[email protected] wrote: > On Tue, 04 May 2010 10:10:53 +0100, I wrote: > >> Maybe next weekend we'll have sunshine while we're under way and rain >> only at night. And by June we hope to have some heating. > > And so indeed it almost proved to be. > > The forecast was for light to moderate north-easterly winds, so we > decided to head northwards to the harbour at Kilgarvan, a former > grain-shipping station. There is only one public berth here that will > take a 60' boat, and it's on the end of a pier, very exposed to the > prevailing south-westerlies. However, it's sheltered in a > north-easterly, so we seized the opportunity to make our annual visit > to the harbour where we started our boating careers over thirty years > ago. > > The wind was as advertised, but so cold that (despite the sunshine) I > had to put gloves on. At 1700 rpm we reached Kilgarvan in about an > hour and twenty minutes and found the berth empty, so we tied up > facing into the wind. There were very few people about, and none that > we knew. A large cruiser pulled in late in the day, and tied off us; > we chatted over a bottle of Clotworthy Dobbin before he headed back to > Terryglass. > > The night wasn't as cold as the previous weekend, and running the > overn for a while warmed up the boat. > > The following morning, I ran the generator so that my Dearly Beloved > could power-wash the boat; I did indoor jobs, including removing some > old plumbing. I also investigated the stern gland leak and found that > the bolt on one side is not gripping anything. It may have sheared > internally: I didn't dare investigate further. At the moment only a > large amount of grease is keeping out the water, but happily the yard > is due to do some work for us and can add that to the list. > > We had another visitor on Sunday morning: another single-handed > boater, an affable chap with a small dog. Again, after about an hour > or two, he pushed off back to his base. We baked potatoes and pork > chops on the barbie, then headed for base at 4.00pm. Again, there was > sunshine, but there were very few other boats moving. > > No more boating for a few weeks as we have other commitments, but > we'll be back on the water in June --- perhaps with a heater. > > bjg
I have just bought a small stove for Maurice A http://www.belltent.biz/products/8/35/pipsqueak_stove__blue_enamel/ so that I can splash out on a Kabola pressure jet diesel boiler (that can have exhaust exiting through hull side) http://www.kuranda.co.uk/chandlery/kabola-hr-and-b-series-24v/kabola-hr-300-24v-calorifier-control.html We saw a Pipsqueak in action, when I went to pick up my SH 24v Jabsco bog from these good folks (another eccentric British barge) http://misterton.squarespace.com/ They also recommended this firm for plastic tanks http://www.goodwinplastics.co.uk/ They would be handy as they are in Graham's pick up zone -- Neil Arlidge Barge Maurice - viewing laid keel??? in 2 weeks time TNC http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/tour.html
