May 27th, 2011

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Friday 27 May. More news on the “Groote Beer” car crush

Friday, May 27th, 2011

From a distance I can only guess. But from the “Stentor” article:   http://www.destentor.nl/regio/veluwenoord/8769069/Groote-Beer-ligt-eigenaar-nauw-aan-het-hart.ece , it looks like the forward sling broke and the heaviest part, the stern with the engine would have settled in a gentlier fashion. Besides the car provided an excellent buffer for the bow to settle on. Since this is a flat bottom and has no keel to fall on it may turn out o.k.                 At least that is what we all wish for. If this had happened to a plastic keel boat it would be a total loss.Een botter in Elburg valt op auto. Foto: Freddy Schinkel Foto Eddie Schinkel

 

One thing I know, even with the back breaking maintenance I am doing every other year, I’ll buy a wooden boat again, any time. “Fleetwood” in other than wood, steel or aluminum wood have never made it through being crushed between two Rhine barges in the first lock I accidentally ended entering in the wrong sequence.  She was dropped on her side from a three story high wave in the Mozambique Channel. Collided with an anchored fishing vessel on the Vietnamese coast, hit a number of nasty rocks and reefs. Right here on the Danube an inexperienced rescue tow did everything possible to tear her apart while trying to tow her off a sandbank.

I quit early today. To try and tie up a few things on the last working day of the week, at the internet connection. It was hot again. I plan make a ferry boat crossing to Swishtov on Sunday. The early Sunday market might have a replacement for my disc sander. And it is the only place where I have been able to go to communion in the Orthodox church, last October.

There must be a big to do at the Zim Tub/ Ingter Agra complex, where I am working on the boat, this weekend.  They have been working the last ten days in sprucing up the entrance to the plant. A new arch was created over the entrance gate. The mansion for the visiting owner, Mr. Nicola, next to the plant was upgraded, large life potted trees were hauled in. The 3 mile road from town to the plant was totally repaved. It is now the only stretch of road in the province were you can get your car into higher than 3rd gear. And I tell you, there is going to be a lot of road kill, because everyone is now coming out to have a go at it. This afternoon the local firetruck landed a hand in washing down the entry road to the plant. There was still a long line of men and women day laborers with brooms and shovels being hired.