Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society

The following dates are when we will be attempting some maintenance on the Three Brothers.

16th to 29th Scape and paint as fast as possible!

All are welcome! Wear your muckiest gear!

Maintenance Report, Sunday 10th February, 2008

I was at the Chicken Run at 3.15pm and had put my bags on North Star when Ian arrived followed by Alan. We boat hopped to the Gannet where the oil was checked and more fuel added to the tank before starting the engine. The mooring ropes were released and we motored to the outshot to pick up Albert and then Frank.

We went alongside the Three Brothers and set the pump running as a considerable amount of water was in the bilges. Ian remained on the Three Brothers while we took the Gannet into the Bay for about 15 minutes. On our return, Ian and I swapped places and I continued to lift the ballast bags from underneath the deck and placed them above deck.

When the Gannet returned we all boarded and went for a trip round the south outfall buoy. The navigation lights were deployed on the return leg (even though it was not dusk).

When we came back into the harbour we motored to the Janeen and pumped out the rain water. The adjacent boat was also pumped out. We then went back to the Three Bothers and let Alan and Frank off at the Harbour Road ladders. The Gannet was then put back on her moorings before it became dark.

Maintenance crew: Ian Johnson, Albert Brownhill, Frank Bull, Alan Ross and Ian Thompson.

The wind was almost gale force and the sea was breaking over the south and north piers. At 1.30pm we were pulling the trot of boats towards the Chicken Run so that we could board the Gannet. Once aboard we checked the oil and fuel before starting the engine at the second time of asking.

The mooring ropes were removed and we motored across to the Three Brothers. Getting alongside the Three Bothers proved to be fairly tricky as we tried to compensate for the gusts of wind and the heavy swell. Once alongside the pump was activated to remove about four inches of bilge water. Ian stayed on the Three Brothers to try and remove the hand pump bracket while we motored round to the Chicken Run boarding steps.

I disembarked and went to the shops to purchase another leisure battery so one could be left on the Three Brothers.

On my return we went back to the Three Brothers and picked up Ian then went near the Harbour entrance to see how bad the conditions were. We then went to the Janeen and removed the small amount of water in her and also the neighbouring vessel.

Several practice attempts at coming alongside the Three Brothers were made before returning the Gannet to its berth at 3.30pm. New navigation lights have been fitted to the Gannet.

At 9.00am Ian and Frank met me at the Chicken Run. The Gannet was boarded and the fuel and oil checked. The mooring ropes were removed after starting the engine (first time). We motored round to the outshot steps where we picked up Albert. We went out of the Harbour for about 10 minutes and then returned to the Three Brothers. The pumps were deployed to remove the bilge water, (just covering the rib timber about 7 inches deep). Ian tried to remove the bolts from the hand pump bracket while the rest of us practiced coming alongside the Three Brothers. This proved very difficult with the gusting wind and receding tide.

The Three Brothers was left after removing as much bilge water as we could and the Gannet was taken round to the Janine. The water was pumped out of her and the adjacent boat. The sea water had dropped about a foot while we were next to these boats and grounding was becoming a possibility. The Gannet was taken back to the Three Brothers and a further practice at going alongside was made. The water was receding quite rapidly so the Gannet was returned to its berth. The adjacent boat was pumped out after we had moored.

Albert, Ian and I met on the Chicken Run at 2.00pm and pulled the trot to the side so the Gannet could be boarded. The fuel and oil were checked and the engine started at the first time of asking. The mooring ropes were unfastened and the Gannet taken over to the Three Brothers. The bilge water in the Three Brothers was nearly up to the floor boards after just one week’s rain! The pump was left running while Albert and I took the Gannet out of the Harbour to give it a bit of a run. When we returned Ian had got most of the water out of the Three Brothers. An attempt was made to remove the hand pump from the bulk head as one of the brackets had broken. After several minutes of work with a cold chisel and other tools at our disposal the pump came off in our hands.

The Gannet was then taken round to the Janine and the pump used to remove the bilge water from her. We then had time to go out of the Harbour again and see some of the fishing boats returning to Harbour.

Several attempts were made to go alongside the Three Brothers before it was time to put the Gannet back on its berth.

The sea was in turmoil at the harbour entrance so activities were restricted to within the harbour.

The trot of boats had to be pulled back to the Chicken Run jetty before they could be boarded. The Gannet had the oil and fuel checked before the engine was started (second turn of the key). The mooring ropes were then unfastened and the Gannet taken to the ladder near Rosie’s Café on Harbour Road. Albert boarded the Gannet and we motored to the entrance of the Harbour to see how bad the swell was.

The Gannet was taken to the Three Brothers and brought alongside. The water was checked in the bilges and found to be quite high as the pump had not been working. The second pump was used to pump out the Three Brothers. Ian stayed on board while Albert and I practiced approaching the Three Brothers trying to compensate for the wind and swell.

When the water had been cleared from the Three Brothers, the pump and battery were removed and used to pump out the Janine. The tide was receding quite quickly and the Gannet was close to grounding as we moved back to its moorings. The mooring ropes were fastened before the adjacent boat was pumped out. The pump and battery were stowed away on the Gannet and a hurried departure was made before the trot became stuck in the mud.