alun j. Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Did a daytrip to France yesterday to top up my wine racks and summer B-B-Q beers. Whizzing along on the Fastcraft I was amazed at the amount of weed floating about miles out at sea. First it was the little clumps that annoy us at anchor [ and can pull your rod over the side in a fair tide ]; but the further out we went the clumps got bigger and bigger........... some were the size of small islands and looked as if you could easily stand on......... we're talking car size and bigger!! I wonder how much is under the water ?? as with icebergs !! Is this much weed common at this time of year ?? I wouldn't fancy running into that in a small boat....... mine would surely come to a halt ! AND ......... I hope it doesn't blow inshore. Alun. PS. When I was out Tues, there was a fair bit of weed out on the Ledge; a few bits I pulled in had that distinctive pink / purple encrusting alga , on the bottom of the holdfast, that you find on the rocks at Kimmeridge. Could this have been ripped off by the recent windy weather and carried our way by the tides ?? So where will the mid-channel weed rafts end up ?? [in the Solent??]. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Did a daytrip to France yesterday to top up my wine racks and summer B-B-Q beers. Whizzing along on the Fastcraft I was amazed at the amount of weed floating about miles out at sea. First it was the little clumps that annoy us at anchor [ and can pull your rod over the side in a fair tide ]; but the further out we went the clumps got bigger and bigger........... some were the size of small islands and looked as if you could easily stand on......... we're talking car size and bigger!! I wonder how much is under the water ?? as with icebergs !! Is this much weed common at this time of year ?? I wouldn't fancy running into that in a small boat....... mine would surely come to a halt ! AND ......... I hope it doesn't blow inshore. Alun. PS. When I was out Tues, there was a fair bit of weed out on the Ledge; a few bits I pulled in had that distinctive pink / purple encrusting alga , on the bottom of the holdfast, that you find on the rocks at Kimmeridge. Could this have been ripped off by the recent windy weather and carried our way by the tides ?? So where will the mid-channel weed rafts end up ?? [in the Solent??]. A. S'funny we have had a lot of green algae in the pond this year and for the first time ever. Weed growth has been huge and I have had to take out forkfulls of the stuff. Talking to the guy at the aquatic center I was told that this year was particularly bad for algae and weed. Summat to do with the weather no doubt? I wonder if my fresh water pond weed problems and the rate of weed growth at sea is coincidence. Also is that awful Japanese sea weed getting more profilic? I can remember when tha whole area from Studland to Old Harry was clear water and weed free. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Lots of Cuttle bones floating in shore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdraft Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Loads of weed inshore on Sunday, must have been caused by the blow on saturday, and after getting the prop snagged on Fri it was not what I wanted to see!! Kim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 I used to work in the channel and used to see these massive rafts of algae. They were only a couple of inches thick and I'm sure your intake would be below that level. Even so it would probably be as well to steer around. One of the crew once managed to scoop a baby lobster ( about 1mm across ) out of one of these weed rafts. He put it in his saltwater aquarium and it grew to about three inches and started to eat his smaller fish so he got rid of it. This was on board an old french crabber called Esperans about 22 years ago. Sorry I think I've started reminising(?) I'd better stop now before I get boring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdraft Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 YOUR SHOWING YOUR AGE SIMOM!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Loads of weed inshore on Sunday, must have been caused by the blow on saturday, and after getting the prop snagged on Fri it was not what I wanted to see!! Kim. Kim, Took mum and dad and the kids up the river on Sunday; cracking weather, almost too hot at times. Saw your boat there on the mooring and wondered whether you'd be having a pint on the quay. Dad and I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 YOUR SHOWING YOUR AGE SIMOM!!! yeah, It's bloody scary isn't it. I never realised how long ago it was until I started to think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdraft Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 I could have drunk the dam pub dry after the weekend I had(nothing new there then I hear you say!)had to have the boat lifted a week after putting it back in, to remove Bunting and strapping snagged around the prop on friday whilst re-fueling at corralls, then when we went to go out at 6am sunday, the shaft flew out of the coupling at the gearbox end, where the snag had jammed the prop it had stipped the shaft by a couple of thou!! We hope we have now solved the problem by replacing the pinch bolts and fixing some grub screws, if not then some shim and a pin will do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 I used to work in the channel and used to see these massive rafts of algae. They were only a couple of inches thick and I'm sure your intake would be below that level. Even so it would probably be as well to steer around. Once I launched my shetland off Warsash and half way across the channel, water stopped coming out of the p hole, instead steam was blowing out of it I quickly changed over the the aux engine and hobbled to the side of the channel. Upon lifting the main outboard, I found a thick strand of seeweed, about 2" by 1' across the water intake blocking it totally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Prop er job......... if not then some shim and a pin will do the trick A good quality bearing lock fluid will also do the trick. For removal later use heat or a clout. The locking fluid has tremendous anti torque strength but poor sheer strength. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdraft Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Thanks for that Mike,do you know where I can get the fluid if req?Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Thanks for that Mike,do you know where I can get the fluid if req?Kim A Lock Tite stockist would do but make sure it's a Bearing Lock not a Stud Lock the bearing lock is infinitely stronger. A good motor factors would have it Brown Bros, Halfords should too. Mad Mike PS Ally foil shims could be used but if your shaft is phosphor bronze you will get an electrical action which will dissolve the ally foil. Also shimming can make the shaft run excentric by a thou or two which will eventualy affect your stearn bearing/stuffing box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 God forbid ,that your stern bearing/stuffing box,should be affected.!!! It sounds excrutiatingly painful...And one wonders if there is a cure for such an affliction. If not could we perhaps subscribe to a "support group". We could have a little lapel ribbon and even a wrist band to raise funds,for counselling etc jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdraft Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 :blink:Jack, if it ends up costing me a lot of money and the wife finds out, I will need counselling!! and my box re-stuffing!! Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cullodon Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 kim ashley bearings or any bearing stockist will have a range of loctite type products(anerobics or aerobics -but get it right ).there is one designed for gap filling in situations like yours. used it once to good effect on a huge guillotine flywheel tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 God forbid ,that your stern bearing/stuffing box,should be affected.!!! It sounds excrutiatingly painful...And one wonders if there is a cure for such an affliction. If not could we perhaps subscribe to a "support group". We could have a little lapel ribbon and even a wrist band to raise funds,for counselling etc jack All real words I assure you As they say 'who needs to make it up' It's all there in real life. Jack, do you remember that old song ..... Your hip bone's connected to your thigh bone etc? ............... Well your stuffing box is connected to your stern gland and your stern gland is connected to your 'P' bracket It's all true I tell you!!!!!! Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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