We've done it at last! This morning Koos and I fitted the steering mechanism back onto the HH after having fixed it so thoroughly there can now be no possibility that it will come apart again.
We took it for a test around the harbour here in Sas van Gent, and were thrilled that everything worked properly with no failures.
So after a good wash down and spring smoosh up, the little 'bootje' looks quite respectable. A closer look would reveal there's a lot of paintwork that needs doing, but we'll come to that soon. First a call to the yard for a spot on the slipway....are we happy or what!
PS For those of you who are confused, 'vaarklaar' means 'ready to go' in boat terms. Another point some of the newer readers might be wondering is where does this boat fit in? Well, Koos has his own barge, the Luxor, I have the Vereeniging (which Mo and Craig have just moved off) and we share the HH, which is much smaller and was intended for travelling on and not for living. Owing to aforesaid steering problems, we haven't done much travelling as yet...um, call that none, in fact..but soon, soon, I can feel it....
Well done! It can be quite frightening when the steering goes and you are out of control. Anyway, now it's not going to happen again. The boat looks lovely and, as far the photos show, it doesn't look like the paintwork needs doing. x
ReplyDeleteIs "vaarklaar" etymologically related to "way clear", possibly? You know what a language geek I am...
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're ship shape and Bristol fashion, to borrow another nautical term. ;)
xx
AM
Hi Anne Marie, good question, and at first thought, both Koos and I thought not at all. However in a very roundabout way, it is.
ReplyDelete'Vaar' comes from Varen (Dutch) or fahren in German, meaning to go (somewhere). These days varen is only used for boat travel, but in the old days we used 'fare' in English to mean the same thing. Now, though, we have the word thoroughfare, which means a way through or route to somewhere, so indirectly, 'way' comes into it.
As for klaar, in Dutch it literally means 'ready', and in this context that's the only meaning. But....klaar can also used in the same way as 'claire' in French, which is where we get 'clear' from, so yes, there is a connection, albeit a little far removed. A'klaar helder dag' means a bright sunny day, bright as in 'au clair de la lune'.
I love etymology too ;-)
Fran, many thanks, but I deliberately avoided the really bad parts ;-) It needs lots of TLC this year. The winter didn't do it much good.
To join in the etymological discussion. We still use the word seafarer and there is a popular sailing dinghy called a wayfarer. So the word fare is still in everyday use in the nautial world.
ReplyDeleteExcellent news getting all that done! Hopefully you'll have some good sailing days ahead.
ReplyDeleteSee you next weekend!
woooooooooooop woooooooooooop well done!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're right Fran. I forgot that one, and since we don't seem to have a real equivalent these days for the Dutch 'varen', I have reintroduced to 'fare' as a verb for my own use as somehow 'cruising' doesn't seem to fit what the Dutch mean when they say the are going to 'varen'. So over here, we go faring ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaria, I'm looking forward to it!
Janys, glad your steering didn't give you any problems this time. I know how stomach lurching it can be when it just packs up on you. I was more than a bit relieved today that everything worked as it should!
Such a nice looking little boat/barge! Good job!
ReplyDeleteOperable steering is a GOOD thing!
ReplyDeleteTom
ah, pretty soon, you will be travelling the waterways again. Kudos for you guys doing all the work you do on your 'homes'. :)
ReplyDeletexx
Vaarklaar makes perfect sense to me as a swedish speaker born in an area where peaple speak an ancient dialect where many words actually are the same though written in somewhat different ways. The swedish verb "fara" means "go" or "leave" and "klar" means "ready" (but may also mean "clear" as in clear water...) so "vaarklaar" means "ready to go" and is completely understandable to me.
ReplyDelete:)
Which is nice!
We have to go and listen to some ancient dialects when you come to Finland. It would make you feel like home :)
I have always loved your Hennie H!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know she has finally become seaworthy.
And I will never tire of your stories about life below sea level!
An attractive looking craft you have there and glad to read that the helm is now in tip top condition for safety at sea is everything.
ReplyDeleteNow all that you and everyone else needs is a good summer :)
That's really good news!! And she looks so adorable... almost ready for travelling! :D Have fun with it! :D Good job fixing it!
ReplyDeleteYay! That's great news. Good to see it working again soon.
ReplyDeleteWe're hoping to take off on the water ourselves as well soon :)