Pontoon Fixing Weekend 14/15 April

[samdive]

Hi Everyone

As you know we have a few "issues" with our pontoon at the moment.
1) 3 out of 4 moorings have floated up due to the increase in water
level
2) the surface is like a green, slimey ice rink with nails sticking
out

We want to fix both these things before the sun comes out and we
find
ourselves there a lot more often. We also want them fixed before
Herbert
(and possibly the BBC) come to play on 6th May.

Do-It-Dave can do most things but for this one we need a hand......
We've
been discussing it with Darren and the crew and this is what we have to
do:

1) Fill 3 large oil drums with rocks, top it up with concrete, tie
them
to the remaining "unmoored" corners of the pontoon and drop them into
position we we are back over the deepest spot. The oildrums have
already
been welded up with large hoops sticking out the top to tie the ropes
to. My
dad has donated the rope.

2) Apply our carpet fitting skills to the huge piece of carpet
Darren has
cunningly "acquired" from the army to cover the manky wood on the
pontoon
(and save us forking out for new timber for another year)

The plan is to work our butts off for a couple of days to enable a
perfect year ahead of diving. The planned weekend is the 14/15 April.
We
need about 6 people to come along, mainly to haul rocks and mix cement
but
also to lay carpet, pull ropes, run up and down for coffees....

Ideally we could get most of it done on Saturday and dive from the
pontoon on Sunday. More realistically, we could fit in dives on some of
the
attractions if the pontoon is not totally fixed.

If you come
1) we will love you for it
2) we will book the Boat and buy some wine on the Saturday night
3) anyone who doesn't mind a sofa/floor/campbed can stay at ours

So - please let me know if you can make it. If you can think of
anyone
else that might come too, even better. Particularly if they are big,
strong
and good at mixing concrete. Dave and I hoped to be able to fix this on
our
own but its a bit of an enormous job .

Hope to hear from you soon!

S and D
xxx

Names on the list so far:

Sam
Dave
Ben T
Richard H
Liv

[jackrussell]

Hi Sam,

Long time no see. Probably Cyprus 2004. I have some great pictures from there and the last salt free competition. I must put them on a cd for you.

If you need to mix a lot of concrete I have a concrete mixer that will fit in the back of my estate. I also have lots of tools eg cordless drills, jigsaws, circular saws and a chain saw.

Always willing to help but only if the weather is good. (the mixer is 240 volts)

Pete

[samdive]

thanks - even if, sorry, I'm not sure who you are! there were a few Petes at that last competition!

We are OK for a mixer thanks - and I think we have enough of a team but thanks anyway

Sam

[samdive]

SORRY for saying no to people - we could do with a bit more help next Saturday morning if anyone else can make it to NDAC for a few hours - Sat 14th please let me know.

We basically have to fill 3 oil drums with rocks!

been over there today painting and getting everything else ready, beautiful day!

s
x

[samdive]

OK - looks like we now have
me and mr crocs
liv
tim
ben
mandy
richard h and ben t ???

that should do! warm up your shovelling muscles - if you have a shovel and/or a stanley knife please bring em

meet at 11am Saturday ok??
thanks
S

[hardest dave]

Sorry I cannot help this weekend, I am not doing anything exciting, in fact quite the opposite, I have to mark books, why on earth am I doing this job.........

All the best

David

[samdive]

thanks to everyone who turned up yesterday and worked so hard - space on the new carpet is officially dedicated to liv, tim, ben, mandy, mr crocs and me!

evidence is here

SaltFree Spring Refit 07 - a photoset on Flickr

Dave and I were there all day today too and finally have it moored in the right place. According to my new depth finder, we have 77m under the pontoon - consider it a challenge!

He will be there next Sunday fixing in the final mooring (which rolled down the slope and pulled the buoy below the surface!) and nailing down the carpet - more carpet is on the way

If anyone wants to dive next weekend, start a thread and do it - the pontoon is ready to rock

S