Friday 4 November
I was quite relaxed in the knowledge that just about everything was ready for the launch of St John and the display of boat 2. Adrian had beaten me to the shed as I had dropped a tow rope I use to launch my boat, off to JP who was launching his today. I also picked up some doughnuts and a cinnamon twist from the hot bread shop for a celebratory morning tea. As it happens we were so relaxed we had a cup of tea and started trying to work out how we would fit the sleeves to the oars. I had contacted Clem, our current rower, and he said he would be able to help at around 2pm so I was reluctant to commit to clipping the sleeves irreversibly together on the oars. He also sent a link to a video of how to do it for rowing shells. Veronica joined the discussion and because it looked as if the sleeves would be very loose she went home and came back with a selection of bicycle inner tubes to cut up and stick under the sleeves to pad them out.
Lesley arrived with the Grunt straps she had kindly bought and generously donated for holding the seat cushions on the seats.
By 10.30 we had a quorum (of 6) for lifting boat 2 onto its trailer. Of course it had started to drizzle by then but boats are meant to get wet. We took it out and gently set it down on its trailer. We then moved its stand and rolled it back into the shed. It was sitting a little high on its stretchers and we noticed that the winch post was 45cm further back than on St John. Adrian set about moving the winch post while I adjusted the stretchers.
Morning tea had become a morning graze as the doughnuts and twist disappeared leaving Geoff’s lamingtons untouched. As people started to leave Dr John was collecting up his clamps and tools to take home. It really brought home how close we are to finishing both boats.
When everyone had left I went out to get some shopping and ended up going to the CRC to pick up their PA system. We had decided to go with theirs but I knew it would need power on the day. Geoff checked with the Shire and was able to persuade them to open the power box on the public toilets for our use as long as we had ticketed electrical kit. I had rung Cam at the High School to see if they had a PA and he got back to me with an offer of ticketed power cords and his own camping generator if we need it. Thanks Cam. I went around to the school and picked up the leads. We now have a working PA even if we have to shift the speeches to the upstream side of the ramp.
Back in the shed with Clem we discovered the second oar was much fatter than the first and didn’t need the inner tube to be locked in place by the collar/button. Ditto the third oar. Then disaster, the fourth oar was so much fatter (bigger diameter) where we want to put the sleeve that the sleeve wouldn’t go around it. We managed only to get one side to clip and then realised we wouldn’t be able to stretch the other side together. Our work around was to find a thinner oar from the stock we have and fit the sleeve and collar to it. But then I had to clean it up and paint a green stripe (luckily only one) on the blade.
We had brief visits from Peter K and Ted and Annie who could see that we were busy trying to sort these oar sleeves out.
JD came in and took a look at the winch position on the trailer and worked out how to move it forward. He then gave me a hand to clean up the oar.
All should now be ready for tomorrow, I did forget to go back to the bank to get change for a float tomorrow so I had better get the Square to work this evening and practice my speech.
See you tomorrow for the procession in Strickland Street at 12noon and the official launch at 2pm. Don’t forget to buy your Fish and Chips tickets at the boats in the morning or at St John’s stand in the afternoon.
Cheers Dave