Saturday, September 24, 2016

Emma Jane's gone away...

...but only for a while. (Sounds like the start of a song, doesn't it?) Ed and Jan left early this morning, bound for Debdale Wharf and a full repainting job. Debdale staff do the hull, John Barnard the cabin, and Jon Leeson the artwork. Just like our job last year. There's no denying Emma Jane needs it, and we're looking forward to seeing her in her new livery in six weeks' time. Ish.

This leaves us with our port side to an open space, which is great.



Cruising's over for the rest of the year now. This has been imposed upon us by the engine problems that still remain. It's not that Kantara won't go anywhere. We took her all the way across to the service platform the other day, to fill our fuel tank!
Photo taken from Kantara in February. Hence the bare trees.
It's just that I'm awaiting delivery of a new air filter for the engine. And I cannot source a hose for the air filter cassette.
I had to throw away the old one, but I can't find anywhere to buy more.

It's 50mm internal diameter, and I need 1.5m of it. Any ideas please, readers??

We've lined up Colin to do a number of other jobs on the boat - replacing the drive plates, repacking the stern gland, and lubricating the Morse mechanism. Or replacing it if the grease doesn't do the job, or if removal reveals unacceptable wear.

So it's with regret that we've had to postpone the visit of three friends we were going to take out for a few days' cruise next month. And Michelle, our annual visitor, will be staying with us, but that'll be here in the marina, next week.

We're a bit fed up about the washing machine problem; that is, it works fine off the mains electricity supply, but not off the inverter. Having spoken with both Zanussi and Victron, it turns out there's an incompatibility between the two devices, which neither of them knew about. Neither can/will they do anything about it. It's at times like this I wish I were a lawyer. I'd take them both to court and sue them for huge sums of money. In your dreams, Roger!

So we'll be hand-washing whilst cruising in future, then. We can still use the Zanussi as a spin-drier, so that's some consolation.

I've started to wash the boat, doing the first pass a few bits at a time. So far, the roof is done, and the bow and stern decks. Once all of the worst dirt is off (and was never that bad!), it'll be a final once-over, hosing-down and waxing. Of course, the paint touching-up has to be done as well, before the waxing. But we can't take Kantara out of the marina yet. It's very frustrating!

But never mind. We're patient. And it's not as if we have nothing to do. I'm putting the finishing touches to my latest book. It's a bit different to "Life with our feet under water", but still for boaters, especially new or would-be boaters. Watch this space!

We're driving to Worcester tomorrow for a few days, mainly to pick up an Ebay auction win, but we'll stay on a bit to do some sight-seeing. The Ebay item is a pair of old, brass lamps. We already have one, but the glass is broken and we can't find a replacement. We could get one made for about £120. The two lamps, both with intact glasses, is costing us  of that!
OK, it's time for coffee, then to do a bit more boat-washing. If I don't get blown away, that is. We have something of a gale happening here!

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