Servicing engine hours

.... for the record. They Donk in Percy got some fresh oil and other jobs today. I tend to do it each autumn so the engine sits with fresh clean oil, I'm sure it makes little difference but it reassures me and its ready should we do a big cruise next year.... 

The process is start the engine to warm up the oil .... this time of year when not under any  load the engine takes some warming up. While the engine is thinning its oil I replaced the greasomatic and cleaned up the stern gland area... wiping out the oil catch try under the hydraulic motor and giving a grease nipple some attention. The Greasomatics dont use a ,ot of grease  = good thing and the old one still had about 30ml left. You can set them for 1 to 12 months duration I guess that depends on the process the device is greasing. If on a always running conveyour belt in a quarry etc it may need to be replaced every month ? The grease is waterproof grease in the greaser hence the WP. I label them for date of replacement but I know roughly Oct or Nov - seems I ran this time for 13 months but we've done little cruising due to water resources and the heat of the summer. 

Then it was stop the engine and pump 10 litres of oil out and put 10 litres back in. When I last had the side casing off I was able to pour in the oil, this time it took a lot longer thru the filling hole. When I had the side off I was able to see where the oil level sat in relation to the splash cups on the crankshaft  - they pick up and fling the oil around  - basic but effective. I think the old 1929 mauual says less oil but i'd rather more for the extra few quid - it does not use or loose oil  - any il underneath comes from the loss system of oilong the pushrod cups and I oil the injector pump pistons and the bottom of the push rods where they go into the engine. i'm sure the design is fr the oild in the upper push rod cups to dribble down the pushrod which it does... this oil eventually gets under the engine and once a year the nappy pad get changed that the dish under the Hydraulic pump sits on.... A bit of oil on the outside of the engine doesn't harm, in the middle of summer if the engine has a long shift ig gets a nice warm oily smell !! 

All done engine hours for the record is 1262  - last oil change was at 1209 so a tardy 53 hours on the engine in a year... ! At least the engine has been on good clean oil! 

A few other jobs to done... I topped up the hydraulic fluid and will need to clean the fuel filters and hydraulic oil filter next visit but I need to bring some clean diesel as the diesel filter is a cloth filter iirc not sure what the hydraulic one is I suspect the same.

Off for a walk to get some fresh air and exercise them home back another day to do the solar panel !! 

Frustrating fail

Yesterday was another very misty start so easy to stay in the boat until it cleared a little.  The job was to bond the new solar panel to the roof. Should have been simple !

The mist is quite atmospheric and I could hear this boat thumping away well before its tunnel light came into view. 

For my reference this is the solar panel I am installing. It is really just to maintain the boat batteries as I have a little Victron charge controller that so far has kept the batteries topped up nicely between visits. At the mooring we have lots of space for a little ground array  - depending how long we stay on this mooring it might be an option. The old solid panel had done sterling service on Waterlily and Percy and must be over 15 years old and was 145w when new. It may get repurposed at home. 

The reason for the new bonded panel is three fold. The old one was a bit small and old now, I didn't like the look of it sitting on its taxi magnets but critically there is a patch of filler covering a low spot in the roof. Despite the boat painter renewing it when the boat was painted in 2015 it still cracked and water got in and lifted the paint  - it looked a mess. I have used liquid metal as a filler this time which was not cheap but will be much more effective. As I am covering it with the panel for weather protection and foe the best position  the over painting was not really needed but I did it to add a bit more protection. The colour was immaterial as it was being covered up so I used a couple of coats of primer and undercoat and two top coats just for protection.  The panel is going across.

Then it all went tits up as I knocked the Sikoflex 522 into the canal and despite using the fishing landing net and me even getting into the canal in my chest waders it was lost to the deep. The deep being the salient point. On our old mooring it would have dropped into the silt and I'd have been able to reach in and get it out. here when I went in in my chest waders I was up to my chest so a good 4 foot deep even by the boat and feeling with my feet I could feel how much water we have under Percy here. The cylinder of sealant almost certainly rolled under the boat as it could. Very frustrating as it meant I had to put everything back and as no one locally has the 522 I had to order it off the internet for a home delivery. even more frustrating it's going to get colder so this little project is on hold now until we can get over again in the right temps. 

Today I'll do an oil change and replace the Greaseomatic on the stern greaser - once a year job. Again not cheap but effective and they keep a constant pressure of grease on the stern tube. When done I'll record it separately as the miles between oil changes will be low but new oil in the engine over the winter can only be a good thing. 

Mooring works

We arrived last evening with enough time to get the fire on and make the bed and relaxed into the evening. 

The return to the mooring of a 60 foot to Mandy's Don't Panic 50 foot means the work she did for safe hopping on and off ( Slabs and pallet and mats) don't work for us. So that was today's started for ten 

A moody misty atmospheric start to the day so no great hurry to set to clearing and adjusting the mooring to our needs. 

Little boat movement early wth the Norbury trip boat buzzing past first. Late morning the chug of a vintage engine and then the low hold of a coal boat came past.... I was surprised and pleased to see David from Norbury Wharf on iirc NB France with its two cylinder Bolinder. Pleased as we were using down the gas and had an empty on board. He was fueling up Brian's boat bext mooring so I got the gas via his counter. 

This afternoon before the Rugby we pottered on the mooring, I tidied up the shed cutting the pallets so they fitted better. then reset some slabs that were trip hazards before lifting the slabs Mandy had been so proud of when she put them down !! We are going to try and wind Percy tomorrow so will have a better idea of where to re lay them  - I intend bringing the cement mixer and the barrow as there is storage for both here. 

I needed oil and wanted to visit the country store in Newport so set off after the Rugby and there was a precession of three boats going south and one headed north  - the most we've seen all day into the 4pm gloom.

The country store in Newport is a great place and I'm ashamed to say I did not know it was there until I rode past it recently when I took my little Supercub to Bala for a few days .... The sell beer and I treated myself to some mild.... my dad used to drinl it but he would have a 'pint of mixed'  - mild and bitter. it is very drinkable 

Tomorrow I need to get the new solar panel installed and if we have time a cruise and an oil change.

The trip to Bala was lovely  - I wanted to see if I could 'tour' on my little 125cc step thru ... those that know will know. I routed my trip to Bala via the moorings hence the passing of the country store. A few photos ...

One little ambition realised was to ride a motorcycle over the wooden Barmouth bridge. It is allowed and its quite a surreal experience clattering along the wooden bridge next to the railway  

This is the wooden toll bridge at Penmanpool 

Some stunning roads and the little Cub was perfect for them 

Of course on my return I visited Llangollen and the ponty for photos 

Eight years and two days later

 ... We are back where we started at Shebdon. 

It was the 23rd October 2018 when I arrived somewhat frazzled after bringing Percy From Fradley Junction to Shebdon single handed as Rachel was down south working. It was my heaven and hell cruise as the cruising and the scenery was sublime but the engine kept overheating  - it was the impeller. 

The cruise

Sadly next visit we found the boat had been broken into ... not a great start to life at Shebdon. Emma the farmer who's mooring these are has always been excellent and got us onto another mooring further down by the turning circle. We stayed I think a good four years until in 2021 the engine broke down on the way back from Stone after blacking and having our 30 year insurance survey - all good for a 30 year old boat. 

We ended up in Great Haywood marina and had to give up our mooring which I have always regretted. We stayed in Great Haywood for 21 months where I eventually fixed the engine  - it was a non issue really just bit of a knock on the big end so I replaced the shells.... good learning.

Penned in ?

Read about it here 

We left eventually as marina moorings was not for us cost and compression of boats not to mention the wind in marinas usually blowing when you want to go in or out. Good cruising routes and mice staff and we moved and got a good mooring where we could watch the boats on the cut but no replacement for actually mooring on the cut. 

We ended up on a mooring back at Shebdon but on Bob's moorings south of Bridge 44. They are nice but not Emma's moorings nice. The car parking and storage are a bit remote on some moorings and the canal is less attractive that side of the bridge.

Here was the blog about the mooring 

We were a bit messed about re the moorings as the one we were due on the boater did not leave as arranged so we ended up on someone else's who were out for the season. We were on the waiting list back at Ellas and we were soon offered one noce compact but...... sadly the mooring had been kept by a boater who was having a boat build but sadly IIRC had become unwell before they could take their boat onto the mooring. But the mooring had been unoccupied for a few years so was soooo badly silted up. 

Our arrival was a circus of rope pulling engine revving back tweaking ..... every tie we left or retured it was the same circus. Again the mooring was lovely but despite being in the cut in my waders trying to move tons of silt it never improved.

Before ....

Best we could achieve 

Read of our arrival here 

We enjoyed it but were not going out as much as we used to, like the marina but with a better view and a lot cheaper.

Our long term friend Many of NB Don't Panic ended up on the original mooring we took near the brdge and lived there happy  - very happy for quite some years... well sine we moved off and didnt come back in 2021 so five years plus. She has recently gone back to the land - we helped her move up to Northumberland for another great adventure and in return were given first refusal of her/our old mooring.

We dithered as its a bit more exposed and has a lot more grass to mow but its the end mooring ans they are prized as only one neighbour. In the end we decided to take it and moves bac today... 8 years and two days since I arrived in 2018 !! 

I don't update this blog as I used to  - I should but I just got out of the bhabit, much was not boat related more a diary of events .... they not reside on my phone as 60,000 + photos and videos. I will try and do better on getting a bit more on here. But for mow we are back where we started at Shebdon. A fair bit to do on the mooring and the boat but we have the space and hopefully the option to make a bot of noise fitting flooring etc. 

It does afford us the option to live on the bat f we decide to move from this beautiful cottage, something we will have to do at some point but still in the options approasal stage....

So here are a few pictures from today and one from 8 years and 2 days ago....

Lovely safe compact but a pig to get into and out of 

Not the best day to move being battered by storm Boelo for much of the day but we got there 

Pictures from my arrival 8 years and 2 days ago... same sunset and the moon was the same full moon. Does remind me Percy is due a polish ! 

Crossing the rubicon

We brought Percy in 2012... she was 20 years old then and had been lovingly looked after by the builder and owners Tony and Gill Redshaw.  The paint was looking a bit tired into our early years of ownership so we took the plunge and booked in for a full repaint with John Sanderson at Dadford's wharf on the Stourbridge canal and I purchased new windows.

Percy on her way to be repainted piloted by my good friend John. 

We've tried to follow the after care advice of a polish spring and autumn but inevitable scrapes have taken their toll. The most annoying was a scar from trying to get Percy into the silted up moorings here at Shebdon when the plank used to get on and off while mooring up was pushed into the front bulkhead....

So we did something not really done before on any of out boats we started to paint....

Earlier this year I rubbed the scabs back Fertan'd it and primed it and left it.... we came to the boat this time with a nice new orbital sander and mesh disks ( great kit) and dark green Craftmaster undercoat and top coat. I rubbed the scabs back re did the Fertan etc then two coats of undercoat and two top coats with sanding between ever lighter. It looks well not John Sanderson well but passes my satisfaction test... my fail was not properly filling the scabs expecting the paint to do that.... lesson learnt and that's what we do these jobs we learn as we go. 

On the roof over the engine room there has always been a area that was well filled due to at some point a dent being put in there.... it is in one of the top plate welds and has been a persistent problem with cracking of the filler which cracks the paint water gets in and it looks bad. Job 2 was to remove the old filler treat the steel and critically this time as said before I used two pack liquid metal that I hope will be a stronger more permanent surface. It took a lot but again sanding between coats of this stuff with some filled to get the last few lows filled and we are getting there. It needs more work a bit more rubbing back and some final filler then a couple of coats of paint.... it's all overkill as we have a 200w flexible panel that is going to be bonded over this area which will give it total protection in the future and will not be seen until the panel is replaced.... more than likely by future owners. But I wanted to at least give it the right finish and protection even if its the wrong colour - I'll use up the small bit of dark green undercoat and top coat  - not be seen but apologies to the next owners as and when they find it ... hopefully it'll be understood what and why it was done  - especially if they read this !!

Pleasing work, painting is not the bogey man job I always thought and I have more areas I will go at next year... the rear around the tiller needs some paint as does the well deck. 

Top tip a tarp and some rubber magnets with m6 threads and bolts that go thru the eyelets on the tarp to protect the new paint from wind and insects... worked well for us and I'll use it again for those two areas....

Eventually the roof will get done but that will be a dry dock job coinciding with blacking the hull.

We did a bit of walking and relaxing and ate well .... I do like the Shroppie and our mooring 

Community which I like

Ok so the last post was a bit negative, just how I was feeling but the C&RT sentiment is baked in. In contrast we have been on the moorings here for a while now and its nice to feel part of a micro community of people with all different stories to tell as to why they have a boat and are moored here. Not my stories to tell but nice that I get to chat boats and  life.

The painting is progressing, due to us facing due East we have to wait until the afternoon for the work to start.... but there are other bits and bobs I have been doing. 

We've always struggled with a cracking of the paint  in the roof where the steel joints over the engine room. There is some filler that does not help. many years ago I was talking to a boaty neighbour  - Kev at Fradley, again stories to tell but not mine but the bottom line was he ended up painting his own boat on the mooring, then got a job in the paint dock at Streethay then eventually took the painting dry dock on at Fradley junction. Impressive approach, anyhow he advised using metal epoxy rather than normal external filler.... so that has been my other job this week, removing the old cracked filler, a good sanding back and then Fertan. Today it got its first coat of said liquid metal ( I've just used the same on my bike for  a small repair and was impressed. ) I need some more that Amazon are delivering to the garage in Newport I'll add that let it sety and sand and paint on Monday.

It does not have to be too pretty as I have invested in a flexible solar panel to replace the old 145w one that was on Waterlilty then Percy. It fits nicely looks much nicer and will cover the repair and protect it in the future as I intent using sealant to stick it to the roof. Not as efficient as the panels get hotter but in my thinking unless it's a decent air gap water is going to get trapped and that will never be good for the paint or the roof. 

No photos must get some of the painting and the roof repair and solar panel. 

Painting which I hate

My last entry was detailing our return from the failed Chester cruise. Things went from bad to worse with Rachel leaving the boat to get an uber from Market Drayton to Royal Stoke to get her neck checked out leaving me to ascend the not favourite Tyrley flight solo. 

The bottom lock can be a pig with a nasty bywash that likes to direct entering boats into the rock face opposite. A lot depends on whats coming down the flight, a busy flight with boaters emptying the locks sends a lot of water through that bywash. 

I managed it on my own with no drama as the flight was only just waking up  -when i did meet a boater they understood the advice about not trying to moor in the last pound. Bizarrely there was one boater who was walking his cruiser down the flight not wishing to start the engine . 

Woodseaves cutting had a couple of boats in it and they held in the passing places allowing me to plod on through 

I was soon back at the mooring and as per normal is was a pig to get into  - no way can we motor in from the north we have to pass and reverse in ... 

I had to leave Percy on loose ropes to slowly settle back into the silt that is the 'well kept canal real value for money licence experience'. I loaded the van and cleaned the boat and headed home to meet the patient who'd got a taxi home from hospital wth checks done and advice and drugs given 

Next day I was back as the grass needed a cut  - you can see the painting project.... ironically a couple of scars from when trying to get the boat into the silt when the gang plank ran into the bulkhead. 

A bit disillusioned to be honest, the canals are in a poor state and we are every more restricted as to where we can go or rather risk where we go in case there is a failure on the infrastructure or as is the recent case navigation restrictions due to poor water supply. A good example of the stupidity ( I can't think of another description) of C&RT spending policy is this ....

They call them accessible bollards ffs... I did have to check the date in case we'd dropped back to the 1st April. They are closing rubbish points all over the system, the Elsan's just never see a cleaner ... Market Drayton on our recent cruise was appalling  - yes some boaters don't respect it but its hard to use and stay 'clean' 

and showers and toilets are being locked off but we have these ....nothing more than C&RT virtue signalling.

Yes there is a sense of complete disillusionment of the once lovely and well cared for system. I have been on it for many years and have seen the rapid decline under C&RT watch and they knew it was coming but like current politics just kicked the can down the cut.

I did appear in July to once again cut the grass.

So we are back on board, not moving the boat just maintenance. Its a nice mooring once the boat is tied up. We had a walk to the Anchor the other evening for a pint and the canals made sense again or rather our continued ownership of a boat on the canals did... but like many others   - and I'm sure it's an age thing the clock it ticking .....