Day 2 - Lots of help, but the wrong kind.

Finally managed to source a pump, all singing and dancing but unfortunetly I think its only a two inch.....Oh well....beggers choosing and all that.

We managed to lift the pump onboard, if you have read previous entries you know its about 20 feet or so down to the gunwale from the quayside, after a walk along the esplanade and across a very slippery and seaweedy beach. 
My 13 year old son was leading the way but ill be buggered if I know where he was going as we ended up crossing the most difficult part of the beach!
Never trust a 13 year old who is more interested in games machines than his fathers 'boring boat'....Gawd only knows where his mind was.
Anyway after much consternation, my back exploding and a few choice 'french' words, the pump got onboard just as the tide reached halfway up the keel.


Because we took so long getting the pump and then the back breaking effort of a cripple and three hero's, we missed the chance to pump her out before the tide came in and that was the fatal lapse in the days plan. 
We needed the boat pumped out before the sea came up as the pump would not be able to cope with the ingress and the water already there.
It turned out that it was a good exercise in what the pump could do and what was going to happen before she finally lifts, we could do with this all happening three days ago of course!!

The reason for the lack of help today was due to a brother of mine deciding that women and drink were a far better option than helping get the Lady afloat.  Good to know that he is up for the challenge.

The boys were stars and did a fair bit of the grafting... and then the incessant talking!

The pictures give a picture of what went on.

On a quick final note, crew member number two managed to work out that the deck was like ice after managing to slip the whole 19 feet of the deck to the deepest part of the gunwale... The water was up to his waste...
Oh well it made for a laugh at the time!! There is a drying out pic as well!!

The boat is in a good position for meeting people and many folk are interested  in whats going on, its probably the best photographed vessel on the West Coast for the time being sadly for all the wrong reasons.

One person I chatted to was Bob from Ardrishaig, it turns out that he is a welder and works on boats.  That's the kind of person you want to meet especially when your boat is partly made of the stuff and corroded to hell!!  Bob also gave a contact for various woods in Balloch near Dumbarton.

Well its back down to the old Lady in the morning for another attempt at pumping her dry.

Maybe be on better form tomorrow along with better news.



Aye

Kered