Sunday 3 May 2015

LIGHTSHIP CORMORANT / LADY DIXON - Chapter 94



It seems I was a little hasty in condemning those responsible for the drowning boat next door to Simon. Something in the way of repair has obviously been done, as she is going up and down with the tide again (Photo 941).  Whatever the problem is/was, I hope it is nothing too serious because I think, with a lick of paint she could look very nice. Of course I have not looked inside!!

   Back to Simon’s boat, the reasonable weather, the insulated deck and a radiator down below has dried out down there very well.  It is still all very rusty and discoloured, but at least there are not drips from every projection (Photo 942).



   The next step is to remove as much of the rust as possible/practicable. A good chip and scrape would get rid of the really loose stuff, but would take quite a time -  at a rough estimate there is an area of about 5,000 sq ft to clean, a lot of which is not flat, easy surface (Photo 943).

  Once the loose stuff is off,  the choice will be either to cover what is left by coating all the ironwork with either rust-proof paint and/or spray-on insulating foam, or to remove a lot more by some form of blasting, then cover it all with paint and/or foam.
    In my day blasting with grit was the only answer and what a messy business it was when not contained in a booth. I have been researching dry ice blasting – three expressions of interest already (even though it’s a Bank Holiday) and one of the responses came from a chap who lived in Ireland, worked in the marine industry and knows several of the old lightships over there. Now that would be appropriate wouldn’t it?  However, I have a feeling it is going to be rather expensive.  Perhaps we could get a grant from an organisation with nautical/historical preservation objectives?  It is a big job, as you can see from Photo 944, which shows about one third of the below deck area!

David

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