Just a Little Rusty.

 Today was to fine and still so as we were close to Burton I thought I could set to with some pressing work whilst Helen could head off into town to spend time shopping, something that she likes to do now and then without me tutting and looking at my watch! It would be a win/win hopefully.

The bit that needs attention and dire need of treatment is around the Morse control and switches on the back deck. I had been nervous of starting the job as when you start everything goes wrong and it doesn't get back together and we need to go back! How ever I had tried the machine screws previously and they turned so one problem of the needing drilling out and replacing was not present.

When in Alrewas I had freed up the hatch to move much easier, and this was my downfall yesterday as when taking the cat's litter tray back inside I leaned on the hatch with my back to open it a little wider. Previously there was resistance to this, but this time, now I had made it so you could open it with a finger, I leaned back and nearly fell backwards down the rear steps. I saved myself, but at the cost of chucking the tray of cat litter up in the air! Do one job and muck up three more!! It was something I was wary of today.

I used an old chisel to scrap off the main rusts and then used an orbital sander to remove as much back to meatl as possible and to flatten off the edges. I just didn't the area around the back deck as I didn't want to run out of time, and really wanted to just do one colour as a top coat in the end. Once I had dusted off I then treated all the sanded spots with Ferratan which needs to be left to dry, and best for 24 hours.

The deck boards over the engine hole had to come up to clean the cat litter off, and generally clean the winter muck of them. I could also take the opportunity to clean out the gutters too. I replaced the deck boards the other year and by mistake I used thinner than original boards. They were much lighter to move about so I thought it was a happy accident. I painted each cut edge with waterproofing liquid and then painted them all with PVA once it had dried. I thought that would prevent water getting into the layers and splitting it. However, as you can see from this photo it didn't work. I will have to replace them sometime this year. I wonder if I could do the same and get some aluminum channel  that will go over the edge and be able to be screwed in place after trying to waterproof it again.

Whilst I was giving the Ferratan as long as possible to cure I did a couple of other jobs. One was to test the life jackets and check them over. I checked the cases and checked the expanding pellet for auto inflating was good, The gas bottle was intact but I wasn't able to check the weight as one should do. I then inflated the jacket fully by mouth and left it for a couple of hours. It said so long as they are still inflated after an hour they are could. I suppose you would be in really trouble if you had to rely on it for more than an hour on the canal! Two more to do now.

I checked through the engine hole and the obvious things in there, water, oil, greasing point for the stern glad and then weed hatch and then went and washed off the dust from the towpath side. I then had lunch and a little sit and a read trying to give the rust changer as long as possible.

I washed off the rust remover and let it all dry before painting on a fast drying undercoat and then, once dry a second coat of undercoat to the parts that would get covered up with panels etc. I gave that as long as possible to dry and Helen came back bearing gifts so we had a cup of tea.

I must get round to scaling and treating the two seat lockers when I am in the mood. At 18:00 is started to assemble the plates etc. I greased the engineering screws so that they would be easy to remove next time. I fiddled about for a while trying to work out how the plate that the Morse control is crewed on to threaded over it but eventually worked it out and mounted it. I had some sealant to put between the plate and the hull to prevent getting between them, but when it came to it the sealant gun was broken so I had to dash up to B&Q to get another one, and then managed to get it all back for tea!

Stupidly I forgot to check that all the switches were working before assembling it all again. It appears that the horn isn't working so I will have to take that to bits again! The boat needs a good wash and a polish but as it seems this will be the only totally dry day for a while that may have to wait.

Not my favourite job, sanding and painting, and to be honest any sort of maintenance on the boat, but needs must.

I was poking about in the newspaper archive and found a story that involved Beer, Burton on Trent and canals.In January 1839 there was an hearing in court with a case against Richard Moss and his two sons. They had loaded 63 hogsheads of ale at Tunley and Hodson's Wharf, the beer was from Bass and co. and was to be taken to Liverpool for export. They left at 3 pm on Sunday and were expected to be at Preston Brook at noon on Tuesday. Hodson and a representative of Bass, acting on information received, went to Clowich Lock, 25' away on Tuesday morning and found the boat there. Richard Moss and his sons were arrested and the boat brought back to Burton. It was found that 23 of the 63 cask had been drilled and plugged and there was a round a gallon missing from each. All but two of the 63 were new and it was shown that the plugs used for repair were cut with a knife rather than turned like the brewery used. They had been seen at Alrewas where they offered beer to someone if they brought them so meat for their dinner that day. Rabbits were provided. The long and short of it was that The 17 year old son got 6 months and the father and son got transportation for 10 years! William Hodson died aged 30 the following year. His wife Mary Ann remained in the business for another three years until the partnership was dissolved. A nice little story covering some of my favourite subjects and could be expanded on with some more research.