Saturday 28-November-2017 is Sculptor's 82nd birthday

Sculptor - a boat built by boat builders rather than a boat built by ship builders - and so much more elegant for that.

Sculptor is a 'Star' class boat named for the Sculptor Constellation
Sculptor on ITV Anglia - 22-September-2014
Sculptor on BBC Look East 16-October-2014
Sculptor on Narrowboatworld

Saturday, 8 August 2015

Reballasting and painting the hold

Sculptor bobbing like a cork on an ocean
It was decided that we needed to reballast the boat - in essence getting the two IBC containers out, cleaning out behind and underneath them and then painting the hold sides and the back end bulkhead.

On Friday we pumped the water out of the two IBCs thanks to Ryan Dimmock on Southern Cross who leant us his 12v pump; then we tipped over five of the seven barrels (only five because we think there is old diesel in the other two), and pumped out that water by way of the bilge pump.  Sculptor then bobbed around like a cork on an ocean.

The hold sides look good - a second coat
for the back end bulkhead perhaps
On Saturday we took the two IBCs out of the hold together with the shutts and cleaned up the hold sides,  We then painted them.  That took most of the day.  We think the back end bulkhead may need another coat but we are pleased with the hold sides.

Tomorrow (Sunday) the IBCs go back in on a temporary basis as CRT are arranging alternative ballast for Sculptor soon.

We were surprised how good the iron work was and we noted that the knees were fabricated by Harts Hill Iron Works.  There's more information on Harts Hill Iron Works here from the Black Country Bugle.

Sunday update.

The bulkhead was given a second coat early on and a decision made to give the hold sides a second coat as so much equipment had been removed to gain access and the second coat would only take an hour or so to apply.

That done dunnage was made (from the redundant picnic tables from the Museum Green - a good bit of recycling) to lift the IBCs half an inch or so for two reasons:
  • To allow air to circulate underneath
  • To allow the drain valves to be easily accessed
The IBCs were refitted, Sculptor moved to the water point on ropes (too risky to move her under her own power with such little ballast) and the 2 IBCs were filled as were two 200L drums which were placed under the catch.  Sculptor was then moved, under her own power, back to her usual mooring.

Volunteer hours 34 (total 962 to date)