MMT Cast Reefball #1

Great news - In the last few days the Mohua Marine Trust has created its first reefball. 

On Thursday we assembled the pallet ball mould that we have on loan from Dave Head via Grace Ormond in Mahia. It was a hot day and the trustees who were there toiled mightily. We joined two pallets together, cut a sheet of ply to fit the base of the mould and then joined the three parts of the mould securely. The buoys and floats that sit inside the mould to form the cavities and tunnels had to be inflated to the right tightness and placed inside. The largest central buoy was suspended from a steel bar and everything was secured from the outside.

On Friday morning our load of concrete was due at 7.30am so we were in Solly's Yard bright and early applying the oily stuff that stops the concrete from sticking to the inside of the mould and the buoys/floats. A lot more inflation was needed as well. It's important that the buoys are touching each other. When the concrete started to pour there was a fair bit of manouvering required and we had to make sure everything could be taken out the next day before the concrete set around it. 

Gene, John M, Lex and Alan returned to the yard on Saturday morning to remove the mould and extract the buoys. Some chipping away was required before the final waterblast. Engineer in chief, Alan Hughes pronounced Reefball #1 a success and carefully noted the things we had learnt through this process. 

The trust has made an important first step towards its main goal.

Photo Story Below:

Under Construction: Lex, Alan, Gene and Hans on Thursday at the start of the process.

On the inside: Lex in the mould attaching buoys

Large buoy suspended in the middle cavity. Alan made the bar arrangement.

A view inside from Above.

Pump it Up:

The concrete is about to be delivered. Lex is holding the nifty electronics pump that he used to inflate the buoys. We'd have been till dark with a bike pump!

Ready to ram the concrete into the mould once poured.

First Look Inside:

First look inside. The moulds are off and the buoys have repelled the concrete. A bit of chipping needed. Cooler day than Thursday.

Start 0f Chipping

Shows the start of the chipping process. We painted concrete repellent oil on the buoys and the floor and walls of the mould and it seems to worked here.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Rough surfaces are attractive to the critters we want to colonise our reefballs

Chairman Gene standing proudly with Reefball #1