Sunday 6 September 2009

Sunday Morning

Told you I was legit, now have photograph to prove it.


We spent Friday, as mentioned before, with people climbing all over the boat, fitting bolts and and fixing leak.

I do not think I mentioned the leak, well, it all started one windy and wet night.
I had been trying to set up the satellite dish, to no avail so decided to put it away,it sits nicely just below the floor in the engine room, on lifting the lid I saw water, now I know that I should not be seeing water there.

The generator sits in the same place and we had had it running, so first thought generator has over heated and expelled some water into the bilge.

Then I hear running water, Aaargh! so have to find it, cupboards opened, floors lifted climbed into some spaces that a contortionist would have found difficult.

Eventually traced it to the generator exhaust skin fitting, now how to stop it.

Ventured outside, horizontal rain and it is dark, of course the fitting is not on the canal path side that would be too easy.

Tried to tighten bolts, hanging of the side of the boat, one hand for the spanner one to stop me falling in. No they were tight, Wozie had a great idea shove some Vaseline (I keep it for my battery terminals, you know) around it. It worked so went to bed.

In the morning, had another look and could see that the fitting is just below a rubbing strake and it had caught on the weld, just enough so it did not fit tight, hence leak.

The cratch cover was fitted by Fraser of A J Canopies, have you ever seen the work involved in that, it is a wonder to see. It took over three hours and when finished Fraser was not happy with the way it fitted, just needs some fine tuning.
He was willing to take it away there and then and come back but as we are heading that way we suggested that we would call in as we passed.

If you are having or thinking of have a cratch cover do not just look at how it looks but have a good look at how it is put together, all the little details that are there but seldom seen (we almost went with another company as they had a particular colour and material that we liked, that material has now turned out to not up to the job) .

We now have a cratch and the difference it has made is amazing, we have a warmer boat (don't ask me how that works) and another room.

Well it is Sunday and we may not move, washing is on, will contact the boat engineer tomorrow, gearbox and generator need there first services.

I thought this boating lark would be all laid back and peaceful, we have not stopped.

2 comments:

Paul (from Waterway Routes) said...

Is 515077 really your boat number?

I thought the second and third digits indicated the date of first registration or manufacture (by subtracting 8) so yours indicates first registration year ending 31st March 2007 (from 15-8).

Our number 515209 matches that, with first registration March 2007.

bottle said...

Hi Paul

That is the one they have sent, no idea how BW work out the registration.

Maybe an e-mail is in order to find out if your thoughts are correct.

I will send one off and 'blog' the answer.