Unfortunately, before restoration can start, the current set up of Bargus has to be removed, to allow access to the steel work for repairs and preservation. Myself and Char are eternally greatfull of Bargus' cabin as with out it her fait my have been very different. As she is, she has given joy to many, shown new people the canals and provided a home for more than one person. This alone has enabeled her to arrive today as an unaltered hull, allowing for restoration to happen, (not chopped short/intwo, sunk and forgot about or even gone to the scrap yard in the sky!). The cabin was put on in 1969 and changed little (externally) since, but the insides have had a few changes (as found by the number of outlets for drains from baths, sinks, builges etc). As this is going to be a long term project and we wish to carry on boating for as long as possible, we are doing the work in stages. So far we have removed the front "tarped" section, the first 25'. Giving access to the steel for patches, the knees for letting in new bends and the gunwhales for fitting new wooden gunwhals, after repairs to the steel underneath them. We are only attacking steel abover the water line for now as we are still in the water and so not wish to put a hole in her below said level! (We've found one already but have run a seam weld down the offending knee's edge). I have set up the running gear from Betelgeuse as I found without the gear there I couldn't tell where the front of the boat was!
Temporary new doors...
Playing with the engine, cleaning, setting tappets and insalling a new speed gear... new gear selection linkages coming along nicely too and ive started on new GU style fuel tanks (just the filler caps made so far!).
Removing the front section of living space...after realising what the planks had been supported by (rotten wood) we were quite glad to have taken them down, also understanding why the bed was sloped not being supported by much.
So now that we can actually see the inside of the front area of the boat, we have been able to move the ballast off the base plate, clear up loose rust and dry it out in there. We decided that without knowing how bad the steel work is we wouldn't go below the water line and do any work until we get it out of the water (having gone through one area to the overplating, its not worth the risk). So therefore we've ground off all paint and attacked rust areas down to the bulls bridge 1950's weld line in the front section of the boat.
I do like a bit of pink! New hand rails and top slide (all cheap wood as its only temporary). We also found the cabin that wasn't tarped over leaked... so we've tarped it!
After a new years cruise to Whaley bridge and back with the pair, we treated ourselves and stripped back the lining in the old engine room compartment. We found the original bulkhead angle, the water inlets for the cooling system and the tabs for the fuel tanks... all very exciting for us as we now have phyisical poitions for the layout rather than guessing from drawings. ...also there were markings "M5 and M5P" we assume these are build markings stating which plates they were before being incorporated into our boat.
With starting my new job as engineer at Bollington Wharf, I've had little time for personal projects... but I do have access to some proper tools now!! So, now made in trad materials (cause I cant afford them) ive been working in Birch plywood and busy making a Deck board, false cratch, mast box and mast for Bargus. Also ive been practicing my welding skills and been making the first of 2 new fuel tanks for Bargus, these drop benith the floor in the proper engine room with just the tirangle vertical bit coming up to just below the gunwhals in each front corner.
With Charlotte at the yard I took advantage and asked for guidence on how to "candy cane" the swans neck and spare tiller... its going to look pretty! :-) also been making a new steering step as the old was startign to give way under me :-/
