#seasthefuture Scotlands International Marine conference

 Hi everybody Mark has had a busy day . We have had endless problems getting somebody to make a bow plate. This has been annoying Mark. Mark is a bloody good welder, mig and arc. Mostly through necessity. First when he worked on a farm making gates etc and then when we got into landys. There is normally some part of a landy needing welded at some point. Normally in our case on the inspection we give them prior to MoTs. He did a fab jon on my Impreza who being 20 years old required a fair bit but the job he did was seemless and you just could not tell from looking at it.
However as in most sods law cases. The welder is 600 miles away, back at home. He was getting so frustrated i had thought of doing a mad dash home home and retrieving welder and stuff . But it was Petra to the rescue who lent him a grinder and will lend him the welder when he is ready. She also had told us of a man , another Steve But this one is concrete Steve[ he has a concrete ferrous boat which i haven't seen but is classed as big bloody big.] He came looked said yes he could do it but couldn't for another week as he had family coming and he was spending the week with them .He did say he had steel. So they both disappeared of to look at some steel. 3 hours later he came back with steel and has a nother friens Concrete Steve was in the RAF as a LANDY mechanic.and loves them. Well that explained the three hour wondering if he was alright had he broke down , been kidnapped fell overboard. So here he is shaping the bow plate. He used Monty our disco as a metal press. Don't ask dont know . There was a jack involved i seen that. But if the zombies attack get a landy perfect for those difficult times in an apocolypse where armour may be required.Spikes can be added bull bars .You have just got to love them. Somebody told me once that landys will "float in a bog" mmm maybe not float but they will plough there way through letting water in to equalise pressure and emerge triumphant out of the other side shake of there mud pee out all the water look at you and go " what , never seen a landy take a bath before "..

These lovely people are my Uncle George and Auntie Wendy They have driven along way today to come and see us. It was so nice to have some family to visit . A much needed boost. They brought along their little chi hua hua x jack russell Dotty along and the jack russell in her sent her sniffing around the boat for rats mice and our cats. We weren't sure how they would get on so the cats were comfortably stashed away in the bedroom And we now thanks to them have matching sweaters .Which once we learn to sail properly , look right dapper on deck. With the wine in one hand the tiller in the other chuffing along into the sunset.
Well tomorrow we sail from Brightling sea to here at walton as crew for Petra. i shall let you know how we get on , but its much needed experience so even though i am a litte frightened i am looking forward to it .

 Goodnight and farewell may we all meet again tomorrow.