Todays Boating

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

then I'm going to need a lot of P38 and then a lesson in glass/resin application.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Made my first visit to Knightcote this morning. Despite others having booked slots I was the only one there. No doubt put off by the very blustery conditions.

I spent a very pleasant hour or so. Did a few laps with the Club 500 before it came to a halt, fortunately near the bank, not that it would have taken long to blow there! Investigation showed that the elastic bands holding the motor had perished and broken causing the motor to become detached from the silicon tube part of the coupling, so that was that. I'd checked the battery and oiled the prop shaft yesterday but hadn't checked the bands which were fitted last year. Must replace more often!

Debated whether to use the yacht due to the conditions but decided to do so. Did a few laps though difficult to control in parts of the lake due to the variable wind direction and strength and blew against the bank a few times and the keel grounded as the water level was a little low.

Enjoyed a flask of coffee and admired the countryside. Will go again next week.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 22/05/2020 17:56:16

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

NIce photos Chris

Tim R

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

I will second that 😄 nice looking lake 👍⛵⚓✔

Regards Ray

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

I think almost any lake that you could sail a boat on would look good at the moment☹️.

but it is nice to see that someone can get out and have a sail.

Eddie

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks chaps. Bit difficult at times though operating the Tx and the camera at the same time, especially with the Club 500.

It's a nice lake on a farm, though for larger boats it could do with being a bit bigger, and has views over the countryside. Those bouys, which we use for racing are like magnets!

Chris

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes good pics. Really you need someone to drive while you take pictures or you never get it right.

I have been privileged to thrash some of Colin’s boats about while he shouts at me, AND gives me instructions as to where he wants the boat!

Bashing on with water jet lander conversion. Bit of a dogs dinner regarding the woodwork, but finally settled on a position for the 30mm acrylic tube which is the body of the jet. Inside is a 25mm three blade cast brass prop on a 3mm shaft, driven by a speed 400 (all in the spares box).

Going to paint the outside of the tube but leave the bit inside the hull clear so I can see what’s going on!

Making a different style cabin now.

Saw a picture of a cardboard Titanic, an “easy” one for kids and suddenly thought that a 22 inch one would make a fun boat to do boating-by-bike, although likely the park will open to cars before I finish it! Giving it some thought.

Ashley

[Richard BarnettParticipant @richardbarnett67129]

I’ve had some interesting moments videoing my boats, juggling a camcorder and a transmitter at the same time, trying to steer plus pan in and out without crashing, dropping anything important into the water, including myself!

Sailing boats are the trickiest, start filming and they turn into divas!

Ricky ye pirate 🏴‍☠️

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Yes, I managed to drop my Tx, fortunately on the grass. At least with the yacht I didn't have to worry about the throttle. With the speed boat I had my left hand operating the throttle (spring loaded) and rudder) and my right hand holdiing and firing the camera (DSLR with zoom lens) – thank God for autofocus after setting the zoom.

Chris

[Richard BarnettParticipant @richardbarnett67129]

I have the added problem that I can’t see the view screen on my camcorder without my glasses and I can’t see what the boats doing with them on! Usually a lot of editing happens later as the boat drifts on and off screen, sometimes it’s good to have a mate with you, at a social distance of course! 😂

Ricky ye four eyed pirate 🏴‍☠️

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Took bike ride from Twickenham to Bushy park this morning with two small speedboats. Only one worked, other one had melted speed controller. Bystanders asking where all the other boats were! Park busy even with carpark shut.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

We will have to see if we all want to independently happen to go to the park next week…

i can bring two boats along on the off chance anyone else turned up (jet drive lander likely).

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Hmm an impromptu boating session of complete strangers in a public park, now there is an idea.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

BTW the silting and gas bubbling up is awful. Had nose round the whole of the boating pond and heron pond. The heron pond is looking very shallow at the edges all the way round, so the fishing isn't going to be too good either.

I think its just a coincidence that the silt has built up now, probably reached a critical point where it slows down the flow in and out, and then once thats happened it just gets worse and worse. All the ponds at Bushy are man-made so I guess they are just due for a clearout? Perhaps without lockdown it would have been done by now?

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Spoke to one of the park rangers about it on Wednesday, yes it will get sorted out, I asked when it will be done.

The response was "When the staff are back." Tried to narrow it down but just got a shrug of the shoulders and "Furloughed" so don't hold your breath, just your nose.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I have never noticed any big maintenance of the ponds, no big digging or dredging, and have never seen a silt build up like it all the years I have been going. It has to be the lack of water and really that's just twiddling a valve at the Longford inlet by the Hampton gate (I believe). No doubt the staff are pi##ed off at being furrowed (or woteva), I mean if there was any job in the world that was easy to social distance at, surely this is it….OR is it the gov taking away money big time in order to fund the NHS????

I may well definitely go to the park Wednesday 1pm ish, with two boats (Swordfish with hopefully the new batts and the Jet lander) for a snackette/coffee/picnic, and if there are other people there with boats, or not (as I will have a spare) then blow me down and smack me with a wet kipper but that would be v nice.

As long as the wind doesn't blow our way constantly the niff will be ok, it only drifted over now and then last week, or we could stay at home….

Jet lander having paint thrown at it now. Took snaps yesterday with little camera found in Carole's Brothers stuff but they are none too sharp. Technology has moved on. I took the Olympus CAMEDIA C-370 3.2 megapixel camera out last week and took some snaps of the towpath in the sun and they are really good and much better than expected, but it looks like the 3X zoom lens does not have much in the way of close up capability. The view screen is tiny, about 30x40mm and they looked ok on it, but obviously not on the big screen.

I will be using my electric bike, 250 watts of raw power sufficient to propel my svelte figure and 40Lbs of bike at up to 16mph on the flat, no pedalling. I wish I had a brushless motor of, say, 900 watts in it…it would do about 30mph then and be faster than a speeding boat!

Ashley

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Ashley

Only 900 Watts !!!

I thought it would take a bit more grunt than that to hit 30mph !!!!

Or was you talking of twin motors????

Harry

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Just had a phone call from one of our members, boating can now go ahead at Wicksteed as long as we keep our distance, problem is I’m 150 miles away, but may try out Hearne Bay during the week.

Eddie

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Eddie,

I saw a post somewhere saying our favourite lake at Herne Bay was completely weed bound 😢

Maybe worth checking ??

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 25/05/2020 11:01:25

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Ray, we are only 25 min. away so we can drive over there and check.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

I may well definitely go the pond at 1pm for a salad and cider (small boat secreted in the rucksack).

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Harry. There is a lot of talk about watts here, but the pull of the bike motor at only 250w is impressive. I have seen 400 watt bikes and do they motor! 900 watts is…1 hp or approx and I recon good for about 30 or close to.

Jet lander now a fetching patchy shade of bright gloss green. Radar mast and manpad a/d missiles made. Shoved it in the pond yesterday and there were no leaks, so paint should be hard enough for weds…give it a good thrash, see what breaks!

Salad and cider it is then, weds 1pm.

Ashley

 

Edited By ashley needham on 25/05/2020 13:19:26

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Boats almost all ready to go. Box for Swordsman made, batts charged.

Main hull paint should be hard enough on the jet lander for use. Put a second coat on the cabin rear section yesterday morning and a second coat on some of the main body bits which are dry and by this afternoon will be hard enough to be finger-pressure free. A few extras made for the deck…manpad launcher and machine gun.

Lander looking a bit glossy in bright green as yet, but with the application of some black splurges (70/80’s Brit camp pattern) and Matt clear varnish it will dull down nicely.

1pm at ‘t pond.

Ashley

[Richard BarnettParticipant @richardbarnett67129]

Going to try and make it , depends on parking, the only bike I’ve got has got a bloody big engine in it! So it’s shanks pony for me.😂

Ricky ye pirate 🏴‍☠️

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Deep joy. Parcel from component shop arrived just now wiv’ the two batts. On charge.

the 1000 mAhr one is tiny and is going to make the Swordfish fly. Be interesting to see what difference there is on the new 2200 verses my old one.

on order are some more 5mm shaft nylon tillers, as I had to use the Cobb one for the jet lander, and don’t seem to have any more.

Trevor, shall I bring a spare fork???

Ashley

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