Sinkable Pontoon

 It seems to me that we should have sinkable pontoons.  When a flood event is due, we pull the plug and sink the pontoon.  When the flood event is past, we connect a air compressor and refloat the pontoon.  A bit like a submarine.

OK so how much boyancy.

I think our pontoon was about 8mx3m and about 200mm above the water. = 5 cubic metres

https://www.spikevm.com/calculators/concrete/concrete-weight-kg-cubic-m.php
12 000 kg  = 12 tonnes.

Now 1 Lite water = 1kg.
1m x1m x 1m = 1 cubic meter = 1000L = 1 Tonne

Now a boat that floats displaces water with a weight equivalent to the weight of the boat.
So if the deck of our pontoon weighs 12 Tonnes then we need 12 tonnes of water which 12 shuttles or 6m x 2m array by 1m deep.

This doesnt seem right.  I cant believe that just the above water part of our pontoon deck

5 Stages Of Grief

Apparently there are 5 stages of grief.

1 Denial

2 Anger

3 Barganing

4 Depression 

5 Acceptance

Wikipedia naturally has an entry

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_stages_of_grief

the model is considered to be outdated, inaccurate

Kübler-Ross later noted that the stages are not a linear and predictable progression and that she regretted writing them in a way that was misunderstood

Kessler has also proposed "Meaning" as a sixth stage of grief.^[12]

NOW

Ok so I'm clearly at 4 depression but also moving into 2anger.  Although there were times of anger during the marriage. Post divorce, it felt like all depression. As far as the actual divorce bit I think the 1denial phase was pretty short.  

2Anger at the time?- a

As I recall, was limited, even if at all.   In some ways relief was a more immediate feeling.  Pre separation, I do remember feeling trapped in a very lonely existence.

1 Denial

So for 10 years I did not consciosly  recognise how bad my marriage was.   

2 Anger

Although not linear, I feel anger entering the mix. Maybe a way to pull myself out of depression.

Memories of the times when Megan distanced me.  That we did not do creative stuff together. Details to come below. 

Anger that I made a covenant for life and that was broken.

Anger with myself for not taking action myself years earlier when I did feel distanced. 

3 Barganing

Not sure how that fits in. 

4 Depression 

I'm definitely here and was before the end of the marriage and certainly for the last few years

5 Acceptance

So I'm hoping by elucidating the anger, I can get past it.  Move to acceptance and even meaning.  Free myself to love again. I go on dates but I feel nothing.  They are nice people but they don't float my boat.  Maybe at the moment,  my boat is holed and sitting on the bottom in shallow water. The top looks like a boat but deep down I'm fucked. 

6 Meaning

ANGER MEMORIES 

UQ CENTRE

19?? Uniting Church event at the UQ centre. Megan was the organiser. She told me I was not to enter the auditorium during set up. Just to come in with the congregation. I remember from the time feeling like she was talking to me like an unwanted child.

I delivered a big sheet of Plywood to the guys and in the carpark it was cut into a big cross and fitted with fairy lights to represent the southern cross.  I even supplied a mains 12V power supply.  Then we passed it in through the door.  Did not get to carry it in.  So important was it to keep me away.   She worked with her father inside the auditorium where I was not allowed.  This preference for working with her father would continue as would my exclusion. 

UQ EVENT IN CITY HALL

30th aniversery?

Or maybe a synod celebration?

Anyway Megan got the role of coordinator.   I offered to do video.  She said she'd asked the Goughs. I remember feeling deflated. Anyway I ran into them several times in the months leading up to the event and they said that they had received an email from Megan but were not doing the gig.  Each time I'd go back to Megan and offer to do it.  Each time the same story.  So I lived this lie of denial.  Knowing they weren't doing it and Megan telling me she had organised or asked them. Wishing her event to be a success and salvaging some self image, when at the very last minute,  she asked me,  I accepted and pulled together a solution. 

EASTER FEST

We were supposed to be "venue managers" of "the circus".  One year Megan themed it with a "story bridge" backdrop she got from school.  I felt really left out of the creative process.  One year,  After the event I said to her "how about we work on theme ideas together ". Her response: I've already decided to do theme based on recycling.  Huge hearts with Milk bottles. "Oh" I responded once again deflated.  Well how about we work on the practicalities together.  She told me she'd already spoken with her father and was going to visit him to do that. Crushed.

That year I advised  easterfest,  that I would not attend. Someone else could do video. 

Later, not wanting Megan to fail,  I did inject myself into the hearts thing. Megan had come up with a design that was structurally unsound and there was no way anyone was going to allow these huge hearts to fly above an audience. So I added some scaffold tubes and came to Toowoomba to organise them being erected.

Rejection Isolation 

All this in the name of god.

My hope is I can get angry. Get over it and move on. 

Captiva Brake Lights

 I suspect I have bought a lemon.

 

28-OCT-2021 Purchased second hand.
15-FEB-2022 Tuesday Brake lights discovered not working.
16-FEB-2022 Wednesday Observed passenger headlight not working.                     
16-FEB-2022 (I think) Drivers Door Handle Broke
16-FEB-2022 (I think) Called Big Box cars arranged eval for Wed 23-02-2022  Darren?
19-FEB-2022 Traced the brake light issue (faulty relay)
22-FEB-2022 Wont Start Issue
23-FEB-2022 Called Big Box Cars spoke to Damian who said call Darren back at 8:30.
done
                       2pm Darren advises he will check with the workshop at 2:30

 

 

 

 

 

 

The problem list is:
Broken Drivers door handle
No Brake Lights - Subject of this blog.
Left headlight blown.
Rear interior light comes on when you open the tailgate and then goes off almost immediately.
And then just the anoyances:
   Interior lights come on when you stop and no way to turn off.
   3 horn toots if the electronic key is in the car and you open and close a door.
   All sorts of warning beeps
   The parking proximity sensor system is almost - false negatives.
   The reverse camera takes forever to boot.
   Changing bands and stations on the radio.
   Now previous station button on the steering column.

NO BRAKE LIGHTS
1. This was pointed out by someone recently.

2. First checked the fuse - it was intact.

3. Found partial schematic
Which I now know this is wrong!

4. Observe in series:
B+ which we assume is battery.
Switch
Some kind of jumper.
Lights
Ground.

5. Removed the fuse and used a multi-meter to measure resistance.
One side is open.
Other side 10R to GND.  Lets assume that is the connection to the lights.

6. The hypothosis is that there is a wiring glitch, maybe in the fuse holder, that prevents B+ reaching the fuse.

7 Made up a thing to let us inject 12V via the fuse into the brake light circuit without feeding back to B+.

8 Connected up via multi meter and observe 3A and the brake lights are all ON.

 

This does not seem right.

This would require the Brake switch to be closed.  Now that I think about it, we should have measured open circuit on the side of the fuse going to the lights.

9 NEW THEORIES
9a Schematic wrong
9b Two faults - No power from B+ AND shorted switch - That seems very unlikly.

Lets go looking for a new schematic.

10 THINKING
The car needs the brake pedal depressed in order to start.  I can start it.  This means the brake switch is probably OK.  

I read in various places 

Page 393 of the diesel manual

Stop Lamps
The 15 A BRAKE fuse located in the fuse block - under bonnet, supplies battery positive voltage to the normally open brake lamp switch. When the driver presses the brake pedal, the switch contacts close and battery positive voltage is supplied to both left and right brake lamp assemblies, the centre high mounted brake lamp (CHMSL), the engine control module (ECM), and the throttle actuator control (TAC) module.
The control function of the brake lamp switch is a normally closed circuit. When the brake pedal is applied, the BCM detects an open circuit and applies current to the brake lamps. If the brake lamp switch were to become disconnected, the BCM detects the open circuit and applies current to the brake lamps. Brake lamps on is the default state for circuit failure.

This confirms the earlier schematic is wrong and implies there is a relay in the circuit.

Indeed there is and it is faulty. 

CAPTIVA FORUMS & Contacts

https://www.chevroletownersclub.co.uk

23-02-2022 Sent request for wiring diagram to https://www.holden.com.au/owning/customer-care

BIG BOX CARS
127 Riawena Rd SALISBURY 4107 
Sales 07 3884 9555
Service 07 3884 9544

Rowing Coaching Acreditation

 

COMMUNITY COACHING GENERAL PRINCIPLES
This is a federal government on line course.  It's free but does require commitment of time and brain.
https://www.sportaus.gov.au/coaches_and_officials/coaches

ROWING COACH ACREDITATION
Has 4 levels.  https://rowingaustralia.com.au/development/coaches/coaches-accreditation/

Level 1 is online and is linked from here:  https://education.rowingaustralia.com.au/
Level 2 - Note the offer by RQ to do a face to face in person (remember that) Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 February - see email below.

ARE YOU ACREDITED BY ROWING AUSTRALIA?
Rowing Australia have a list of all coaches credited as at 10-2-2022 linked from here:
(I searched myself and found that mine is due to expire this year)

https://rowingaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20220210-Accredited-Coaches-RA-website.pdf

REACREDITATION
https://rowingaustralia.com.au/development/coaches/coaches-accreditation/

Frank:
Looks like I can claim:
Coach crew to any regatta 5 points
Coach Crew to Head of River 5 points (GCASRA Trophy Regatta)
Coach Crew to State Championships 5 Points (QLD School State Champs)
Supervisor for Learn To Row 5 Points (Multiple come and try days and lots of organising)
That's 20 points - Only need 10.

BUT One also needs 10 points of "Personal Development".
I can do
- Approved basic first aid 5 points.
I think the easiest next option is "Self evaluation of coaching via video - signed by acredited mentor coach".  Just got to find one of those.

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Dear Queensland Level 1 Coaches, 

 

Rowing Queensland is offering a level 2 in person session for those level 1 coaches who have been a registered level 1 coach for 12 months or more and have completed the Rowing Australia level 2 on-line modules. 

 

In recognition that everyone's weekends are full of rowing already at this time of year the in-person modules are scheduled for the evenings of Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 February at Rowing Queensland office in West End rather than doing an all-day Sunday course. 

 

If you want to complete your level 2 course but are yet to undertake the on-line modules, follow the link below. Once complete you will be sent a confirmation email which you forward to me in-order to register for the 2 evening sessions. There is no allowance to attend the sessions if the online models are not completed first. 

https://rowingaustralia.com.au/development/coaches/coaches-accreditation/

National Rowing Coaching Accreditation Scheme - Rowing Australia Rowing Australia (RA) has four coaching levels – Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4. Please click here for a list of all accredited rowing coaches as at 18/1/22, along with their identification number and expiry date.. Reaccreditation: Coaching accreditation lasts for four years, after which coaches need to reaccredit. rowingaustralia.com.au

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. 

 

Kind Regards & Stay Well, 

 

Andrew Service

Rowing Queensland High Performance & Team Manager

------------------------------------------------------------------

My Re-accreditation Log
To have my coaching qualifications re-accredited, I need have done some stuff and provide evidence.

Lets try and put together a list. 

2019
I get elected to the management committee as Vice President.  I was physically in Penrith at something.  Either NSW states or Nationals.  Apparently the AGM was a big fight with girls in tears and the previous president walking out. During 2019 I continued coaching for Brigidine School and Centenary Rowing Club.

  7-MAR-2019 International Womens Day Regatta - Coach
25-MAR-2019 Mon-Sun Nationals in Penrith - Coach
                       Centenary AGM held and I was elected VP.

     MAY-2019 Worked on the Centenary Trailer Wiring
20-SEP-2019 QLD Schools Championships 4 days Rockhampton - Coach

2020
This is the year Covid started.  QLD shut down just after the GPS head of the river.  A shit fight at Centenary resulted in resignations from the management committee and as the VP, I was left to recover the situation.

TERM 1

We had a come and try but notes seem to be light on.
22-JAN-2020 QLD Club Championships

TERM 2
The world is shut down due to Covid.  There are tight rules governing rowing with 10 people only allowed at a time with a Covid compliance officer.  Some nasty emails being sent to key club officials.

TERM 3
AGM planned and advertised for August.  Steps taken to try to ensure that this is a meeting without agro.
21-JUL-2020 Pre AGM Meeting - Organised and chaired.
 2-AUG-2020 Centenary AGM - Organised.  Elected President

TERM 4

17-OCT-2020 Head of the Brisbane Regatta - Rower
  1-NOV-2020 Brigidine Come-And-Try #1 - Coach
  8-NOV-2020 Brigidine Come-And-Try #2 - Coach
14-NOV-2020 QSRC Regatta #2 - Coach
15-NOV-2020 Brigidine Come-And-Try #3 - Coach
 5-DEC-2020 Regatta @ Wyaralong - Parent
 6-DEC-2020 Regatta @ Grafton - Coach
11-DEC-2020 Camp at Centenary Fri-Tue I did some high level organising.
                       And a bit of coaching.

2021
In Jan through March I am still the club president.  The acrimony that preceeded my election is still bubbling away beneath the surface.   Outwardly the club seems a happier place but I drained by peoples demands and a complete unwillingness to even consider our constitution nor to abide by or develop any form of structure.
TERM 1
18-JAN-2021  Coach at the Brigidine Camp (3 days)
26-JAN-2021  QLD Club state Championships @ Wyaralong.
14-MAR-2021 International Womens Day Regatta Coach/Brigidine
14-MAR-2021 Centenary Rowing Club AGM - Stepped down as president.

TERM 2
24-APR-2021 GCASRA Regatta 1
  1-MAY2021  Come-And-Try Rowing at Centenary - Organiser
  8-MAY-2021 GCASRA Regatta 2
15-MAY-2021 GCASRA Regatta 3
29-MAR-2021 GCASRA Regatta 4 (Trophy)
19-JUN-2021  Centenary Rowing Club anniversary evening - Provided PA system

TERM 3
Term 3 is an interesting term.  It's winter. There are three state level championships in T3.  South Qld, Central Qld and All QLD.  Brigidine school supports the kids attending the SQ and QLD champs even though it's not an official school sport in T3.  The kids who wish to participate need to be in the club in T3.  This year the school was happy for me to be the kind of link rather than paying a school rep to attend.  We are also still in the throws of Covid and government regulations.  I note in August we could only ride our bikes within 10km of home.
17-JUL-2021  South Qld School Championship Regatta - Coach plus towed boats home.
18-SEP-2021 QLD Schools Championships Regatta in Rockhamption
                       Coach + I am the official Brigidine chain of command rep.

TERM 4
Facilitated communication between Brigidine School and Centenary Rowing Club in regard to the kids participation in the club program (Not an official school sport)
 9-OCT-2021   Come-And-Try #1
16-OCT-2021 Come-And-Try #2
30-OCT-2021  Indoor Rowing Championships - Helper
30-OCT-2021  Brigidine School Come-and-try - coach
  7-NOV-2021  Brigidine School Come-and-try - coach
14-NOV-2021  Brigidine School Come-and-try - coach

2022
Not much.  Still on the Centenary Committee but over it. The interpersonal drama and politics is energy sapping and I have better things to put my time, energy and money into. Volunteer parent coach with Brigidine school.  Managed Centenary Club IT systems (email etc).  Start of school has been delayed to 7-JAN-2022 by the government on concerns of Covid Omicron spread.  School sport has consequently been delayed and Brigo's first session is Thursday 10th Feb.
10-FEB-2022  Brigidine first session (Erg + shed familiarisation) - Coach
12-FEB-2022  Coached at the Centenary come-and-try day.
26-FEB-2022  Flood - Evacuated boats.  Pontoon is lost shortly after.
  5-MAR-2022 Clean up the mud.  No rowing.
10-MAR-2022 Approached the gym at Gracville about placing ergos.  Not supported by club.
13-MAR-2022 Helped Brigidine girls attended the "international Womens Day" breakfast at Sommerville boat shed.  No race this year because of debris in the river.
19-MAR-2022 Supervised - Girls at F45 gym at Kenmore.
26-MAR-2022 Helped with continuing clean at Centenary Rowing Club.  Still no rowing.
27-MAR-2022 Helped supervise Brigidine girls at Toowoong Rowing Club Gym.
  2-APR-2022 Finally on the water at Centenary.  Muddy beach launch.
  4-APR-2022 (Monday) Coaching Brigidine at Wyaralong. 
10-APR-2022 Coaching Brigidine at Centenary woo hoo.
  7-MAY-2022 SEQ Conference regatta at Wyaralong - Coaching
  8-MAY-2022 Fixing speakers and cox boxes.
  9-MAY-2022 Coaching - weather is crap but we can finally do ergs at Centenary.
12-MAY-2022 Second boat evacuation and minor flood.  Beach is degraded.
16-MAY-2022 Another gym session.
28-MAY-2022 SEQ Conference regatta at Wyaralong.
30-MAY-2022 Coaching - Nightmare launch at low tide in the mud at Centenary.
  2-JUN-2022 Coaching - Sommerville & St Peters equipment @ Toowong.
  3-JUN-2022 Rowunion - Does this count as a meeting?
  4-JUN-2022 SEQ Conference regatta at Wyaralong.

 

 

Brigidine First Row 2022

 

First on water day for Brigidine rowing in 2022. We had two performance crews and four Learn to row crews.

I was with one of the LTR boats and so most of this post concerns that.

Each LTR boat had some experienced and some new girls. I actually love this part of the season. The experienced girls really step up with peer teaching and the new girls progress from awkward unknowing to competent so quickly.

We put our experienced girls in 2 and 4 seat and had an experienced girl coxing. I had 3 new girls. Sitting in bow and 3 seat and one in the tinnie.

We started just rowing in pairs one experienced girl and a learner right behind. We would swap bow and stern pair every 15 to 20 strokes as learning this is mentally exhausting.

After we'd done that, we got all 4 going. Then stopped, had a stretch and swapped girls around including getting the girl from the tinnie into the boat and me taking a new tourist.

Last First Day

Mon 7 Feb 2022

Jemmas last first day at school. Gr12 Brigidine.  Took the obligatory photo and then she was off in her car. What a difference from first day of prep all those years ago.

Post Covid test Ride

 Sat 5 FEB

Packed my bike into the car.

Parked at what I thought was Highgate Hill but turned out to actually be a part of South Brisbane and met a friend outside Sommerville.  We rode across the goodwill bridge.  As we passed through QUT, I observed signs warning of dire consequences for locking bikes to the river stage fence.  This cause me to look around for bike parking which although there was some, looked a bit like a token effort.  A pity that they do not make it more welcoming to ride bikes and scooters.  Continued riding through the gardens and pasts riverside to the Power House markets.  

Locked the bikes to a fence in Newfarm park and entered the markets.  Ordered a coffee and calculated at leats a 15 minute wait.  Sat on chairs at 'Mary Mays' and looked  at the river and chatted.  Went back and picked up coffees.  Timed that well arriving with only one person in front of us.

Later bought a veru nice mushroom and vegi stir fry for lunch.

On the way back at River side, jumped on a kitty cat - this is a free ferry service.  This got us across the river fr a different route back.