Went out this morning, no wind and hardly a ripple. A lot different than Tuesday when I took Mclures out.
For Maclures.
But I digress, that's not the point of the post. I've been having problems with the Launch wheels. They are the ones that bend under the transom. To lift them you have to push down and tilt them at the same time.
The wheels had started rubbing against the keel. The reason was that the lifting mechanism was deforming allowing the wheels to go further under the boat.
Both side where the same,To strengthen them and stop wear I fitted a metal shim so that the swivel bolt would sit in its original position. This fix kept the wheels from contact with the keel.
On Tuesday I noticed how much wear there was on the tyres ( I ordered new wheels yesterday) but I thought they'd survive today.
How wrong could I get. When I lifted them the port side had an egg on it, but as I was already at sea, I thought I'd continue. But as the morning warmed the inner tube burst with the sound of a shotgun, it made me jump. In place of the egg was a hole in the tyre bigger than a 2 pence.
Luckily when I came in I had some help to drag the boat home.
Now all I have to do is wait for the new wheels.