Rubber-necking the rubber-decking........

Okay, that was really desperate..........

However, the sprauncy new covering to wb Pippin's ample cruiser stern deck has caused one or two neck-snappingly sharp changes of attention........

Oh, goodness me, yes........

The day before yesterday, I chugged down to the 48's at Clayhithe to meet Graham Cutmore, our wonderful Alde gas boiler engineer.

Please allow me a moments digression:

He fixed the boiler!

Hurrah!

And installed a new thermostat to the tank.

(Previously, the thermostat for both hot water and central heating was run from a 'stat in the saloon. Now we have constant hot water without having to fiddle with the timer. Woo-hoo!)

End of digression......... 

Anyway, while we were there, I thought I would set about the 30kg roll of treadplate pattern 3mm thick rubber mat that had been delivered to Pippin a week ago.

(Look, if I'd left it any longer then it would have turned into yet another of those projects that 'I'll get around to one of these days'.........

And I still have several sheds-worth, some of my poor old Dad's garage, and somebody else's workshop full of those.......)

Anyway, while Graham excelled himself in The Dark Arts of Boat-based Gas Hot Water Heating Systems, I plied the shears, Stanley knife, ruler and tape measure.

The results, (though I didn't dare glue them down until I had passed the work by Jackie.......), I think, speak for themselves.....

The benefits are four-fold:

The deck is now non-slip: so 'goodbye' those "Slippin' Into Infinity Singin' Amen Allelulia" 'Aaaargh!-SPLOSH' moments caused by wet deck/shoes/ both.

(Oh, and we now laugh in the face of ice..........

Remember that stuff?

It'll be back....)..............

Further, the decibel level from Pippin's mighty Beta 50 has been reduced a bit.

( Not as much as I had hoped, to be honest, but then, I haven't covered the aluminium treadplate over the engine with the rubber, and that might make the difference.....)

Also, the entire contents of the sky that rains on Pippins roof drains straight onto the stern deck. (Like most boats, Pippin sits gently down by the stern).

This would be okay, but for the fact that the deck-drains are shower-tray drains: they have a lip around them about 2mm clear of the deck itself.........

This means in hard rain (does anyone remember that falling on Our Sceptered Isle recently?), most of the water draining off the roof ends up leaking through the engine access panels and into the bilge.

It doesn't take long to assemble an impressive gallonage........

Raising the level of the stern deck by 3mm will help to cure this problem.

Lastly, the new deck covering is made of rubber.

This is much more resistant to scratching from shoes, boots, dogs, dogs called Boots, cats, dragged items, dropped coal/wood/shopping, or the stiletto heels of visiting Dancing Girls, than was the painted steel deck.

This, previously, was in constant need of rubbing down, de-rusting, priming, painting and other such maintenance.

Such attention is not only a bore, but seriously reduces one's legitimate pub-time.

But no more!!!!!!!!!!!

Result!

And anyway, as our French friends down Carcassone way are wont to say, I think it looks 

'Le plus grandes knaquerres de chien'

Jackie agrees.

'Nuff said.

:-)