End of Season

Life in the boat shed is now beginning to return to normal after a week of being used for the Halloween activities on the quay. It looked a bit of a mess after all the pumpkin carving, mask and broom making, The crew is not sure who enjoyed it the most, adults or children. These activities, being so close, resulted in a large number of visitors on board during that week.

Abandoned broomsticks. 

Winter working has started with the removal of Shamrock's life rings, navigation sidelight boards, cabin furniture and anything else that is easily removed. The cargo hatch vents have been fitted and a temporary winter gangway manufactured. Due to the recent wet weather the sails have been left for a dryer day.

Temporary gangway.

One of the winter tasks is to list what is required to fit an engine in Shamrock. It is planned to install one either: early in the 2016 season, or during the winter of 2016-17. A decision also has to be made as to where the work is to be carried out. If the work is to be done on the slipway at Cotehele Quay then either, new slipway rails need to be fitted or the old sleepers removed, which is proving harder than expected, and the holes filled with concrete. If this option is taken then a new set of different style wheels will need to be purchased for the cradle.

Working on Shamrock's slipway.

Cargo Hatch

To enable easy access to Shamrock's hold the 22ft (6.7m) long by 11ft (3.3m) cargo hatch is sub-divided into nine sections starting with two 'drop in' beams with there ends resting in wooden shoe cleats bolted into the hatch coamings. The beams and head ledges are fitted with similar shoe cleats for the the six fore and aft timbers which fit between the hatch beams. Each of these six timbers, along with the side hatch combings have rebates in their upper faces for the edges of the hatch-covers. Each of the twenty seven individual hatch boards are a slightly different size and are marked with their positions to save time when refitting them. Visitors to Shamrock are advised that the easiest way to view below deck is via the ladder located under the forward starboard corner hatch board, little do they realise that when she was a working boat there would have been no ladder. Access to the hold was achieved via the forward or after cabins. 

Ladder and four hatch boards removed.

Hatch board starboard three.

Hanging Knees

Shamrock's wrought-iron hanging knees support the main beams that carry the forward and after end of the cargo hatch coaming. They are also used on the smaller sections of beam that support the side coamings along with the deck planks that run between the hull and cargo hatch. As these knees have become corroded the crew has started on the task of stripping off the old paint and corrosion followed with a coat of fresh paint.

One freshly painted knee. 

Shamrock's Staysail has been aired off and stowed away for the winter.

Visiting steam Launch Halcyon used Cotehele Quays slipway for launching and recovery during a recent river trip.  A certain member of the crew was getting quite nostalgic when the smell of burning coal mixed with steam wafted over the quay.

Autumn Sun

While Shamrock has been bathing in the autumn sun the fire pump has once again been put into service clearing her slipway of a few months accumulation of mud, visitors where warned to stand clear as hoses have been known to end up pointing in the wrong direction. The boat shed is also being tided up and a space cleared ready to house Nancy Belle for the winter. She needs a few broken ribs replaced and a good coat of paint before next spring.

Little Charly's mast has now been returned to her as it had been stowed in the boat shed while she was away on her European waterways tour, something about it being to tall for the bridges.

GRP Pram Dingy Update

The abandoned pram dingy first appeared in the boat shed in late August 2014. Since then she has been cleaned up, had a large hole in her keel repaired, wooden gunnels replaced, hull resealed, varnished, painted and finally polished. She now looks like new and is in regular service as Nancy Belle's tender and being easy to launch is also used when quick access to the river is required.

Before

After

Sunny Weather

On Wednesday the crew took advantage of the glorious weather and dressed Shamrock overall chiefly to air out the flags before they are stowed for the winter months. Also it was a tribute from one old lady to another old lady on her historic day.

New Gangway

When discussing this seasons plan to open Shamrock for visitors on the days that Cotehele House is open it was realised that visitor numbers would be up and the existing gangway needed to be upgraded. The predictions on visitor numbers proved correct so a new longer and wider aluminium gangway was commissioned. The first reaction on it's arrival was 'it looks big' and 'will it look out of place on Shamrock'? After a bit of adjustment to the old gangways bulwark protecting saddle, involving a wood saw and chisel, and the fitting of wheels to the shore end of the new gangway, it is now in use and defiantly looks the part and it does the job.

Nancy Belle

With the decrease in the amount rain falling and the river Tamar's flow returning to normal Nancy Belle has been returned to her river mooring.