351. Hipster

MONDSEE, NEAR SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

Unfortunately, Jacqueline is off colour today as is Maisey.

I was up in good time to take Matthew, who looks like a cross between a redneck ice truck driver and a dirty hippy, to the local barber (his choice). Fyfe, Matthew and I arrived at the Disco to find it completely flat as an interior reading light had been on for the last two days. On returning to the Giantavan J informed me that the toilet is full and needed! Fyfe got the forty metre extension cord and I got the battery charger and we took it to the carpark and was able to reach power, and the Disco. I returned to empty the toilet and did the dirty on Fyfe forcing him to return the now empty toilet cassette while I took the now late Matthew into Mondsee for his appointment which was a dirty trick indeed so I was very apologetic on my return.

While Matthew was getting preened I yarned on the phone to a couple of mates in NZ while drinking a awful coffee in an awful café across the road till out popped a Hipster and a pretty dapper one at that. Wish I had taken a photo. We are all really enjoying their company.

Claire and Maisey shopping and Roman and Edward's shops

350. Decorating

MONDSEE, NEAR SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

Mondsee montage snap on the wall of the local Supermarket (click to view)

Strange day, big supermarket shop with Matthew, wet, fluffed around and the day evaporated. Again, very glad that we waterproofed the awning as it poured most of the day. Gave me the chance do do a heap of research and background reading. Roman and Edward played in the motorhome for most of the day, the other children read and Maisey (1) threw up, occasionally, mostly on Claire but managed to get the motorhome as well.

Matthew and Fyfe prepping lunch

349. Proofed

MONDSEE, NEAR SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

Spent the middle of the day yarning to Matthew about work and various opportunities. Felt tired in the middle afternoon so went for a swim in the lake beside the campsite, Lake Mondsee. It is warm, warmer than a pool and about waist deep for the first fifty metres, with a sandy bottom, perfect for children. Swam out to the pontoon, climbed on, lay down and promptly fell asleep in the sun which is about the most luxurious thing you can do. Woke when a couple of girls on a paddle board bumped alongside. 

Returning to camp I got stuck into applying the waterproofing that I had ordered only a couple of days ago that had arrived this morning. I bought two and a half litres that says it can treat sixteen square metres, the awning's replacement roof being about nine square metres, from experience I know that untreated canvas is like blotting paper and this proved to be the case here. Each brush full only did about a desktop calculator sized area. I painted the outer edge first and then deflated the awning's air poles so that the awning collapsed, still hanging from the awning track so that I could paint it, standing on the caravan steps. Matthew appeared and asked Want a lift? Bit rude I thought, him being over six feet tall. Turns out it is a Northerner expression for Hello good man, may I be of assistance? With both of us painting we soon had it done and retired exhausted twenty minutes later for a well desired beer or three.

Roman directing the tradesman's putting up diary lights

348. Edward and Stuff

Mondsee, near Salzburg, Austria

Lake Mondsee, from the camp

Roman woke us at the crack of dawn mid morning, excited that Edward was arriving today, a treat as originally they were arriving tomorrow. Within an hour he was saying that he wished that he didn't know that they were coming as he was now so bored with waiting. I had messaged Matthew and Claire saying that we would do grub for a combined lunch. Just before midday I flicked a message asking what time they thought they might arrive and instantly got the reply that they were half an hour away. That galvanised us into action, me off to the supermarket and J into the shower. When I returned, panting they had already arrived and were ensconced in the Giantavan. J arrived from the shower shortly after.

It is lovely to see them and they are camped beside us and a combined dinner. While the three other adults sat around yarning I prepped for the NZ board meeting starting at ten thirty for me.

Attending a meeting remotely is always difficult but I mustn't grumble as I have chosen to be away. I sat in the car park outside the camp with the meeting finishing at two thirty in the morning.

347. Clock watching

Mondsee, near Salzburg, Austria

Exited the caravan ready to start packing up for today's move to find the lovely man that we helped start his car yesterday hovering outside. He had not been able to source a suitable battery yesterday so was off first thing today. He needn't have hovered outside, we, Roman and I, were more than happy to help. Again my charger soon had him going and he was off to get his battery. Later in the morning, while we were packing he appeared and presented us with a gift which was very nice of him but totally unnecessary. He explained that it is a liquor that is eight years old and made of tree root. Anyway, it is a smooth forty percent and very nice of him.

Salzburg bound

Shade appreciated

There is a large contingent of people touring together, from Holland, heading for Italy on Tuesday. Last night they had a big dinner in the restaurant and I think we may have been a topic of conversation as this morning, while we were packing, a number of people called in to meet us and enquire where we had been (got that off pat), where we were going (dunno?) and a variety of questions, many about the children.

We were racing against time as the exit barrier closes at midday. We finally cruised out at eleven fifty eight and stopped one hundred metres beyond to sort everything.

Love the sweeping fields without fences

346. Injustice

Eging - Germany 

Two inductive cookers - luxury

Hosed down all night, was glad I had covered Teasel to protect the hole filling glue. A bit of water inside but glue drying. Topped up the glue where it had sunk into the holes.

Contacted the camp Matthew booked to see if we can arrive tomorrow and that is fine, so tomorrow it is.

Iris at play

Audrey and Roman at play

This camp has filled up with a Dutch Caravan club or similar. Everyone is very nice and appear to know each other. I suspect we have been discussed as many arrive with questions, often about children's schooling or what our personal situation is. The Dutch can be very direct, lovely, but direct. Luckily I don't really care too much about privacy so am happy to tell. The camp is buzzing with people.

A passionate scene in the movie
Leap Year, this evening.
Roman has already departed.

Roman and Jacqueline were returning from the bathrooms and spotted a couple (Dutch) cranking their car without avail, the solenoid clicking. I biked over with Roman and they were very glad for assistance. We returned with my grunty battery charger and thirty meter flex and after some issues getting a power feed (sorted by the lady who clicked the reset button on the flex (humbling)) soon had them on their way. They were overly grateful, I guess it being a Sunday they may have felt a little stuck.

The males (plus Iris) were keen to watch more Project Binky, though we won the popular vote we lost at the Electoral College. Some might say that's unfair but hey, the children need to understand the democratic system.

345. Frozen

Eging - Germany

Late start for me after talking to NZ on the phone till the middle hours of the morning. Thinking of moving on tomorrow so need to do some packing today.

Removed the screws halfway from Teasel's repair
and glued the holes

Meanwhile, Roman was making potions

Once the glue on the outside was hard enough not to sag
I completely removed the screws, balanced the floor level then
I glued the inside. Turning the boat over was a challenge as
the bottom of the hull couldn't touch the grass with the soft glue.

Roman was delighted to dismantle our dead inductive cooker.
The rheostat was dead, I could fix it in NZ but not while travelling.

The boys and Iris are big fans of Project Binky, not Audrey,
she wails with boredom (loudly)

Jacqueline and Iris went back into Passau to get a present (bag) for Iris, pick up a second inductive cooker and wander the shops.

In the afternoon it started raining thereby dissolving my resolve to pack up so that we can get away tomorrow and it is cold, eighteen degrees! Nobody can work in these temperatures plus, Project Binky in on inside. We'll move Monday.

Matthew and Claire have found a campsite for us to meet. Apparently, Claire is really excited to see us again. Absence must have made the heart fonder - either that or they have forgotten....

Roman studiously ticks off his countdown calendar to seeing Edward, every night before going to bed.

344. Coloured my enjoyment

Passau

The big question was what species of foreign bird will we import into NZ? We agreed that, like my Mum with her family in 1954, a Cuckoo Clock would be a nice moment of our trip so it was back into Passau, fourth day in a row for Jacqueline to make the purchase. Also her phone was not charging and we need the phones operational. 

Before we left after lunch, the children played, very happily, some elaborate hostage game with the tie down straps for transporting Teasel's rigging.

Driving in to town we dolled out coloured hard boiled eggs. Jacqueline peeled mine and I took a bite and almost threw up, gagging I weaved my way to a stop and spluttering sulphurous egg and almost reaching disposed of it in the grass verge - not a pleasant experience. Thankfully the secondary roads here are almost deserted as GPS navigation direct everyone to quickest,  not shortest by default.

Finished listening to The Jungle Book: The Mowgli Stories which we all really enjoyed.

Roman seems happy enough

I wasn'table to tack advantage due to the armed guards 

Decided on this rather dashing jacket for me but
it turns out I am but a boy and could have wrapped
the jackets in stock round again.

I arrived at the shop to be met by this

While the Audrey, Roman and I waited for the others to
do a department store we wandered into
Kath. Pfarramt St. Nikola/St. Paul

Very beautiful and the organist was practicing
Always wonderful

View from the church door

Knocked on the door and a very obliging man arrived.
We decided on this clock

343. Screwed

Eging, Germany

Another trip to Passau was muted however I managed to extract myself by cutting a deal whereby I kept the younger two children with me at camp. Worked for me as I was keen to tackle the hole in Teasel, just forward of the centre case where a rock pushed a split into the dozy ply as this is the point where water collects if the boat is left out doors. Audrey and Roman had a lovely day playing around the Giantavan.

Additionally, the centre board case is lifting vertically for some reason, possibly the result of sitting on the ground but I doubt it as it is usually upside down on the ground or Disco for transportation and to keep water out. The thwart was so bowed that screws were popping and the thwart close to breaking in the centre were it is cut away for the centre board. I had to look and think quite a bit, a few days ago, before purchasing the timber to work out how I would effect a repair. I worked out that a parallel beam below, set on its edge would pull the thwart straight, pressing the centre case down into its original location or near to it and pulling up at the edges transferring the pressure back into the thwart. I know from bitter experience that on lightweight dingoes such as this you can't just lever things back into place. Luckily I had the large, six inch, G-clamp purchased to compress the Disco's callipers to replace the brake pads. The pressure required to bring everything back into line was quite surprising. As sixty millimetre screws were required I shot into the local hardware store before Jacqueline and the elder two children left and ended up with a pack of twenty five, self drilling, torx drive, stainless decking screws. Obviously I predrilled the holes for this job.

The purchased timber is cedar, sitting, prior to fitting.
You can see the bow in the thwart.

All lined up, and screwed in place

Bolt and braces 

Next was the split. The hull had collapsed inwards at this point.
Teasel needs reflooring but that is not an option while travelling.
The only solution was and external patch, extending well beyond the damage
and then screwing internally to pull the flooring back down.
Wire wheel bought for the Giantavan door strengthening was perfect
for ripping out old paint and bog for the length and width of the patch.

Had to drill from the outside to get screws aligned as
the patch covered both the cockpit floor and the spinnaker locker.

There is a slight bow down in the middle but I am pleased
with how the floor pulled into line.
The wood on the left is not proud as it appears in this snap.
[Double click snap to enlarge]

From the inside, floor now back in place.
Many screws!

342. Clocked

EGING, GERMANY

Door strengthening completed and awning light replaced after some fettling following poor workmanship thanks to yesterday's yobbo who did the work. Nice to have it now finished.

Did a little bit of work on Teasel. Know what I have to do and very pleased with the mahogany that I have bought to effect the repair. Will have a crack at it tomorrow. I am confident that I can, yet again, turn that molehill into a mountain.

Back into Passau to get J's phone checked, turned out to be OK so will have a look at our leads. Few bits and bobs, mostly clothing for the children. Visited the Cuckoo clock shop as they were closing. Excellent service, really can't decide. The good news is that they can supply quality spares for my Mum's one if the doner clock from Mark and Megan doesn't fix it.

Roman is very pleased with his USB clock fan

This one? 

Ro and me, waiting outside shops 

341. Braced

EGING, GERMANY

Similar Hobby chassis on eBay

Cracks above the door were today's priority. During the night I realised that the only way for the door frame to be cracking was that the chassis of the Giantavan is bending or cracking. Spent quite a while thinking how I would effect the repair. Grovelling underneath after breakfast I was very surprised to see how simple the chassis is and I was unable to find any sign of cracking or bending. On reflection, the biggest road is while travelling and stopping for lunch the six of us sit jump around in the very back, four metres behind the wheels with the front of the trailer hitched to the Disco, six metres in front of the pivot point. New rule.  I will put the rear jacks down when stopping for lunch, after putting the Giantavan's park brake on so that we don't drag the jacks down the road when on the move again.

Roman's countdown calendar

Very excited that we are to catch up with Matthew Claire and Edward again at the end of the month, somewhere near Salzburg. Roman was so pleased that he immediately went and made a countdown calendar similar to the previous Grandma countdown calendar.

Testing the spars

Attaching the new reinforcing panel above the door was today's priority. Had bought three packs of high bond, two pack adhesive. Fyfe and I used the random orbital sander while hand holding the panel so as not to mark it then smeared over a liberal application of the adhesive. Once that was done I again wire buffed the caravan to remove any oxidation and applied adhesive to that area also. In hindsight I wish I had waited an hour as when the faces were bought together the displaced glue started running out. Thats the problem for us amateurs, too many first times. 

Took three in the end

Frantic applications of sellotape kept most of it in but No idea how much is at the top there the biggest tension is. Spars with water bottles hanging kept the pressure on nicely though I didn't think to protect the panel from the movement with the family jumping around inside.

Late in the day we headed to the camping shop near Passau for a new inductive cooker as ours has failed and I didn't keep the French receipt when I purchased it. Shop not as good as previous ones but got toilet chemical and a new kitchen tap as the current one leaks, no waterproofing for the awning unfortunately. Got an inductive hob at an appliance shop nearby and wireless headphones for Jacqueline.

340. Harden up

EGING, GERMANY

Got up and went straight into town to procure the necessary provisions to effect the repair on the cracks above the door. Took some organising and ended up getting the two millimetre plate at an agricultural engineering shop, cut to size while I perused the selection of lynch and drawbar pins. All very obliging for five euros. Took some time at the hardware store translating adhesive and paint descriptions to work out the best solution. By the time I had been to the supermarket also I returned very hungry, two and a half hours later, for my breakfast.

Fabricating the strengthening plate took the whole afternoon. I am very glad I made a template first as it is much easier to undo a mistake with cardboard than it is with aluminium - and there was plenty of undoing and re-glueing. 

I cut the outside curves by working my way in with ancient tin snips that I have with me. For the inner curves I used the twenty euro jigsaw that I purchased to cut the ply for the front locker while in Avignon. Removing and prepping the area to receive the plate was done with the cheap drill I purchased in Avignon and a non ferris wheel purchased today.

Now waiting for the automotive paint to harden overnight so that pressure can be applied while it bonds. I will probably use Teasel's mast and gaff pegged on a big angle to hold the plate in place while we go out for the day. The glue takes two hours to bond, twelve hours to set. 

Provisions. Mahogany is for strengthening the centre case
in Teasel, a project for another day. Three tubes of glue to ensure
there is enough. Aralidite is always useful. Spray bomb, non ferris
wire wheel and file set completes the purchase.
Already have a random orbital sander with us.

Frypan, that universal tool, was too small for the inner radius.
Rubbed the line out and started using paper.

Dinner plate, fourth item tried was the perfect radius
for the door. 

Roman took this snap (hence the angle) of me trying the template for size 

The finished template

Alloy cut, filed, prepped and painted

Paint removed from the area to receive the strengthening. 

Audrey doing maths homework this evening while I prep
the onions