Baragoola Week Ending 23rd October ‘11

In attendance: Nick, Glen, Gary, Ernie, Peter H, Peter C, Ross, Mark, Charlie, Geoff and Lance Visitors: Four Don’t forget that all donations over $2 are now tax deductible – why not do what some of our donors

have and set up an automatic payment once a week, fortnight or month ? Last week we had outgoings

of $0 and we made $42 (there is some more but it hasn’t been banked yet so will be counted next

week).

We also gained one new member this week.

Later this year we are also booked for a fundraising BBQ at Bunnings Belrose, we have a couple of our

members who have volunteered to assist with this event but still need a further four – if you can assist

please let us know.

This week’s anniversaries:

24/10/1954 – Bellubera returns to service after an extended refit and having new engines fitted.

26/10/1905 – Binngarra (first of the six sisters) runs her sea trials

26/10/1908 – Burra Bra (second of the six sisters) runs her speed trials

29/10/1905 – Binngarra runs her first revenue trip to Manly

As you can see, there has been at least one ‘B’ class Manly ferry on Sydney Harbour now for 106 years,

quite an amazing record for longevity for the class!

All the six vessels tended to enter service around the same time – this was deliberate as it had them

operating in time for the peak holiday season when as many boats as possible were needed on the

Manly route. On peak days (e.g. Christmas and New Years Day) vessels would not run to a timetable,

they would simply fill up and depart and another would move into the wharf.

It wasn’t unusual to have a boat leaving Manly or Circular Quay on a frequency of less than ten minutes!

Burra Bra – second of the six Binngarra type Manly boats

But now, on to the last week – and a very busy one it was with quite a bit accomplished. This week also

saw a good turnout of volunteers and we were visited by a fellow making a documentary about our

vessel and three VIPs (on Tuesday). Well four actually – but more on that a little later!

Peter H was on board late in the week and finished off another section of the roof. A small problem has

been noted here with the membrane we are using bubbling in the heat so we will need to change types

– initially it was thought it was the black paint that was causing this but closer inspection shows that is

not the case unfortunately.

Tuesday saw the visit of three people to the vessel early in the morning and they were given the full tour

of inspection. After they had left we received a phone call notifying us that very shortly we would have

another visitor – somewhat larger than the preceding three!

A little while later Nick was alerted to the imminent arrival and jumped into the tinny to get out and get

pictures – he took quite a few and they can be seen on our website and also on our Facebook page.

That visitor was Narrabeen, third of the Freshwater class of ferries and although not in service at the

time Baragoola was withdrawn (she was replaced by Queenscliff) it made for a very interesting

juxtaposition of the old and new. The size difference is very noticeable too!

Nick commented that if Goola was fully loaded and side by side with the newer boat you could step of

her lower deck and onto our upper deck!

Narrabeen was being turned to face the correct way (bow first to Manly) and next to Baragoola was as

good a place as any to do it.

Baragoola and Narrabeen

Note the differences in the hull colour – Baragoola uses a lighter green (with a tinge of bronze) known as

Rainforest Green whereas the newer vessels use a darker shade. We also uses a lighter cream colouring

than does the newer boats and the white bows, so long an eponymous feature of the Manly boats, no

longer exist as does not the black and white funnel.

Speaking of hulls, we commenced this week to start the work dictated in our last condition report and

two new small compression patches were applied by Nick and Geoff on the starboard side of the

forward hold; there remains some interior work in this area to be completed. Ernie plans on re-routing

the bilge pump line in the battery compartment which will have the result of allowing another hole

closed up with a patch as well. All of these are of course well above the waterline and cause no issues

for the vessel beyond looking unsightly.

Hull work is progressing at a good clip at the moment, although with the pontoon currently not being

available it is annoying for the guys to have to stop working to use the boat to run someone over or back

home again; the lack of shore access is something we still have to work around. You may recall that

Maritime forbade access using the Coal Loader walkway to anyone due to the condition of it.

Nick and Geoff patching

The photo above also shows some of the external painting done this week by Mark and myself; quite a

large section of the upper external deck has received a coat of cream, the support struts are now mostly

done in red oxide and you can see where the red oxide trim is being applied at the base of the

deckhouse. This is also happening on the other side of the boat too. It’s the trim that really sets things

off and “makes” for the look of the vessel.

Internally Gary had assistance from Ross and was able to do a significant amount of cabling with two

new lights appearing in the walkway outside the end of the Smoking Saloon (looks good through the

portholes!) and new switches being installed to control the Main Cabin lighting. The opportunity was

also taken to run a line down into the battery compartment (aka Ernie’s office) to provide a power point

there. All cabling is being done to Australian standards both in the material used and in the construction

of the layout – something that is important both for safety for our crew and for the eventual re-use of

the vessel once it is again in survey.

A committee meeting on board this weekend also clarified our aims as far as survey is concerned, the

level of survey we will eventually go for largely dictates how we proceed with the restoration and gives

us clear goals to work towards. As part of this I’ll be conducting a compliance audit this week that will

show where we comply with standards and also where we don’t. So still a lot of work ahead of us!

Glen and Charlie continued working in the upstairs cabin with the stripping and sanding back of the

wooden window frames commenced. This is in itself an immense job with each needing to be stripped

and varnished. I can easily see why the Manly company stopped using varnish on the exterior of their

boats! Glen also did some more of the second coat (and first in parts) of the trim and the deck is starting

to look very nice in its’ simple Edwardian elegance.

Nearly completed aft end of the upper deck cabin

There’s still a fair swag of work to be done up here and of course the trim is the fiddly bit – the saying

“the devil’s in the detail” applies in spades on the old girl!

Earlier on Saturday (before heading to the outside area) Mark applied a second coat of cream aft and

port in this area and then continued to do another long section in its first coat of cream. Much attention

is currently being given this deck and the biggest part (deckhead repair and painting) still lies ahead and

we’d appreciate one or two more to assist with these tasks in particular.

But it is coming along rapidly and we hope to see a completion to the major tasks here fairly soon.

Port side looking after, new trim applied to skirting boards

Window frame and surrounds in the process of being stripped

Further work was done on the forward exterior of this cabin with two of the window frames gaining

their red oxide paint.

Forward end of the upstairs cabin

As usual we were quite the destination this weekend with several small craft and various ferries calling

by to see the work being done. All this attention is great – it raises our awareness and also provides a

strong impetus to the crew to do the exterior work that makes the boat look attractive. To this end on

Sunday a section of the port bulwarks received a further coat of green, so far it had one (hurriedly

applied) very early in the piece to improve the looks from a distance, however now it is time to do the

job properly.

This weekend we also received a donation of 20 metres of hardwood. This will be used to repair the bad

sections of the railings and they’ll be varnished. With the brass end caps back in place they should look

pretty stunning. Unfortunately this sort of timber is hard to come by these days – common when this

lady was built, there is now little call on most vessels for heavy timberwork and we will of course need

more.

Timberwork leads me to the next topic – the wheelhouses. This weekend detailed pictures were taken

of both of these to be sent to a chippie to scope the work to be done. Mostly it is the leading faces of

both that are in poor condition and will need a substantial rebuild in those areas. The forward

wheelhouse finally received some much needed attention on Sunday with Nick proving dextrous with a

crowbar and forcing open an external door that had been locked for a very long time. This provided the

excuse to clean out the accommodation area in here – an old newspaper (October 20000) in there gives

a fair indication of when anyone was last in it. A lot of rubbish was removed as were old dividers

(probably from Baragoola’s time as a floating university) and the first coat of paint was applied to the

(now opened) door and the screen door. As well, some internal painting was started after a large chunk

of time was spent cleaning. Like the other areas of the wheelhouse the brass portholes are missing (and

yes, we know where they went to and find it pretty disgusting that this immature person hasn’t brought

them and the other stolen items back yet despite that person full well knowing that he’s holding onto

stolen property). Fortunately the amateur attempt to strip the boat of its brass work resulted in quite a

few pieces being missed due to their dirty condition at the time. Significantly, the brass went when the

vessel was sold to her previous owner on the assumption that it was fair pickings because the boat was

supposedly going to be scrapped. Still no excuse for doing the crime however.

Entry to the captains’ quarters in the forward wheelhouse after cleaning and painting

Sunday saw Ernie and Peter C arrive to do further work on the propulsion systems – several videos of

the proceeding are online at our YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/savethebaragoola -

the particular event this week was the full operation of both aft propulsion motors and was by and large

successful.

Don’t forget – all donations above two dollars are now tax deductible – see our website for details on

how to donate.

If you are on Facebook you can follow us at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Baragoola-Preservation-

Association-Incorporated/122851477818947 - we have also launched a fundraiser through this and

would appreciate if the link can be shared out to everyone, so far we’ve received several donation that

can be tracked back to this. That post is at

https://www.facebook.com/ajax/sharer/?s=99&appid=2309869772&p%5B0%5D=122851477818947&p

%5B1%5D=302633779749988

We’re also on Twitter as #MVBaragoola – updates are posted fairly regularly.

Our main website is now www.baragoola.com.au

And, last but not least, we also have a flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/65669741@N08/

This nearly 90 year old lass is digitally well connected!

Also, if you have Google Talk installed you can chat to us if anyone is online and nearby the computer –

add baragoola@gmail.com as a friend.

That’s it for this week –you can keep up with all the latest on our forums and you can see our old

newsletters at http://www.baragoola.com.au

Next scheduled work day is on Saturday the 29th of October. Call 0405 945 465 or email

volunteer@savethebaragoola.com – there will be people on board during the week too – call ahead to

check first.

Hope to see you all here then!

Show your support!

We’re pleased to announce some additions to our range of collectable items.

All items can be ordered by sending an email to help@savethebaragoola.com with the following details:

Your name Postal address Size (for clothing) and quantity Your contact phone number All items will be sent with an invoice payable within 30 days.

White T-shirt, printed with Baragoola’s build year and our web address, available in white cotton only in

sizes S, M, L, XL & XXL. Price is $22 including delivery.

SS Baragoola – Baragoola as built in 1922, white coffee mug.

Price $30.80 including delivery – available now.

SS Binngarra (class vessel), white coffee mugs.

Price $30.80 including delivery – available now.

MV Baragoola – Baragoola in the early 1970’s, white coffee mug.

Price $30.80 including delivery.

MV North Head

Price $30.80 including delivery – available now – limited edition only seven available.

SS Burra Bra

Price $30.80 including delivery – available now.

SS Curl Curl

Price $30.80 including delivery – available now.