Massive Oops!

I was recently invited to take the Punt down to a friend's workshop where he was holding an exhibition of local crafts. The idea was to help me raise awareness of my Shefford-to-King's Lynn project, and maybe get a bit of sponsorship going.

The Punt is not quite finished, but it's complete enough to 'show'. Anyway, it would be a good opportunity to learn how to get it on and off the car.

So, I duly hauled it out of Frank's garage, trundled it across the road on it's fold-down nose wheel, and started to grunt a lot as I heaved the stern end up onto the rear roof bar (already modified to include rollers for easier loading). Went to the bow (still on the floor) and lifted it up to face level, using the frame of the nose wheel as a handle and started to push.

CRACK. BANG. The boat fell clean off the roof of the car (1.5m drop?) onto the paved driveway, and I was left holding half of the nose wheel frame in my hands.

Turns out that the loud crack was the hardwood beam that supports the nose wheel shearing off.

The two main legs had also sheared off with the impact of the boat hitting the support rail above the wheel.

The immediate good news was that it missed the car completely as it fell.

So, after carrying the boat back to Frank's garage (so much for this being the 'lightweight' variant of the West Mersea Duck Punt!) I checked the hull over to see what damage had occurred. Apart from the sheared-off mounting beam, the damage to the hull was restricted to just a few scuffs on the paintwork, plus a small gouge and some scrapes on the starboard gunwale - all since fixed.

This is one strong boat!

I have some serious thinking to do about how I am going to get it mobile again though. The planned trip involves multiple 'portages', so I've got to find a workable solution and fast.

April 2018 Update

A Long time since I last posted, but a lot of progress has been made, despite many health problems during 2017.

Bouncing back now though (many thanks to the NHS!), so thought I'd simply share some photos of what I've been up to during my healthy times since the last post, bringing you all up to date, and giving me a bit of a springboard to launch into the BIG PROJECT (1st vessel to navigate from Shefford to King's Lynn since 1876, remember?)

Deep Breath! Cutting the bow to take the beam that will support the drop-down nose wheel

Beam in place, with foredeck-supporting fillets glued in

First 5mm layer of foredeck pinned and glued in place (2nd  ditto)

Gunwhale strips glued and clamped in place

Gunwhales and foredeck in place, drop-down nose wheel fitted, out on my drive for planing and sanding...

Back in Frank's garage, dry fitting of fibreglass outer covering (1st of 2 layers)

Inside painted

Fully painted, internal decking slats in place, and drop-down nose wheel in place