Myrtle's History

Myrtle is a Thames lighter or dumb barge i.e she never had an engine, but was just towed around. She was probably used for holding gravel. If I understand it correctly, her fore and aft holds would have been filled with water, and then, as the gravel was added the water would flow out. The remains of the pipes are still there in the holds, and the walls have been lined with a thin layer of concrete in the past.


Sunday, 17 January 2010

Opening the door with my own key!

Today I was able to go aboard Myrtle, and have a real look at her.  Some of the previous owner's belonging s are still there because she has not been well, but mostly it is empty.  I need to get the electricity on so that I can have a good look at the holds .. I should be able to do that tomorrow.
The front hold has been sprayed, but the aft hold hasn't.  I will need to get  the small leak on the floor under the kitchen dealt with by putting down a layer of self levelling concrete 15cms deep.


Similarly the more persistent leak and the whole of the floor area in the stern compatment will need to be covered more extensively with concrete, but this will provide more of a floor.




I noticed that that the floor of the front hold has not been covered in foam either (presumably because it would disguise any leaks) so maybe that has to be concreted too. It would make a better floor.

Tomorrow the surveyor and the builder who built her are coming and i can find out in more setail about what I need to do to her,including cleaning and water-proofing her outside

and mending the hole in the swim-end


..but this isn't as worrying as it looks!

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