We've given the boat on the dry dock this week a bit of tlc. Firstly he stem post was split - that's the very front of the boat. I imagine this damage has been caused by impact with a number of cills in locks. It had been repaired previously. So Bernard set to with welder in hand and patched it up and completed the job by bending and welding a piece of 2 inch rubbing guard up the front of it. I must say that he made a very neat job, but unfortunately I didn't have time to get back over to the dock and get another picture from the same angle before the lads flooded the dry dock, but here is the before shot!

It was also necessary to replace the propeller shaft as the keen eye will spot that the end of it has rotted off. I would hazard a guess that some one fitted a steel nut which has rotted off and subsequently the end of the stainless steel shaft has decayed some what. 

To remove the propeller it is necessary to disconnect the propshaft in the engine space. For those of you that know Bernard will know that he isn't the smallest person and it still amazes me how he manages to squeeze in to spaces as big as this...

That's it from me today.

Best regards,

David