Just another “minor” niggle to deal with

I’m getting a bit fed up with the alarming phrase / question I keep hearing myself say, which is: “Oh please tell me this isn’t really happening?” We attempted to set off for our inaugural pumpout & weave our way around the marina this aft. It would’ve been a couple of firsts:

• The first time a dumpout has been required since we got here.
• The first self dumpout we’ve Dave’s used. Although he was taught well by the manager at the other marina, who left Dave to “do the business” (excuse) on several occasions.

But, there was also another “first” – the engine wouldn’t start… And in order to be able to carry out the first 2 firsts, the third first had to be working.

The Glow plugs were fine, then cough, splutter, nothing. The engine didn’t even try to turn. Now what I forgot to tell you was that when we got here & TT had been plonked in the water. Apart from all the damage inside the boat, the engine was reluctant to start. Just a minor thing in the grand scheme of shock & trauma at the mess inside…

It took Dave about 10 attempts to start her up “it’s just an air lock” he said, by that time I didn’t care because I was too upset. The engine had never let us down before, so it was like a miniscule thing at the time …

As we went round to our now ex “unhappy mooring” the engine sounded terrible, it’s usually really quiet. But we could both “feel the vibes” as it were, & it had nothing to do with sweet music…

By the time we got there the water temp was up at 100 degrees. (What?) So Dave killed the engine, & we pulled the stricken boat in with the ropes…

A few days later we moved round to our new & “happy mooring” here. The engine was reluctant to start & sounded loud again, but the water temp stayed normal. Dare we say all was well? Teething problems perhaps? We thought so – all down to being moved, shaken down the motorway & stirred back in the drink right…?

Nope, today there was nothing, except for the sound of the glow plugs & a couple of clicks. The engine didn’t even try to turn. So Dave went round to the Isuzu dealership here, & saw the heart-warming sign “CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS” on the door. Marvellous, next on the list was Midland Chandlers, we suspected the starter battery was flat seeing as nothing was loose & contacts were intact. At times like this Stage 1 is all about diagnosis, so we got a new battery & fitted it, Dave fitted it…

Bingo, it worked, the engine started fine, but by this time we’d missed the window for a pumpout because it was going dark. So the “stress test” is set for tomorrow, & is a new battery the full answer or is there more to it…? Or am I getting paranoid…? Sod it, we’ve had enough – going out for a meal…

Thanks to my little mates on Farcebook for all your helpful comments. If I could research through everything on there, think I could build an engine & cure diesel bug forever. Well no, perhaps not…