On Monday, March 27 I took some photographs of our enormous Rye river crane hoisting a little day boat out of the river right opposite where I was walking the dogs.
It was a fascinating and skilled operation, but it got me thinking: how on earth they got the two massive straps under the boat in the murky water? Did some poor person make like a mermaid and dive in and under (like most James Bond films) to do the horrid cold job? I just couldn’t imagine another option.
Off I went over the bridge and round to the boat yard to ask the question. So obvious really, although not to me! The straps are floated under the boats when the river is high, and Bob’s your auntie. So simple.
Anyway I made contact with the supremo of the owner’s boat yard, (River Brede Moorings and lifting and hard-standing facilities) Mike Roud, and he is going to let me know when exciting things happen there….
I will try and report them to you in due course.
Image Credits: Nick Forman , Col Everet .