Well, as you've noticed, I didn't get out this weekend. It was nice weather, don't get me wrong, but Son asked me to help him with reassembling his vespa engine.....and we ran into some problems with it....and the gears don't want to function properly......and so we had to take it all apart again....and...........
On the bright side, we did get it fixed....we think! Thanks to superb help from the vespa smallframes forum which is rather similar to the one run by John Welsford and his team! The vespa boys saved us. What is great about this forum is within minutes Jonny had disassembled his engine, taken photographs and put them up for us to follow step by step - literally within 10 minutes of us posting a plea for help. Now is that service or is that service?
A fellow teacher at school saved us on the front hub nut saga. We managed after 14 weeks of searching worldwide, to find the exceptionally hard to get hold of left handed outside threaded bearing nut!! Sadly, the inner hub thread into which it had to screw was shot! However, a technology teacher at school came to our rescue and managed to re thread a left hand 1.5 inch diameter hole! Whats more, he even made a special tool for us to help screw it in and out.........there are so many generous people out there. At times it really does take your breath away!
So here is a photograph of the partially reassembled engine for 'Stacey' ('Stacey'! What in heavens made him come up with that name...is it some secret teenage fantasy woman on WoW?). The rest of the reassembly happens in two weeks time. Grandad, if you are reading this blog, you'd better be on stand by!
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On the boating front, well I managed to get lots of jobs done in between coaching son on vespa mechanics (coaching really isn't the right way to describe how I was there with a laptop, website, Haynes manual, DVD about vespa engine strip downs and various pieces printed off the Internet......more like sheer panic!) and sorting out the gardening chaos left by the Missus.
Arwen has a new lazy jack/topping lift system. The boom has had all its fittings removed and placed on the correct side (again don't ask, please!). The outhaul has been altered so that there is a longer length between blocks and I've returned to a fixed eye screwed to the mast for its attachment point. The reefing ropes have all been trimmed to the correct length.
So, all being well, I should be able to reef from right next to the mast, more easily; the boom should be able to go back further aft and, oh I forgot, sorry, I moved the attachment point on the top yard further forward and lower down the yard so it should pull higher up the mast. Watch this space because all being well I hope to be sailing next weekend!
In the meantime, Joel has been taking 'Ellie' on her second voyage with some very impressive statistics. I won't steal his thunder. Go visit him and see his news and video clip at
http://navigatorjoel.blogspot.com/2011/07/ellies-second-voyage.html
He really does put me and poor Arwen to shame. My I say in defence of my beloved boat - it isn't her fault. Her skipper is an idiot!
Osbert has posted a fascinating article about his boat tent at http://forthsailoar.osbert.org/boat-tent-an-elegant-but-damp-solution
if you are thinking of making a boat tent, read his report. I didn't realise that John had made plans for the boat tent for a walkabout available....I wonder if he's drawn up plans for a navigator tent? Must check with him.
Whilst surfing the net, as one does, late at night, when four hours of A Level preparation, leave your brain numb and non-functioning, I suddenly discovered photos of Arwen on a small boatbuilding company website, here in the UK. They are backed by JW and sell his designs, so I have no problem with this......there are other photos of other navigators too. If it helps sell more plans for John, then that's grand. The navigator is a fantastically designed boat. i wish all those about to build or in the middle of a build sincere good luck. have fun guys, enjoy and happy sailing when you finally launch your dream boat! you can see the pics at http://www.fyneboatkits.co.uk/plans/sailing/welsford-navigator/ There are one or two of Arwen completed and several of her in cut out form and being glued up.
Cheers
Steve
On the bright side, we did get it fixed....we think! Thanks to superb help from the vespa smallframes forum which is rather similar to the one run by John Welsford and his team! The vespa boys saved us. What is great about this forum is within minutes Jonny had disassembled his engine, taken photographs and put them up for us to follow step by step - literally within 10 minutes of us posting a plea for help. Now is that service or is that service?
A fellow teacher at school saved us on the front hub nut saga. We managed after 14 weeks of searching worldwide, to find the exceptionally hard to get hold of left handed outside threaded bearing nut!! Sadly, the inner hub thread into which it had to screw was shot! However, a technology teacher at school came to our rescue and managed to re thread a left hand 1.5 inch diameter hole! Whats more, he even made a special tool for us to help screw it in and out.........there are so many generous people out there. At times it really does take your breath away!
So here is a photograph of the partially reassembled engine for 'Stacey' ('Stacey'! What in heavens made him come up with that name...is it some secret teenage fantasy woman on WoW?). The rest of the reassembly happens in two weeks time. Grandad, if you are reading this blog, you'd better be on stand by!
oow! Isn't she clean inside.....probably not working...but very clean!
new seals - all greased and correctly inserted
the 'reputedly' toughest job, putting the clutch basket back in - 30 seconds, no honestly....30 seconds
It took 25 minutes to get out when stripping the engine!!!
the problem area........there should be a gap between first and second gear at the bottom
....and there isn't......
and yes, they are in the right order and in the correct way up......
so this is what is currently baffling smallframe enthusiasts....where has our 'gap' gone... and why has it gone 'walkabout'?
On the boating front, well I managed to get lots of jobs done in between coaching son on vespa mechanics (coaching really isn't the right way to describe how I was there with a laptop, website, Haynes manual, DVD about vespa engine strip downs and various pieces printed off the Internet......more like sheer panic!) and sorting out the gardening chaos left by the Missus.
Arwen has a new lazy jack/topping lift system. The boom has had all its fittings removed and placed on the correct side (again don't ask, please!). The outhaul has been altered so that there is a longer length between blocks and I've returned to a fixed eye screwed to the mast for its attachment point. The reefing ropes have all been trimmed to the correct length.
So, all being well, I should be able to reef from right next to the mast, more easily; the boom should be able to go back further aft and, oh I forgot, sorry, I moved the attachment point on the top yard further forward and lower down the yard so it should pull higher up the mast. Watch this space because all being well I hope to be sailing next weekend!
In the meantime, Joel has been taking 'Ellie' on her second voyage with some very impressive statistics. I won't steal his thunder. Go visit him and see his news and video clip at
http://navigatorjoel.blogspot.com/2011/07/ellies-second-voyage.html
He really does put me and poor Arwen to shame. My I say in defence of my beloved boat - it isn't her fault. Her skipper is an idiot!
Osbert has posted a fascinating article about his boat tent at http://forthsailoar.osbert.org/boat-tent-an-elegant-but-damp-solution
if you are thinking of making a boat tent, read his report. I didn't realise that John had made plans for the boat tent for a walkabout available....I wonder if he's drawn up plans for a navigator tent? Must check with him.
Whilst surfing the net, as one does, late at night, when four hours of A Level preparation, leave your brain numb and non-functioning, I suddenly discovered photos of Arwen on a small boatbuilding company website, here in the UK. They are backed by JW and sell his designs, so I have no problem with this......there are other photos of other navigators too. If it helps sell more plans for John, then that's grand. The navigator is a fantastically designed boat. i wish all those about to build or in the middle of a build sincere good luck. have fun guys, enjoy and happy sailing when you finally launch your dream boat! you can see the pics at http://www.fyneboatkits.co.uk/plans/sailing/welsford-navigator/ There are one or two of Arwen completed and several of her in cut out form and being glued up.
Cheers
Steve
Steve, maybe you should suggest a link from Fyne acknowledging your site as the source of some of the photos?
ReplyDeleteCommon courtesy I think. Your writings are a treasure trove for navigator owners like me.
Both my surviving neurons struggle with the intricacies involved with optimum rigging.
Thank you for your blog and attitude.
Brent.
at least you've got two surviving - think of the handicapp of having one my friend! You are welcome - I have no idea what I'm dooing but if my mistakes help other then that's brill
ReplyDeletesteve