May 26th, 2011

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Thursday May 26. Mixed news

Thursday, May 26th, 2011
I’ll be sure to inspect the crane slings when “Fleetwood” descends the 100 odd feet to the Danube, when I’m done with this maintenance job.
This morning the “Groote Beer” ( www.cometosea.us/albums/GrooteBeer.htm) dropped 4 meters on top of a car in Elburg. The crane that was relaunching her after a winter’s overhaul apparently broke a sling. No body was hurt.
It was a perfect day to work on the boat. A cool easterly blew all day and I could work on the sunny side  and have the sanding dust blow the right direction. But it is a frustrating slow process. If the boat could have been pressure washed when it was put ashore I could have saved at least 50 hours of back breaking work. I have to hand chisel the Danube clay/cement  off the bottom. It clogs up the sandpaper and without the Porter Cable orbital disc sander I have no tool power full enough. I tried the new angle grinder but that is just overkill and if I am not very careful it will grind right through the plywood. I may just have to bite the bullet and spend another $250 on an orbital disc sander. The Bosch flat orbital sander that I bought in Durban is going the same way as the Porter Cable tool. It makes weird sounds and then slows down and quits. I checked the carbon brushes. So that makes three of my must have tools that have gone south, in the worst spot I could have chosen.
I use the hotel where I stayed the first 11 days for my internet and dinner. There is a big party going on tonight for the Lyceum graduates. Glad I am not sleeping here tonight.

Photo Credit Omroep Gelderland