Perhaps not quite so gloomy this week. Simon showed last
week’s photographs to a neighbour who has had years of experience with wooden
vessels. His opinion is that the damage is all in the bow doubler and the hull
is minimally affected, if at all. Simon also has contact with a boat repairer
who will visit and inspect at close quarters (or as close as tide and mud will
allow).
The idea of a spell
in dry dock is becoming more appealing – to make absolutely sure the hull is
sound and to get the teak cladding ‘pointed’ (as they say in the building
trade) and painted. This would not be easy, even on the now uncluttered
starboard side (Photo 1201), unless walking on water (or mud) catches on.
It would be very difficult on the port side
(Photo 1202).
Tony Lane made
reference to ‘firing jibs’, which I did not understand. He has explained that Tonite
explosive charges were used on most CIL vessels as fog signals rather than
sirens or reed horns. The fog jib was basically shaped like an
anchor which could be rotated. From the two arms (or flukes) are hung
electric cables and to these are attached the charges and detonators.
These would be attached in the lowered position and the ‘anchor’ would
then be rotated vertically into the firing position. He suggested
that the two brackets attached to the forward companionway shelter may well
have been the mountings for two jibs, as he guessed that the shelter had
previously been located aft.
I think this was
true of the early vessels, but certainly in the early 1900s they did have
foghorns – evidenced by several contemporary photographs (Photo 1203).
David
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