The Grey Seal Huon Seal

[dopeydriver]

I got all of the bits and pieces from the cockpit all painted this morning .
Jeez , if I ever get her back in the water , I'll need my sunnies on , she is sparkling now !.
Next I'll have to tape up for the anti slip , and then paint it on.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Taping done .
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Well , the deck is finished , the non slip coat is on.
The old deck was very slippery , wet.
I had used this non slip paint last year , on the sole , and the engine cover .
It is very good , but it collects grime very quickly.
Just the bottom to go.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

An interesting development this morning.
My swing mooring is hardly a prize , one of the furtherest out , and most exposed moorings.
But in a town known for its absolutely appalling facilities available for recreational boaters , it seems its a bit in demand , at the moment.
Before the Sydney Hobart race , "Secret Mens Business" coming from the west , parked on my mooring for a couple of days.
It eventually won the (handicap) race .
But the mooring is set up for a 1800 kg 22 ft boat , SMB is much , much bigger than that !.
Then , last week I saw another big plastic boat using my mooring.
And today I got a chance to meet the owners , they told me that someone from the yacht club gave them permission to use it ! , bloody hell , what right has the yacht club to give permission to use someones mooring ?.
Then , this morning , I got a call from the woman employed by the council , who is supposed to be responsible (I use the term very loosely) for the moorings.She wants another boat to use it , this coming weekend , for an unknown period of time.
This boat is an even bigger 7 tonne.
I explained my reservations , but that was like water off a ducks back .
And then I just slipped in "but there is a boat on it already".
"What ! , they can't do that !!!".
Jeez , what a bloody circus , I wish I didn't have to be one of the main acts !.
Dunno when I'll get HS down there on the mooring again , but I'm wondering what sort of condition it will be in , and if these boats have dragged it at all.
Or if it will be occupied already.
I wish I could find someplace that had a decent mooring setup , for an old fart like me who just want to be able to walk on to their boat , and go sail.
It certainly isn't at Portland , they don't give a rats about the locals , only the out-a towners , with plenty of money to spend.
There , thats my bitch for today !.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Well , 2 things.
I went down to the Shire offices in Portland to pay my mooring fees.
I noticed on the way down , that there is still a boat on my mooring.
I paid my money , and not a word was said to me about my e-mails to them , or phone calls to them just yesterday.
And , I took the tapes off , and took some photos of HS.
Gawd , was it muggy in the shed.
I couldn't open it up , too windy , and after 200plus MM of rain yesterday , and the heat the humidity was something else , the sweat was pouring off me.
There needs to be a few little touch ups , but here she is.
Rob J.

[woodeneye]

Thanks for the pics Rob, she looks fantastic.

[dopeydriver]

There are a couple of little touch ups , mainly caused by the tape.
But it will be easily fixed.
More rain on the way , maybe another 200mm in the next day or so , and high winds.
Also contacted by Coastguard Victoria , we were being set to go to QLD to assist , but I think we will be staying here , because of the situation here.
One day at a time stuff.
Rob J.

[AndrewPatrol]

well done Rob, looks fantastic. Maybe all that rain will make your visitors clear off and you'll get your mooring back. Cant wait to see some shots of the hull.

Andrew

[dopeydriver]

No shots of the hull Andrew , till the antifouling is on.
The people on the mooring now reckon its just too dirty (the weather) to be sailing now , and they may well be right .
I dunno , I give up.
I pay for the flamin' mooring , and all these other turkeys get to use it for nothin'.
Unless they are slinging the woman from the council.
Rob J.

[woodeneye]

No shots of the hull Andrew , till the antifouling is on.
The people on the mooring now reckon its just too dirty (the weather) to be sailing now , and they may well be right .
I dunno , I give up.
I pay for the flamin' mooring , and all these other turkeys get to use it for nothin'.
Unless they are slinging the woman from the council.
Rob J.

I thought you would be the one getting the "rent"?

[dopeydriver]

You would think so , wouldn't you.
But nothing surprises me , with this council.
When we were first looking down here to buy , there was plenty of moorings , and places to lift boats up on the hard , to work on.
Now most of the marina is CONDEMNED , the rest is just set up to rip and tear hulls apart .
Its an appalling place.
But , lots of new facilities for the out a towners , with their big bits of plastic on trailers , chasing tuna .
I have written to the council about one of those new facilities , the council has yet to reply to me.
I'll include it here.


Stuart , I write as a concerned owner of a boat (Huon Seal No 27) usually on a swing mooring in Portland Harbour.
My understanding is that the new facility put in opposite the information centre is for the use of fishing boats , particularly the tuna boats , to allow them to have their tow vehicles and trailers parked , and to pick up the driver , before heading out to the fishing ground.
My concern is the amount of boat traffic that will then be going through , or right next to , the moored boats.
If there are 100 boats using that facility , then there would be 400 trips through the moored boats !.
Access to the moored boats is by a small tender , we have enough trouble with the fishing boats coming in 100 yards away , nearly swamping our tenders , what is it going to be like when hundreds of them are coming through the moored boats !.
And , most of the moored boats are yachts , often or usually sailed off their mooring.
Are these motor boat drivers going to know , or understand , what we are doing , sailing on and off our moorings ?.
It seems to be , to this cynic , that the out of town fishermen are being catered for , but the locals , paying mooring fees , are being put at risk by this setup.
What am I missing here ?.
I have spoken to John Steadman about this , and he is going to take it up when he gets back from Tasmania , but he suggested I get the ball rolling now.
Regards Rob Johnson

This is the sort of thing I am dealing with.
I asked about my reply yesterday , and the woman was completely no committal .Not mentioned today either .
My letter was written on the 8th of December.
If you are sailing in Western Victoria stay well away from Portland , its the pits !.
Regards Rob J.

[AndrewPatrol]

I thought you would be the one getting the "rent"?

Be interesting to talk to the owner of boat on your mooring and see what theyre paying!! Maybe you can get a rebate for the time theyve been your mooring

Make some cardboard wave cutouts Rob and I wont tell anyone you havnt anti fouled yet, then take picies.

[dopeydriver]

I spoke to the people on there now yesterday Andrew , they were given permission to use my mooring by someone from the yacht club !.
When I get HS back on her moorings , if there is any problem with it , LOOK OUT !!!!.
The anti fouling will be done in good time , then I'll tow her out in to the sunlight , and take some photos.
And start figuring out the rigging again.
Rob J.

[AndrewPatrol]

make sure you paint the trailer first !!!

[dopeydriver]

We did paint the trailer , when we re-registered it , a nice jungle green.
Its now got a nice speckled appearance !.
Rob J.