Recycled rowers........

No we haven't passed a Cambridge VIII through our prop in an attempt to make Soylent Green, but I have spent most of this gloriously sunny day converting the broken oar that I found at the weir a few months ago into a rather nifty tiller extension bar.

I mentioned this possibility on the blog some time ago, but it has taken until now for other more important and pressing jobs to push it to the top of my procrastination list. (Or should that be bottom of the list?)Anyway, today, out came the orbital sander, ear-defenders, Workmate, 60 grit sand-paper and associated paraphenalia. A few hours later (some hand-finishing was required), I now have a wooden tiller extension bar, in gleaming mahogany satin-finish polyurethane varnish.

Another coat tonight and three more tomorrow should do it.

Then it's a small matter of locating it in a firm, but removeable, fashion on the existing tiller bar, and we will be able to steer and operate the horn at the same time!

Pippin has a cruiser stern, so the instruments and switches on the bulkhead are a long way from the steersman. The only ways of operating them when cruising solo has been to either let go the tiller or try to poke the switches with a long stick, neither of which was ideal.....!

Pictures to follow when it's finished.