leaning to your fuel type beingthe cause.I am afraid the “P” brackets have to be custommade now, we have a really good firm in theUK near London who made some recentlyfor a member’s Seamaster 30. WillmansEngineering near Isleworth. He took the verybent original to them, they straightened it outand used it for a casting mould to make newones. I now have the originals but have noidea whether your 8M have the same shape/ sizes as our 30`s. The shafts will be 1 ¼”with a standard taper. Original ones werePhosphor Bronze and later Stainless Steel316 grade. Shafts should be drawn everyfew years to check for wear, corrosion andtrueness and the props polished andbalanced. On re-fitting the engine mountsshould be checked and re-adjusted. Enginemisalignment causes serious wear to shaftsand lack of proper anodes corrosion throughelectrolysis which can also damage “P”brackets, the cutlass bearings in the “P”brackets should also be checked for wearannually.Next time you’re out there whip the “P”brackets off and bring them to the UK, shafts/ props as well. Takes about two hours perside if all the fixings have been regularly greased& are corrosion free.I might also suggest you have the fuel analysed,

the fuel injection specialist should offer thisespecially if serious wear of the internalcomponents is noticed. Of course dirty tankscan do the same damage so make sure theyare spotless inside with no water / sediment. Good old Seamaster made sure we all haveinspection plates on our tanks for this veryreason. I clean mine about every four yearsand always filter the fuel on filling up, thereare some excellent funnel filters available andit never ceases to amaze me how muchdebris I catch on filling.I really hope it’s not all bad news for you.PaulI will copy to Brian who might feel itappropriate to re-publish his excellentresearch on fuel in the Mag.

Roof Leak in 8MHello Paul,I have a Seamaster 8M. I have noticed overthe last few months a water stain on thewooden ceiling of the rear cabin hasenlarged. On investigation, by removingthe ceiling panelling, I found that water wasseeping through some of the screw holesin the roof struts. The screw holes take theceiling fixings. I drilled a small hole into thestrut and water dripped out.My first question is: is the strut hollow, ormade of wood which has become sodden?In any event I guess that the wetness insidethe strut comes through fixings on thetopside of the roof which I can reseal. Butmy second question is: any idea how I candry out these struts before refitting theceiling panel?I have attached a pic showing the struts.RegardsMike Sparkes

Hi Mike

I have looked up the club record for yourboat and we have the year built as 1966which is strange as 8M weren’t built then?

Also you say she has a timber deck headlining (ceiling). All 8M completed at the factoryhad fabric suspended headings originally, doyou think yours may have been custom builtfrom hull and superstructure or has it been

changed?

Onto the question;- Yes I agree you havewater ingress into the stringers and frames.I expect the soft wood timbers inside theGRP wrapping have rotted away resultingin a weakened aft cabin deck head (cabintop) so be wary of getting onto it because Isuspect it could flex considerably and maycause stress cracking in the gel coat andsubstrate GRP layup.

At a guess I would suggest you have someexternal fittings with leaking screws or bolts.I often find the canopy lift the dot stud fixingsare screwed into one of the stringers andcause this problem.

The first thing is to remove all the externalfittings and re-fit with sealant on the threads,this will prevent further water ingress. It’samazing how much water runs down screwand bolt fixings threads. Next cut out theoffending stringer with an angle grinderalong its length, just the underside stringersurface needs removing. Then dig out therotten wood and shape new to replace it.You will need a few props and wedges topush the new timber upwards for the finalfit.

I would resin the timber before the final fitand once it’s all securely in place start re-covering the timber with resin soaked stripsof glass matting. Once the first few havecured overnight you can remove the propsand really go to town on laying up along thestringers length. The more layers you usethe stronger it will become, you will needthe right equipment for the job. West resin,roven woven glass tape, mixing pots, stirringsticks and a small laying up roller. Theseare little metal rollers with ridges! GRP hasto be rolled in place before it cures, thisremoves air bubbles and forces the resininto the GRP tape. When the wet resin goesclear you know it’s properly appliedresulting in a very strong bond. Acetone willbe essential, this is the thinners for GRP andyou will use a lot of it! You clean all thesurfaces to be re-coated and clean all the toolswith acetone, probably including yourself.

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When applying GRP to underside surfacesalways use small lengths of tape presaturated with resin, this is done on a sheetof glass. Cut a load of strips say four incheslong, lay them on the glass, mix up a smallamount of resin and apply to the tape using abrush with an unpainted wooden handle usinga stippling action. Once the tape is wetted alsowet the surface of the location then pick upthe soaked tape with gloved fingers and aspatula. Hold it to the underside surface anduse the brush and a stippling action to stick itin place then straightaway roll it until the resinturns opaque and it should stay put. Move onto the next area and keep the rhythm goinguntil you use all the prepared tape lengths.

Clean up all tools and mixing pots withacetone and by the time that’s done theapplied tape will have started to set so youcan start all over again. Once it’s allwrapped leave it 24 hours to fully cure!

Many owners have done this to strengthenweakened fore decks and aft cabin topswhen they decide to use them for sitting outon. A lot of Seamaster 30 owners like toraise the hand rails and use the rear cabinas a sun deck which is fine as long as theyreinforce it first using much the samemethod as just explained. I did mine manymoons ago, I even added extra stringersin-between the originals and ended up witha very stiff aft deck for sitting out on.

The trick is to work methodically and quickly,you will only have about five minutes beforethe resin starts to jellifie and in doing sostarts to heat up which is normal. Too muchhardener and it will heat up very rapidlytuning brown and emitting terrible chokingfumes so it is very important to get the ratioof resin and hardener exactly as themanufacturer tells you. Try a tiny amount tostart with and get a feel for the task ahead,have everything ready before you mix theresin. The internet and West products haveloads of good reading material beforeundertaking the task. A professional will doit in a few hours, if you have never usedGRP yourself allow a day to complete.

Please let us know how you get on, ourreadership would really appreciate it I amsure.Regards, Paul

Fitting a Shower in a Seamaster 27To: brian@seamasterclub.orgTINGO MARIA, Seamaster 27Is it possible to get a print of Volume 8 - Issue5 / August 1999 of the magazine, thearticle on fitting a shower on aSeamaster 27 is of interest.Best regards, Malcolm & Christine Gale

Hi Malcolm & Christine,Article attached. I shall probably also re-print it in a future magazine, with yourrequest.Yours, Brian

Brian,Thank you. What a good Idea. There mustbe a few 27’s that have had a shower fittedat some time over the years. Any ideas/advise is useful.Best regards, Malcolm & Christine Gale

Convert “Open plan ” or not.brian gaffiganTSubject: Seamaster-Club-Technical-EnquiryI am refitting my 27 ft “Duchess”, andwould like to remove theforward bulkheads to make the boat openplan. How might this best be done? Are thereany precedents?.

Hi BrianInteresting as that was one of the sellingpoints for the “Duchess”. The hull wasdesigned to be open plan so removal ofthe bulkheads wouldn’t weaken thestructure.My only worry is that it might reduce the re-sale value as there are people out therelooking for this model because of thebulkhead arrangement that I seem toremember had optional removable panels sothat one could open up the space if and whenrequired.

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I think I would sell her and purchase aSeamaster 820 which is open plan.I can just imagine a surveyors comments!Regards, Paul

Hi Paul.Yes I fully understand your comments, butI bought Duchess some 4 years ago as aproject,....two years ago was crushedbetween the lock beam and an iron fenceat Orton Mere lock at Peterborough, spentsix weeks in intensive care and only justsurvived. Now back to better health andwanting to get on. I have replaced most ofthe raw water system, damaged by 2 yearson shore and the engine is fine again.Have ordered new seat cushions, and havealmost completed refitting the damp rottedtoilet area and want to start on the interior.Differing opinions here: open it up saysome, others feel it best to be left original.Your informed opinion that it would notweaken the structure leans me to go openplan, we have never used the bow sleepingarea so effectively Duchess is only21 ft longto us.Thank you for your prompt and informativereply.Regards Brian.

Hi BrianChrist, squished is not good. Hope youhave made a good recovery?Sounds like a hell of a story for themagazine?Plus the boat restoration of course.All the very bestPaul

Hi Brian,Paul has copied me into your emailexchange.Do you think you could put a story togetherfor the Club magazine? It sounds as if itwould be well worthwhile.A picture or two would also be good.Yours, Brian Rowland

And where can I buy a hood?

Dear Paul.

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My Seamaster 27"Duchess” is almostcomplete. I am now looking to buy a new cockpitcanopy. Of the recommended traders on theclub site could the club suggest one near to mein Stamford? I expect to pay around a thousandpounds. Thank you, Brian

Hi BrianWe have Boat Hoods Direct on 01509 672423 who are based in Notts, and I have foundanother one who should be close to you alsobut I do not know how good they are and thereare lots of sharks out there - Kildale Marineon 01482 227464. I will also email you a copyof our list in case you can spot anyone elsemore suitable.Sorry it has taken me a while.Yours, Brian

Good Pub Food in the BroadsI have been encouraged to put “pen topaper” or in this case fingers to key board!We have recently joined the club(Seamaster 20 Jessica Jane).We went to Upton Dyke a few weeks ago andhad heard that the White Horse had re-opened as a community pub. We went on aFriday which was “Fish and Chip” night,choice of Haddock or Cod, big plate full withchunky chips and choice of mushy or freshpeas, really nice and good value! Woodfordson draught and “guest cider”, I had strawberryand apple, sounds strange but lovely! Goodvalue as well.A bit of a walk from the dyke but worth it! Maybe best to get there early as the boat yard canget busy on change over days and the parishmoorings are a bit limited.Norma Albinson

“Gearbox slip” and new Rubbing Strakeon a 30Dear Paul,Sparks, Member 667, is a 1975 Seamater30 with 2 Thornycroft BMC 154 engineswith TMP12000 reduction gearbox.I am seeking some information as amember:I hope you can shed some light intomy questions.Kind regards

Guido, (Bateau SPARKS)Q. On our last trip a week ago I haveexperienced a “slip” in one of the gearboxes.I call it a slip, because the revs go up slightlyand the speed drops. You can hear it andalso feel it. This happens after 5-10 minutesof use at 2000rpm. Below 2000 rpm itdoesn’t occur or is less noticeable. It onlylasts for a few seconds. Oil level in mainand reduction gear box is ok. I have alsochanged oil and filter of gearbox. I am usingstandard motor oil since we own the boat(1998). Have you heard of this problembefore?A. Yes, it’s pretty rare and usually causedby idle speed too high, incorrect oil, oilpollution through water ingress fromcooling jacket that would turn the oil a milkycolour and going in and out of gear too fast.I.e. select drive, wait a few seconds thenincrease RPM gently, same for reverse toforward, select neutral wait a second beforenext shift into drive.The only fella in the entire world for thesetransmissions is in the UK at Weybridge,Surrey. His name Kevin on 01932 843072. Q. Since I am not on the boat (moored inFrance) and I didn’t want to take the fuelpump off - would you know what size thefuel line fittings on the fuel pump are? It iscopper and metal tubeA. ¼ BSPT Compression fitting. ASAPshould have these otherwise your usual fuelinjection specialist.Q. During our last trip one engine stoppedtwice due to fuel starvation. I have checkedall the filters (prefilter, screen in pump andmain fuel filter) and they were all clean. Iassume air must have got into the systemsomehow. I used a silicon paste (for engineuse) and sealed all the connections in thefuel system, then bled the system and theengine started again. But it happened 6days later, again, but hasn’t happened since- fingers crossed! My intention is to replacethe fuel lines in particularly the fittings. InFrance I can’t get olives and fittings. I thinkthey use hoses? What’s the best way to

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connect tank, water separator, prefilter, andfuel pump?A. Possible partial blockage in the fuel tankagainst the pick-up pipe. Air leaks areexaggerated by partial blockages. Bestanswer is a metal fuel pipe using the correctcompression fittings the manufacturerrecommends including tighteningprocedure. OR Replace all with pre-made-to-measure ISO7840 fuel line hose. Do notbe tempted to push fuel hose over straightpipework, always use a proper nozzle.Q. The wooden rubbing strake on Sparksis rotting now and needs replacing. I amguessing to replace them with wood againwould be expensive and difficult. I assumethere is something in rubber available? Iremember a Seamaster member did this,but I haven’t found the article again. Wouldyou know where to get material?A. A few options, timber would not be asexpensive as you think because it’s a verybasic rubbing strip on a 30, get a few quotesfrom your local shipwrights you may besurprised. Rubber looks dreadful,aluminium with rubber extrusion verydifficult on a MK 1 due to tucking under thecurvature of the bow, it’s just not possible.Can be done if bent around vertically andthe underside gap filled with GRP resin withsandglass. My preference over all is arelatively new material that looks like teakbut is in fact plastic. A company namedAdvanced marine Decking Ltd can supplythe exact size to suit: Phone 02380 405550or email sales@advancedmarinedecking.co.uk.When my time allows this is what I am goingto use, it will look fairly original, won’t requiremaintenance, can be sawn, bent, twistedand bonded, repaired if scuffed and is areal contender over anything else I have evercome across. In 2012 the cost was £20 permetre plus VAT for 65mmx20mm. The fellato ask for is Rob Tillney.I hope I have answered all your questionssatisfactorily but I should warn you that thefuel system can be tricky when you don’t havea good selection of the correct parts and tools

at your disposal, it’s one thing to take on thejob in the UK but different in France miles awayfrom known suppliers. I would get a price froma local marine engineer or fuel injectionspecialist. Also the tanks should be cleanedout at least every five years and the 30 isparticularly susceptible to tank corrosion at theback bottom corners where none of us everlook or clean. The tanks take an hour to lift outwhen you know how, just ask.Paul

Despatches from your PresidentAhoy There! Seamaster Club. I really likethe cover photograph “David and Goliath”(August issue of this magnificentmagazine). Roger, “Delight” looks trulysuperb, you must really love her. This photocould’ve been entitled “Goliath Seamasterstyle and Goliath”, because of a memory ittriggered concerning a practical joke playedon me by Wilf in cohorts with the UpwareLock Keeper back in the halcyon days of ourtime on the Great Ouse with “LevernBeales”(LB) the 27 which persuaded me tostart your Club. Once moored on the lockmoorings Wilf went ashore to “knock up”the Keeper, leaving me in sole charge ofour precious vessel. He did not return tome and the boat. “Jane, I’ll meet you on theother side”. Wilf informed me from the road-bridge under which sits the lock. This wasthe first time he had trusted me enough tohandle LB by myself; so you can guess howI felt. The wind was blowing from behindand would blow us into the lock?! The petrolengine was very temperamental. I steppedon board to coax the engine into life, itdecided to play along after a few words ofencouragement, and idled very nicely whileI sorted out the lines. The entrance toUpware Lock is like going into a vast blackcavern (probably with monsters lurkingaround the walls) and I was shaking like aleaf, fag clenched between teeth andmuttering prayers as LB glided elegantly intothe hole. Very gingerly I let her stop (leavingthe engine to idle) and waited for her to settlebefore peering through stygian gloom to

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ascertain which wall was nearest. LB hadsorted that problem for me as she gently rubbedalongside the starboard side.I carefully looped for and aft lines under thechains and waited. Whilst I waited the lockshrank in size and the 27 seemed to grow.After a good 5 minutes the gate was openedand daylight flooded in. I carefully releasedthe lines from the chains and gave the boattime to settle again before guiding her out ofthe chamber. As we glided smoothlyalongside the moorings where Wilf and theLock Keeper stood waiting I heard themlaughing their heads off. Wilf stepped onboard and we continued down the narrowwater way to the bridge. I asked Wilf “Whatwas so funny?” and he unashamedly toldme that we could’ve sailed through the lockas the water levels were the same bothsides. My reply, on that day back in 1987,was Unprintable.About a week later the late Pat Noyes(designer of the 25 and 27) rang to say hehad thoroughly enjoyed my account of a 27and a lock in the newsletter. Apparently hehad experienced the same feeling of a 27growing to seemingly fill the space).Levern Beales (mem no 01) was sold onand became Sirrocco V for a couple ofowners before she was bought by Kevin andAngela Clapham who gave her the name OldBones (mem no 117). Long may shecontinue to serve those who love her.Jane Wall, President06/09/13

More on the Diesel BugWith all the publicity about diesel bug overthe years and ever more worrying publicityabout the dangers of diesel bug, be carefulwhere you buy what sort of diesel fuel, andhow to combat the likelihood of getting dieselbug in your tanks, or how to deal with it onceit has arrived, I remain thoroughly confusedand concerned. It seems to me that thewords “Diesel Bug” have become the mostused phrase in the boating language.

My solution to date has been to keep aneye out for water in the flow of fuel from mytanks, to keep them fully topped up overthe winter to reduce condensation, to relyon my boatyard to fill my tanks with “FAME-free” diesel, and to trust to luck!Articles frequently outline the problem andseveral have recommended solutions.They tell us what it is, how it is formed andhow it can wreck your fuel supply.However, I am much more interested inhow to prevent it, how to cure it, etc.A.S.A.P. for example tell us if you keep waterout you vastly reduce the chances ofhaving future problems with the DieselBug as the bug needs wet Diesel to liveon and multiply. If you see signs of waterin the low pressure system it must beremoved and if it is more than the usualexpected amount you have seen in thepast keep a constant check to ensure itdoes not become a major problem.

The RYA give excellent advice when theytell us “when your boat is being lifted out forthe winter:

· Before topping up your tank, take theopportunity to use a bit of fuel treatmentto kill off any diesel bug that might alreadybe in the tank.· Then you should fill your fuel tank to thebrim to prevent condensation, which inturn prevents the growth of diesel bugs.”

The second of these is easily done. It isthe first that presents some problems. There is a wide variety of treatments aroundbut how do I know which is best for the job.No one seemed to want to stick their neckout and make simple clearrecommendations that would make iteasier for us poor boaters to do it right.

A.S.A.P. now seem to be trying to help usout. To remove water from the fuel tanks(and some other particles) theyrecommend “polishing” the fuel:

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Polishing the Content s of YourFuel Tank! (by A.S.A.P. )Fuel polishing is one way to help maintainthe quality of the fuel in your tank. In thesimplest terms, this involves pumping thecontents of the fuel tank through a qualityfuel filtration system before returning it tothe tank. This process ensures you haveclean, dry fuel in your fuel tank(s). Thedreaded ‘Diesel Bug’ loves wet fuel anda stable environment, so it can multiplyand become a hazard.Fuel polishing removes water and dirtparticles from the fuel tank and thecirculation also means the fuel is beingmoved around the tank. The bug loves astatic environment so it can multiply.Our system is easy to install and shouldallow a trouble free trip when you cast off.Many owners are creating their ownsystem on board which can be runregularly to ensure they are always gettingthe best possible fuel quality. A simpleelectric fuel pump and a Racor TurbineFilter can be plumbed into the fuel tankand operated when required to move andfilter the fuel. This reduces contaminantsin the fuel and in the tank, whilstprolonging the life of your fuel! Theyrecommend running the system for acouple of hours while the engine isrunning or run it up every 2 – 3 weeks.Ideally take the fuel from one side of thetank and return it to the other.The basic layout is shown in the drawing.A.S.A.P. Supplies provide all thenecessary components to assemble aninexpensive and cost effective fuelpolishing system. Also, on the subject offuel, we can help you remove all the waterfrom your tank with the innovativeAquaSock AQ12. The A.S.A.P. web site isat http://www.asap-supplies.comThere are many different chemicaltreatments available which will kill the bugand other treatments to help prevent itreturning. Chemical treatments kill the bug“Dead” but this is now a dead organism

which will sink to the bottom of the tank andusually resembles a black sludge which needsto be removed from your tank.Checking your tankPractical Boat Owner (PBO) and Motor Boat &Yachting (MBY) are also helping us out. If youwish to check your fuel but don’t have a tankdrain, PBO suggest try dipping a length of clearhose to the bottom of the tank. Seal the topwith your thumb, lift out and transfer thecontents to a jar for a good look. If the fuel isdark or shows sticky deposits it needstreatment. Severely infected fuel smells ofrotten eggs or varnish.PBO May 2011 and their sister magazine MBYApril 2011 both review the treatments availableand are recommended reading.Scouring the internet I have found an older PBOevaluation of the treatments available. See http:// w w w . m a r i n e 1 6 . c o . u k / a c a t a l o g /diesel_bug_pbo_test1.pdf. This is an earlierversion (April 2007) of the tests undertaken in2011 byPBO and has some significantdifferences. However, the description of thedifferent types of treatment is valid andinformative. The later results have beenpublished in PBO May 2011 and make goodreading. They researched the followingproducts:

Star Brite Bio Diesel, Eradicate, Grotamar82, Marine 16 treatment, Yachticon DieselPlus, Wasp Biokem, Kathon FP 1.5, Soltron,Fuel Set, Fuel Doctor, Fortron, Starbrite StarTron.

PBO May 2011 found that all these productsgave beneficial results, some better thanothers. It also explains the possible harm FAMEdiesel can do to your fuel system. It describesthe difference between the effect of biocidesand dispersants - the former attacking the bugitself and the latter rendering the water in thetank unsuitable for the bug.I hope this article is not too confusing and Ishall try to get permission to reproduce moreon their test results in a future issue. PBO /MBY remain the best source I have found sofar for understandable infoBrian Rowland

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Shipwrecked – well nearlyMary and I have long wanted to see theNorthern Lights – Aurora Borealis – Mary, Ithink more than I. ‘Next year, perhaps, if wecan find the time,” we used to say. I expectthat some people would say that we do nothave a busy life, but there always seemssomething to occupy us. Our son and hisfour children live only a mile from us. Therealways is one or more to drive to musiclessons or collect from cubs, or some such.I’m sure you all know the pattern. “SecondMelody,” our much-loved Seamaster 8metre, keeps us good for a month everyyear. Our cottage in Brittany needs us tenor twelve weeks. At home, folk-dancing,singing with the choral society and walkingwith the U3A keep us fit, but all take time.This year, we decided that if we don’t do itsoon, we shall not be able to.

So, we toddled to the local travel agent andexplained our ideas to Diane. After lengthydiscussions we had a plan; not Iceland, notFinland, Norway. We would join aHurtigruten (fast route) ship in Bergen,spend four nights on the Kong Harald asshe visited all the small ports up the coast,then, leave her at Tromso. There we wouldstay six more nights at a hotel. Phone-callswere made, e-mails sent, credit-cardsscanned and, after only a few days, all wasarranged.

We flew from Gatwick to Bergen andboarded the Kong Harald late in theafternoon. A lecture on cleaning one’s handsfrequently seemed a bit nannyish, but soonwe were comfortably installed in our cabin.The boat was much smaller than those we

are used to going to Brittany, but we knewthat we should be going into some verysmall harbours and, anyway, the coastalroute is well-protected by offshore islands;skerries. When we tired of watching thewonderful coast slip by, there were bars, agym, a small but well-stocked library andmany quiet places to sit and watch the worldgo by.

The restaurant was excellent. The food wasvaried, imaginative and delicious. All waswell up to our expectations. We were onsecond-sitting for dinner (sounds likeschool), which meant we would be eatingmuch later than we would choose, but wewould cope with that, we thought. Howwrong we were! As we were finishing ourmeal on the second evening, we heard anannouncement that for two hours we wouldbe passing through open water and a stormwas raging. We hurried to our cabin to adopta horizontal position, but to no avail, we wereboth very ill; a rare thing for me, but mystomach was very full and the boat did ahighland fling. After two hours, as predicted,we continued our tranquil way. Ugh!

Alesund was windy and cold. Trondheimwas pleasant. We enjoyed the snow stormon our way back to the ship. At Bodo, wehad a lovely walk in crunchy snow into townand back. On the fourth evening we dinedwhile cargo was unloaded at Svolvaer. Laterwe strolled into the small town andmarvelled at its cultural centre with concerthall; just what Stone needs!

Spectacular coastline

Mary “baptised” with ice-cubes

as we crossed the Arctic Circle

Svolvaer is in the Lofoten Islands. Whilewe ate it was announced that we would bepassing through a very narrow strait, and ifwe chose to go on deck at about 11.30 p.m.they would show us the entrance to thefamous Trollfjord; too narrow to enter in thedark. Our grandchildren often call on me toplay the Troll and chase them about a bit. Icould not miss a chance to see my“ancestral home,” so we wrapped up warmand went on the aft deck. The ship stoppedand searchlights were played on theadjacent cliff. All I could distinguish was adark diagonal crack in the rock. I doubtedeven taking “Second Melody” in there, evenin daylight. After ten minutes or so, as weleaned over the rail, “Kong Harald” beganto move again. She had moved about 100meters, to judge by the wash, when therewas a great jolt followed by a loud grindingsound which lasted several seconds. Wewere glad to be holding the rail – the deckwas icy. Some people fell and had to behelped up but, fortunately, no-one wasseriously injured. The engines were putinto reverse gear, for a minute or two, butthe ship was stuck. We became aware of aslight list to port.

Mary and I were not alarmed. We areaccustomed to going aground. Many peoplewere afraid, of course, but there was no hintof panic. Conditions were very favourable;If there was a wind, we were very sheltered.The water was flat, though I suspect thatthere was a tidal stream. We were veryclose to land. Too close you might think!We could see the lanterns of a flotilla ofkayaks that we had passed shortly before.

The voice of the excursions manager, Anita,came over the tannoy. “Please put on yourwarmest clothes and assemble in thePanorama Lounge.” Obediently, wecomplied. Muffled up in one-piece survivalsuits, the younger members of the crewwere ahead of us. Considerately, they gaveup their seats to the paying guests – wewere about 200. There was a buzz ofconversation; some quite anxious. Anitaappeared with a microphone. At first, she

Kong Harald

had no hard information, but her calm,matter-of-fact manner was very re-assuring.She talked in general terms about oursituation. After about half an hour, she toldus that no water was coming into the hull.The tide was low and it was a question ofwaiting for the ship to float off. “Go to bedand get a good night’s sleep,” was themessage, so we did.

The captain must have been embarrassed– he was born on that island!

At about 3.30 a.m., I was disturbed by loudbanging and chain-rattling. I imagineanchors had been laid to prevent us floatingfurther up the rocks. Mary and I were up anddressed a bit earlier than usual, but thedining room was already busy. We weresurprised to see that we were back inSvolvaer, where we had dined the nightbefore.

Anita spoke to us again. Those of us whowere to have left the ship that day were toldto pack our traps and board a coach whichwould arrive soon. This we did and, thoughI am rarely comfortable in a bus, I have toadmit it was a spectacular bonus to our trip.An odd thing occurred while we werestopped for a “comfort stop.” As we crossedthe car-park, my mobile phone rang. It wasthe boss of our local travel agency, David,who wanted to know that we were O.K. Hehad seen the news on T.V. How strangewas that?

Our holiday continued as planned and, yes,we did see the northern lights.Spectacular!!

Peter & Mary, Second Melody

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Heavy Helm on a 23 SailerDear Sir, I have recently acquired a dropkeel Seamaster 23, and would like to jointhe Club. I would also like to know ifanyone at the Club has a suitable cradlefor the 23 to sell or rent, if the latter I’llrequire it for two months October /November / December. I have only hadthe boat for four days but sailing it fromSouthampton to Poole found the steeringto be excessively heavy, the helm wantingto go hard over unless strong steadypressure is applied. I would like to knowwhat other owners have done to redesignthe rudder to ease this problem. I alsofound that I could hear & feel the drop keelhitting the sides of the housing whenrolling in a quarterly sea, how do I resolvethis? Could you please revert whenpossible, John Neubauer. I am 70, & sailsingle handed, so any mods that othermembers have done to make this as easyas possible would be greatly appreciated.Thank you.Regards John Neubauer.

Heavy helm is not unusual for unmodifiedrudders, as you will remember I wrote anarticle on this subject with pictures andplans.The new owner of Moonbeam has not hadany such complaint thank god so weassume the newly shaped rudder issatisfactory, although when under powerwe still had a heavy tiller and started usingthe Autohelm unit which solved theproblem.Re the clanking centreplate, Moonbeam’swas the same, although we never did sailher but this could be a change in thedimensions of both plate and keel cavity.These areas do erode over time andalthough a new thicker centreplate mayreduce the slackness this will not sort outthe enlarged slot in the keel. Although Ithink this could be reduced by fitting somenew side cheeks bonded in position itcould be an expensive operation. and maynot solve this particular problem.In transit Moonbeam’s centreplate would

clang about as well. I think it is a designpeculiarity. The Designers have their archiveand for a fee will examine the files for a suitablefix, hopefully, but in any event Jane has the printsof the modifications to the rudder, althoughsome folk say that it is not any real solution.The trim of mast position / rake and sails willalso be a reason for this problem. I am sureMike has the answers to this situationBest regards, David Cooper

New Boat, First T rip with Peter Gwyn-Griffiths

Where do I start with this trip and at the sametime try and consolidate it into an interestingarticle. Well I suppose the best place is how Iheard about it and who took part. I read withinterest in the Club magazine that PeterGwynn-Griffiths (PGG) was in early July takinga trip to to the East Coast of Essex and askingif anyone would like to join him. This took myfancy as a new member of the club and verymuch a virgin boater. I rang PGG and after afew calls we arranged to meet at GreenwichYacht Club on the evening of the 8th July forthe venture to begin. After meeting face to facefor the first time he introduced Joe Turner(diamond geezer) his sailing companion -more about Joe later. We left them at the clubto their own devices for the evening and in themorning I picked them up and we all went for abig boys fry-up before setting off.We ventured through the Thames Barrier andon towards Tilbury where the weather startedto get a little blustery as we approached theEstuary (the point of no return I may add, thesituation worsened, the wind was now gustingat 36-8 knots and we were being battered fromthree sides - the Thames behind us, the NorthSea on our bow, the rush of sea and currentfrom the Essex coast, (like being in a bath ofvery turbulent water). As we progressed to myhorror my port engine oil pressure dropped tozero and what with the alarms of that and therough sea I thought only of Annie my partnergetting battered trying to rescue all the thingsthat were not shipshape below. PGG’s boat infront was dipping and diving in the waves aswe were behind running now on one engine.We pushed on and reached the somewhat

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calm of the approach to Queenborough onthe Isle of Sheppey. I watched as PGG andJoe moored up on the deep water buoyhoping they would realise I had no idea howto pick one up - diamond Joe came to therescue waving us in to tie up alongsidePGG’s boat - job done and a well earnedsupper, a few drinks to calm nerves and achat about the day. Some would say a goodway to start a trip, but I had different thoughtsand wondered where the enjoyment camehaving scared my self to death - thank-youthe 820 designer for our safe passage.Next day realising my boat would not be safeto re cross the Estuary as the weather wasstill bad we decided to run up the Medway tothe calmer water at Rochester and seek helpfor my sick engine. Not being able to help re-directed to Port Medway Marina where boatlifted out of the water and diagnosed with anoil pump failure, engine out, ££££ signsflashing in my eyes, and not really confidentin the supposed marine engineer who wasmore interested in telling me about how hewas a guitar player, the gig he was at did notfinish until 3 am, the call out at 5 am and nowat 10 am he was asking for another coffee.He could fix the problem in a couple of daysbut the main problem was that it was nowJuly 11th and the yard could not put me backin the water until 26th July, 2 weeks plus away.NO I screamed, put me back in the waternow I will limp along on one engine - sameday back in the water and made our way backto Rochester. Here we met another Marineengineer called Jack who gave a differentdiagnosis, changed the oil, oil filter, strippedand WD 40’d the Jabsco pump and wow wehad oil pressure, thanks Jack.We moved down river after a couple of daysthere and went to Chatham Marina foranother couple of days for a bit of fun andrelaxation. Did the Maritime Museum and thelocal beer made in the dockyard. We metreally nice helpful people everywhere we went.To continue, we left Chatham and sailed forthe Estuary for the return trip back toGreenwich. A different trip this time as wewere able to enjoy the scenery and the seals

sunbathing on the sandbanks. We returnedin about 6 hours, a good run. We moored atGreenwich, We stripped our boat rushedhome to do 4 loads of washing, pay billsand return the next day for the second half ofthe trip, this time to the Upper Thames.We left Greenwich at I8:00hrs and arrived atRichmond at 22:30hrs and tied up for thenight, progressing to Molesey lock the nextmorning where we decided to empty mywaste tank, purchased the token from thelock keeper, read the instructions andproceeded to cover ourselves with the bestof British waste, Joe and I were covered PGGdecided to take two steps back and escapedbut even Annie and the inside of the boatshared some. We abandoned that andstarted to wash down, PGG helping with thehose washing down the side of the boat, pityabout the window being open and the watergushing inside all over the inside of the cabin- more clearing up, Ha Ha!We arrived at Sunbury MTYC at about1200hrs and stayed for the weekend. Thankyou to all for the welcome we got, what alovely club and friendly members. Chilled out,said our goodbyes and we then spent 10days on our own enjoying the peace andtranquility of the Upper Thames as far asSonning. The weather was perfect, the tripwas entertaining and my learning curveeventually started to climb from falling overbackwards to the vertical which made Annieand I very grateful.Would we do it again? Yes we are alreadyplanning our next trip and looking forward tore-acquainting ourselves with the people wemet the first time.I would really like to thank PGG and DiamondJoe for a wonderful experience. Peter for hiscalmness and knowledge, Joe for all he didfor both Annie and I on the boat ie

1 fixed the Jabsco toilet2 fixed the fuse problem3 fixed the fuel balance pipe4 enjoyed my cooking and coffee

We both value our new found friends.Allan and Annie.Seamaster 820 (Merienda)

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We are trialling a new way of managingour free 24 hour moorings on the RiverThames - this briefing explains why , andhow BackgroundThe Environment Agency is the navigationauthority for the non-tidal River ThamesfromCricklade in Wiltshire to the tidal boundaryat Teddington in Middlesex. It’s our job tomanage navigation of the waterway toensure it can be enjoyed safely by as manypeople as possible, with consideration forthe needs of others. The EA and otherlandowners (e.g. local authorities and towncouncils) provide short-stay public andvisitor mooring sites to encourage passingboats to stop for short periods to enjoy thepeace of the waterside and use localamenities, and they are very popular.Unless otherwise indicated, in general boatowners can stop for free on public openland owned by the Environment Agency, fora maximum period of 24 hours only. Somemoorings have an associated charge,either for mooring at any time, or after aninitial free period. Unfortunately, somecustomers do not pay the chargesapplicable and stay moored up longer thanthey are entitled to. This deprives othercustomers benefiting from the mooringswe provide.Why do we need to manage our mooringsdifferently?Disappointingly, misuse of our mooringsis widespread and customers affected by ittell us this is a major problem for them.Dealing with misuse is an issue for usthough, because the cost of pursuingoffenders is often more than the value ofthe mooring fees we are owed.We are looking at new ways of resolvingthis. We believe a modern and fasterenforcement solution is achievable, whichmay lead to a river-wide approach that can

be adopted by all landowners with mooringson the River Thames. By changing the waywe manage our moorings we hope toincrease access to them, making moremoorings available to a larger number ofcustomers.What are we doing?The Environment Agency has teamed up withcar park management company DistrictEnforcement for a six-month trial of applyingthe same civil enforcement rules used tomonitor parking in private car parks. Duringthe trial; we will introduce a penalty chargeof £100 (£60 if paid early) payable by any boatowner who breaches the conditions of useof our free 24 hour moorings.If an offence has been committed,Environment Agency officers will submit areport with accompanying evidence to DistrictEnforcement. District Enforcement will thensend a Mooring Charge Notice to theregistered boat owner by post and thenpursue payment, using County Courtproceedings if necessary.Our mooring sites will comply in all aspectsof the industry’s approved codes of conductfor operators. We will operate an appealsprocess to be fair to our customers, and inaccordance with industry approved codes ofconduct. We are confident that this approachwill enable us to better effectively regulateour moorings and enable our enforcementofficers to spend more time dealing with otherpriorities such as boat registration and speedand wash offences.We have been working closely with River UserGroups to develop this trial and we will sharethe results at the end of it.When will the trial take place?The six-month pilot will start on 1 August onEast Street in Oxford and then at sites inWeybridge and Walton upon Thames from15 August, 2013. The trial will finish inFebruary 2014.Where can I get more information?If you have a question regarding our mooringenforcement trial please contact us on 03708506 506.