Spring Maintenance

Andrew Millham learns how to paint his overalls with direction from Chris Burls

Towards the end of March, Endeavour was brought out of her safe water berth in Leigh Marina, and made ready for this year’s maintenance. The covers came off and the framework was stored once again in Alan Palmer’s lovely container, and then it was simply a case of waiting for a good tide to bring her out of the water. April the first obliged, although while the tide was perfect, the snow wasn't really called for! It was only a light shower, but the joke was clearly on the volunteers!
With Alan Barttram at the helm, the expert team from Leigh Marina, Steve and Chris, gently cajoled Endeavour into her cradle and then she was winched onto the new new slipway. Alan, Andy Lewis and son Alf commenced the jet washing and, if you'll pardon the expression, to inspect her bottom. The plan was to keep the boat there all weekend, then the Marina team would bring her up the ramp and onto the hard on the Monday where the volunteers could do the maintenance.

Click photos to enlarge.

Rob Everitt, who took the photos above, remarked that Endeavour looks great at a distance, but close up inspection shows she needs a fair amount of scraping, sanding and painting (a complete paint job was planned). The hope is to have her back on to her normal mooring adjacent to Osborne’s/ The Peterboat later in April.

By mid-April, maintenance was moving on apace. New volunteer Andrew Millham had fun painting Endeavour almost as much as himself, but along with Chris Burls, Rob Everitt and Andy Lewis, the work is coming on nicely.