July

2424/0707/2010201020102010 by admin.

Hello everyone We have been very busy of late which is why it has been so long since my last post. however I will start by putting up some more pictures on our various escapades and then later on will fill in the gaps with an essay.

Inevitable at Hampton Court

The Gardens Hampton Court

Henry’s Wine Casks

Steamer at Windsor

Rowing Course Henley

Thames Traditional Boat Show

Flypast by Lancaster

Mole and Ratty

Hot Dog

Belfast and Tower Bridge from Inevitable

Going Under

In Lymhouse with Hampshire Rose

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Pictures Update

1414/0606/2010201020102010 by admin.

Some more Pictures mainly from the Beal Park Thames Traditional Boat Rally

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A Lot of Cruising & Some Problems

2626/0505/2010201020102010 by admin.

Since my last post we have covered quite a bit of ground. Having come back up river after leaving Windsor we moored just above Boveney lock where I used my chain saw to stock up on wood. moving on to We then made our way up to Henley and stayed for a couple of nights, then on to Pangbourne whilst moving here our main bilge pump decided to malfunction and turned on despite there being no water in the bilge. ( It was fitted with a digital sensor) having ordered a new one from ME&C we waited here so a friend could drop it out to usas he was comming to take us to a food and craft fair. Fitted and tested new pump and moved on again to Dorchester. This is a very interesting place although a mile’s walk  away from the river it was a Roman town built on the site of an Iron age settlement and has the best preserved remains of the type of fortifications in the UK. On leaving here we went back down to Gooring staying here for one night and then on to Thames and Kennet Marina where we left the boat for three days, hiring a car to travel back up to Staffordshire to visit our Dentist. On arrival back at the boat we went out and moored for the night at Sonning intending to go down the river to Hampton Court when we had a call from our friends on Narrowboat Hampshire Rose who were waiting for their Gold licence they were hoping to get out and move to Abbingdon so we decided to travel up river and try and meet up. We moved up to Gooring and moored for the night and the Following day left as soon as the locks opened during the trip on exiting Cullham cut we had a narrow-boat cut across our bow this was a very near miss as I just managed to avoid him. The boat behind me only just avoided my stearn,  we arrived late afternoon in Abbingdon and only just managed to moor.the depth of water was down to 1ft under the keel at times and the going was slow. We stayed here a couple of days but our friends still had not had their licence so as we had to meet guests in Henley we left Abbingdon on the 17th May hoping to stay at Wallingford there were no moorings left so we continued to Gooring. The3 following day we moved to Henley and it is here whils waiting for our guests for the weekend that the Generator failed after running it for 10mins. Rang the Boat Builder, ME&C and Vetus to start the ball rolling for the Warranty claim and continued to ready ourselves for our visitors. The Weekend was great hot and sunny, clear skies and fantastic scenery. We took them to Windsor and back up to Henley but during the weekend we realised that the Alternator on the main engine that recharged the Domestic battery bank was not working further calls to Vetus! On realising that we were now in trouble and in danger of loosing all power to the boat we quickly arranged to pop into Thames and Kennet so that we could hook up to the Shore power and arranged for the Engineer to meet us there. 26th Engineer arrived Generator repaired, a wire had come adrift inside. and Alternator replaced so we are mobile again. Tomorow we are going to Pangbourne to finaly meet up with Hampshire Rose It is Geralds Birthday this weekend so we shall be partying a bit. More Photoes below.

Mapeldurham Hall

Mapledurham Mill This is where the Eagle has Landed was filmed

Moored at Dorchester

George Michaels Pad

Egypt on the Thames

High Rise Goose

Steam Yacht Alaska

Steve and Jane dog and me

Sue

What on Earth

Steam Launch Duet

62 Year Old Gerald and a Younger Ann on Hamshire Rose

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St Georges Day Parade Windsor

2929/0404/2010201020102010 by admin.

Hi all last weekend we attended the Mattins service in St Georges Chapel  Windsor and the Queens Scout  parade in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle afterwards. The salute was taken by HRH Prince of Wales and the new Chief Scout Bear Grylls. I was there because I had been awarded the Bar to the Silver Acorn in the St Georges day awards, a complete but very pleasant surprise. It was a great day as you will see from the pictures and we were able to meet up with old friends from Staffordshire again . All in All a very pleasant day.

Outside St George’s Chapell with John Barker resipient of the Silver Wolf the highest Award in Scouting and very well deserved. John has been and still  is a stalwart of Scouting in Staffordshire. 

Queens Scouts on Parade

HRH The Prince of Wales inspecting the Parade.

HRH with Bear Grylls the Chief Scout.

Marching off after the Parade

The Band of The Coldstream Guards

Myself and John

John Pauline and Me

After the Parade

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Out and Free at last

2121/0404/2010201020102010 by admin.

 Well we have left the Marina at Last! And what a start to the season, at the first lock Sonning we were called in to the lock by the Lock-keeper behind a narrow-boat. AS I approached the lock the chap on the helm started to jump up and down waving his arms around and shouting at Carol that he would sue us if I hit him. He said that he had sued two other people successfully before the keeper asked him how long he had been boating Three years said he! Well said the keeper I have been boating for Thirty Three years and know how to work my lock, You had better moderate your behaviour or leave the river.  

To much excitement!! we let him leave and get ahead so he was out of our hair. WE spent bthe week making our way to Windsor as I have to be there for this Sunday for The St Georges Day Scout Parade as I have been awarded the Bar to the Silver Acorn, so we are  just running a few hours every day and taking it very easy. WE have arrived and as you can see HM is at Home.

Will update you all after the week end.

Picture 1 getting ready for Henley regata

First of the Season

Inspection Launch Cygnus

A host of Golden Daffs

Steam Launch Spray

Are we on the right River?

At Home

Sunset at Windsor

My favorite mooring by the ice cream kiosk

Hope the weather holds.

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No time to get bored

0505/0404/2010201020102010 by admin.

There is no way you can get bored on a boat.

Since my last post I have had my 60th Birthday, made a table top and fitted the mechanism for that, Fitted extra bits to assist with mooring, put down rubber flooring in Lazonet and Engine room , built a gin pole for raising the mast and fitted some lights. So I am enclosing pictures for your delectation. First my Birthday where I thought we were going to see a film and Ended up at Wing Wahs with friends, duped yet again!

Birthday Boy

No need for that

The Gang

Weight Watchers!!

So What!

Easter Outfit bunny girl

The new Wheelhouse Table

I have made this as we canot use the main table when under way as you are unable to get out of the door. Thiswill adjust up and down and can be swung around and used as a small chart table.

Carols new Lamp. We bought this as a joint aniversary present for the wheelhouse but Carol liked it so much  it is now in the Saloon and she has ordered another one for the wheelhouse.

one of two new bit’s I have fitted at the stern to assist with mooring to the banks.

THis is the new Gin Pole when I am using it to raise the mast I will add another picture.

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A problem resolved

1515/0303/2010201020102010 by admin.

 

I can now report that the problem that we thought we had with the tachometer which when replaced turned out to be a malfunctioning alternator, has been resolved thanks to MEC Marine and John the engineer who came to sort out the problem. The help we have had from both has been exemplary and they just worked at what turned out to be a very difficult fault to track down until they found it. What made it more difficult was that when the alternator was sent to a third party for testing it was reported to be functioning correctly so this confused the diagnostic procedure and resulted in more visits than should have been necessary. I can recommend MEC to anyone wanting parts and for sorting out your problems when on the Thames they have been absolutely fantastic.

We are taking a trip back up to Staffordshire to see our Children and grand children at the end of March it also happens to be my 60th and I want to register for my buss!! pass

I have been keeping myself busy with maintenance before we leave the Marina and have repainted a jug for a neighbour picture below.

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Another Problem

0909/0202/2010201020102010 by admin.

Just to bring everyone up to date, you may have heard that we have been having problems with our tachometer! well we had the engineer out to replace it and well it did not work. Much scratching of heads and a few days later the engineer arrived again to wire it direct from the alternator as we had all assumed that there was a break in the feed somewhere. After doing some more tests we have found that it is not the tachometer but the Alternator that is at fault. So we have had to start the Warranty claim with Vetus all over again. I would like to point out at this point that we have been fortunate to have a local Vetus agent near to us here ME&C marine Engines and Components who have been superb in the way that they have helped us with our claims. So far we have replaced the ampmeter 3times and now need another.  have had 1 new engine control panel and the tachometer replaced, a new gear box, new water pump, and safety presure relief valve. It is a good job we decided to spend some time in the UK to test the boat.

 See you soon.

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Bad Day

2626/0101/2010201020102010 by admin.

 

Would you know it! 00-45am  This Morning  and the water pump went off for no reason, by the time I had checked taps etc for leaks and reached the wheelhouse there was a smell of burning and the pump switch  on the distribution panel had tripped . On entering the engine room now filled with smoke and the smell of burnt plastic I found that the pressure switch on one of the paired pumps had melted. So Hurrah No Water! which means No Loo just when the Marina have fixed all the leaks and turned the water on we loose the ability to use it. Frantic call at 08.00 to the builder and a chat with the engineer,( It is still under Warranty after all ) he promises to pass the message on. Not holding my breath we start to try and track down a replacement just in case. After a search through the manuals we talk to the technical guy at Flowjet non in stock but in any-case it was a model made for Aqua-fax ( still no call from the builder so another call placed at 09-45) spoke to the engineer again who said they would discuss it over their tea break and get back to us. Steam begins to rise when a call comes back from the technical guy from Flow-jet (very helpful) he has tracked one down at Aqua-fax as they have 2 in stock we decide to order one direct via the Marina to fit myself. At last Carol gets a call from the Builder after once again explaining that no we had not run it with an empty tank as our tank was kept full due to the problems we had been having with suply in the marina, and yes we were sure what had happened, we advise him that I had ordered a new pump which I would change myself as we needed to get it sorted and would send the other back with the engineer when he came to sort out the other problems we had. This way we would then have a spare on hand for the next failure.

The  pictures below show the two pumps and a close up of the melted switch

note the water that has leaked from around the switch which I am sure caused a short and the problem

Melt down

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Latest Update 23rd January

2323/0101/2010201020102010 by admin.

Hi  a few more photoes for you to remember the big freeze by now that it has gone!  We have  been able to move at last to empty the waste tank get fuel etc and the water is back on Hurah!

Our next door neighbours  on Adelphi  Colin and Tarol took these Pictures of the big freeze 

Some of the work-party clearing the jetty

You can see my back  I’m the one in blue

Colin finding things to do with an Icicle.

The Foxes did their best to catch a Swan

Iced in where is the North Pole?

Bob off Bronte the Delta before ours

This is what we think of the Snow

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