The stern gear as Barnes Brinkcraft repainted the anti-foul
The stern gear as Barnes Brinkcraft repainted the anti-foul

Back to Paxton Princess at Barnes in Wroxham after an early start, mopping off the ice and water, sorting out a working anti-corrosion anode and fitting the corner fenders and bathing platform planks. Also installing the PC Maritime application and speaking to Matthew about my spurs and davits as they repainted the anti-foul.

Up at 6.00am with Diana and then off to Norfolk within forty-five minutes. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of traffic on the road going to Cambridge. It seems that many of the office-workers get into work before 8.00am to avoid the rush of cars and so it is not easy to get past before them. I had a relatively straightforward journey, apart from the traffic, and arrived at around 8.45am just as most of the Barnes Brinkcraft workers were getting there. I spent ages mopping down the boat of all of the ice and water so that it would be ready for varnishing later.

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As it dried off,  I researched the question of bonding to an anode to save corrosion and ended up buying one from Jeckells and fitting it myself. I did this by drilling holes through the hull which was a bit nerve-wracking. The special collars for the stern tubes did not come today and so I had the boat to myself for the most part. I fitted the two new corner fenders after varnishing a coat over the rubbing strakes and then screwed the bathing platform planks back on which was quite a struggle but worthwhile all the same. I watched the casual workers antifoul the hull and got them to paint higher than the previous water line as it was too low to stop the hull fouling.

I cleaned off the electrical grounding plate that I found on the hull and prevented them painting over it this time. It is made of impacted granular phosphor bronze and is supposed to give many times its surface area in contact with the water but not if it is painted! I just had time to clear up before it was too dark and then spoke to Mathew about getting the spurs fitted and the davits planned for tomorrow. Stopped off at MacDonalds for a "drive-thru" meal on the way home and then had a precious couple of hours before bed. P.C.Maritime had sent through the proper electronic charts this time and I managed to install them on the computer to try on board Paxton Princess tomorrow.