Saturday, 6 February 2016

LIGHTSHIP CORMORANT / LADY DIXON - Chapter 134



Have you all hibernated for the winter?  I wouldn’t blame you actually - rain, rain, rain and cold, cold, cold. If this is global warming, please can we go back to the old climate?
     I have had a couple of supportive comments about the blasting machine, but nothing in the way of advice or information, except for the retailer who suggested a straightforward 20 gallon blaster (i.e. without the vacuum facility).  It will be quicker and use less abrasive, but cleaning up the mess will be horrific. The lower deck stops where the ribs begin and there is a gap down to the bilges (Photo 1341).
   In its prime there was a wall of tongue & groove planks from floor to ceiling covering the ribs – and the gap. I am not sure we want the bilges to have even more crud down there. I suppose it would be possible to stuff each gap as we progressed along, with something to catch the debris.  Whichever machine we choose it is going to take time and effort. Is there anyone reading this who would like to volunteer a few days labour to help preserve this historic vessel?
     There is a deafening silence from my ‘contact’ at the National Archives. Perhaps he is away on a research project.  What a pity Kew is such a long way from N Wales and you could say the same about the ship!!
David

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