Cleaning the Mako

Dive boats need to be serviced. March is that time of year when the promise of calm azure seas outside of Dartmouth pushes the enthusiastic South Devon diver into maintenance mode. The call had gone out. Tony's dive boat - the Mako - which fares well around the Dartmouth eastern approaches, needed a pre season work over. Who would help? Pasties and coffee were on offer, as was some good company?

Here we are after a good day's work at the Kingswear - Dartmouth boat place on the side of the Dart. It was a beautiful day. We scrubbed with water jets to take out last year's barnacles and weed. We scrubbed the foredeck, backdeck and any other decks that took our fancy. We painted the red stuff that inhibits the weed growth on the hull. Iain worked hard on rebuilding the engine cover but also took time out to play with the electrics and a few other things. Jane went for a quick gig row along the Dart but soon returned to apply more of the red stuff. Richard ate the chocolate biscuits while Malcolm got carried away with the fibre glass cleaning.

Here's Simon having great fun with the pressure hose.

And Tony stands amazed at the transformation of his boat. We'll have to do this again! Now what about that paint work at the stern?

March 2003