David Kitching wrote: > On 26 May 2010 at 0:12, Neil Arlidge wrote: > >> Maurice A - 14.95M barge designed by Nick Branson and myself. >> http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/MauriceA/MauriceAA.html >> being built at Riversdale Barge, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, ROI. >> Fabricator Steve Nott of Peterborough (used to work with Nick >> Branson.) > > Good news indeed. How long do you estimate before fitting out > commences?
They *could* have shell finished and in primer in 8 weeks, especially as Steve now knows where I want all the fiddly bits. But that depends upon the availability of Poles, it is only Steve and Svartvik in the fabrication shop at the moment. With the inevitable delays due to non ordering of stuff, I am not expecting to see a substantially fitted barge for over a year. I am having the floor diesel tanks with a 2" lower top, as when you add floor bearers/noggins/liner to the pre-production model, head room was getting limited. I have marked out with Steve on the other barge position (and size) of all the bollards/bits, front locker layout (gas locker / locker lid), the "missing" rear locker/seat at the back of the rear deck. The other "TNC" barge owner did not want this, so he will have a short rudder shaft and the crank/ram in the engine room (which will eventually inevitably leak), I am having the ram in the rear deck locker. Position and size of keel cooler tanks, position of protected sea cock outlets/depth gauge sender. Size and design of weed hatch. Position of windows and Dog Box. Position of all shelf supports/bearers for :- boiler/generator, stern tanks (black + 2 extra side water tanks) So many of these things are earier to fabricate before the sides/top go on. Steve has made a selection of bollards for me to choose from and is working on a heavier "Nottco" Halls style anchor. These will all be galvanised. Steve even wants to build the dog box in steel. It was an incredibly productive weekend and we (Me+Steve in his NB Charnest and the Thomas's in the only spare hireboat) had time for an afternoon/night/morning up to Keshcarrigan, along with some hirers in a Riversdale barge and John (the High Sherriff of Dublin and his Barrister mate Dermot in John's Riversdale Branson "Emily" barge "Maggie Pepper" (Gerties is now doing food again). Sunday night we had a visit to 'Spoons (Steve was overjoyed as they had some Oakham-Peterborough (the centre of the known universe) ale on) . Graham was molested in 'Spoons by a drunk druggie. We were in hysterics. Monday afternoon two Waterways Ireland guys popped in to say there were two sheep swimming about in the river and were too knackered to get out, so Paddy and Graham went out in the spare hire boat and rescued them. They were not Grahams's, but he bought them back anyway. The sight of two sheep being bundled off a hire boat had me creased up. Riversdale has gone all "organic" (better EU grants!) they now have potratoes and a growing collection of free range (rather toooo free range!) chickens, with a wonderful new night coup, complete with upvc double glazed windows and doors. Svartvik, the Chiel Pole, was rather upset, due to the flooding in Poland, which has not really featured on the news over here, so we had to go to the Poles mobile home(s) and watch Polish Sat tv. He still came up to the house for a barbi on Mon night bring rather a lot of Polish Tyskie lager. Monday Steve and me popped over the border for some mig wire reels and other stuff to: http://www.erneliftingservices.co.uk Which had a shop full of *really* big boys toys. They also do a huge range of hydraulic hoses and pipes, for fitting MA's bowthruster. We also had a "drop" of a mysterious package in a Lisnaskea car park (it was some stainless nuts and bolts) The whole long W/E was totally mad and I suggested the follow-up to "Father Ted", should be called "Riversdale". .........isn't Ireland wonderfull, when it is warm and not raining ;-) Three weeks of Euro-barging starts tomorrow. Svartvik heard about this and said "You bring me plenty Tyskie, you get plenty good weld!" :-) -- Neil Arlidge Barge Maurice A - It exists Barge Final Fling - for three weeks TNC http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/tour.html
