Hello shipmates, it has been too long since I have darkened the hallowed halls of my blog with the rantings of a barge obsessed idiot, so I thought just a quick note to let you know the current state of play and what I have been up to.

As some of you may be aware, I have been training as gyrocopter instructor for the last 6 months or so (and prior to that building hours and doing the instructor groundschool). I have finally passed my test and have risen to rung number one of the ladder as a Flying Instructor (Restricted). Essentially, I still need an adult to look over my shoulder and ensure I am not doing anything stupid... Which is fair enough.

Part of the process has involved me smashing to and from York in my trusty steed...

As York sits firmly north of the Watford Gap, the weather can be somewhat less than what is required to get airborne safely. I spent several days of my training merely boring my instructor rigid with briefings as it was all we could achieve whilst outside is slashed it down in "Irma Style" rain... Sometimes, I would push home and have to do my best shower/bad weather dodging to get back to see my beloved and new (now 12 week old) arrival which was an education in its own right...

As you can see, even small rain showers can have hidden dangers. The lightning arc took me somewhat by surprise, but I had taken enough of a sidestep from the shower to not feel its effects or be unduly worried by the prospect of a lightning strike. I did however turn another few degrees away from the shower after seeing this...

I have still to pick up the gyro from York as I finished too late on the Friday to fly down. I hope to catch a lift in another gyro this Friday and then fly back so that everything is back where it should be. It has been a long (and pretty expensive tbh) slog through the instructor course but I already have my first student lined up who is keen as mustard. I am just waiting for an adult to agree to supervise me and to move all my stuff to the new airfield and start instructing.

On a more barge related note, not much has happened for the reasons stated above. I sent an email to the dry dock essentially with a requirement for the other 2 barges to either "poop or get off the pot" as regards a date for dry docking. A follow up conversation confirmed they were to decide by today what they are going to do. The owners of the dry dock do have another vessel coming in to share the dry dock with me so it will be less expensive than a solo dry dock, but would be even better if the other 2 barges were to dry dock with us. I am still awaiting confirmation of the paint system (and costs), compressor hire and various other bits and pieces. I have plenty to do whilst in dry dock - in fact probably too much, but I will start on those jobs which I absolutely cannot do in the Marina and anything else I get done will be a bonus.

From a tactics perspective, first thing will be to get the anchor tube replaced in the foc'sle and get the inside shot blasted and the 2 lumps of concrete and what looks like random sea cocks removed and welded over. Once that is done, apply rust inhibitor, red oxide primer then a couple of coats of enamel. I am hoping this will give me a clean enough room to start transferring tools and stuff I don't want covered in blasting media into it. If I can get a floor of scaffold boards in and construct a basic chain locker then great - at least this will keep the anchor chain out of the way. It's not going to be fancy, maybe just some metal lugs welded to the frames and scaffold boards cut to size and wedged in place. I think I will also paint the bilge near the anchor locker with a rubberised paint to give it a flexible coating so that any saltwater which drips from the chain won't get in contact with the steel hull and rust from the inside.

I hope that the foc'sle will give me a better understanding of how to get the best results from the shot blaster and paints. I found this little gem on Screwfix (no I don't get paid a commission)...

It has got pretty good reviews and could make the process of painting the inside of the hull a damn sight quicker. It will also come in handy for painting the the wood panelling has been cut to size for walls. It is my 21st birthday (again) coming up so I may be lucky.

Apologies for the lack of progress shipmates but other pressures have pressed the 'Pause' button. With some fair winds, decent weather and a sh@t load of strong tea and biscuits I may have more to report from dry dock. Zee will hopefully be over the biggest hump in the project and looking less like a scabby old rusty hull and more like the beautiful old girl we fell in love with.