The stress test

So with much nervous tension in the air we set off for a dumpout & to fill up with fuel this aft. Second attempt in 2 days – but would a new battery be enough…? Well the engine started first time & off we went. Honestly it’s like going for a day trip out from our mooring to the service area. There’s even a couple of 90 degree corners like on a Grand Prix circuit…

I love the challenge of throwing this boat about, sorta shows her who’s boss, well from a Captains best mate point of view. Smooth as a baby’s bottom, that’s the engine not me…

You’re honoured with this photo tha’ knows, there’s no make up on that face & can’t you just tell? I really couldn’t give a stuff about it while we’re at the marina, except if there’s visitors on the way – well that’s a whole different thing. And if it’s an impromptu visit, I get Dave to stall a bit while I get the Pollyfilla & face paint out, shhhh. Oh & then there’s one step beyond the security gates too…

Anyway, on a more serious note, the engine / battery / cooling system “stress test” revealed no problems with the fuel, we knew there wasn’t, because the central heating boiler wouldn’t have been working – it’s always been a fussy bugger…

I remember we once got the dregs from the fuel tank at the service station on the other marina which ran their tank dry! (If we’d known we would’ve waited). The dam boiler wouldn’t work for 3 days till we’d filled the tank with fresh stuff – like we’d tried to do in the first place. Dave checked out the quarter tank of fuel we had yesterday, which is still 100 litres, no sign of anything nasty, it’s fine…

So that leaves the thermostat for cooling the water problem, well it worked as it should today - Dave reckons it was a bit sticky after the journey by road…

We also should’ve known better about the battery, it’s the same one that’s been sat there in it’s nice little house since the boat was built & has lasted 4 years. So one cannot complain, however the biggest deal with this [problem no: 131313 since we got here] was the TIMING, as in date of re-launch…

Never a hint of an engine failure in the past, but after recent events & without sounding dramatic, one’s mind automatically jumps to “worst case scenario.” Thankfully it wasn’t, & she purred like a pussycat to & from the service area after being emptied from one (poo) tank & filled up in the other (fuel) tank. Phew. Even so, we’re going to get an engineer from the Isuzu service centre here to do a full engine service in January. Get the thermostat replaced if necessary, come to think of it – replace the darn thing anyway. Sorta makes you realise just how important a thermostat is on a boat’s engine, & that it’s kicking in when it’s supposed to…

Few more piccies…

Moored up at the service area, and…

 

The building she nearly clobbered into whilst being hoisted back in here at Mercia…

I’d just like to say a big thanks to “The Mop” (that’s Tony) for diagnosing correctly 2 different problems, except for the fuel being f*cked. On a different note, tell ya what chuck, it’s windy up in Lancs & people say it’s windy here – but it’s absolutely nothing in comparison. And it’s a lot warmer too, so get your ass down here mister…

PS: Liam went off up north yesterday to see his mates, that’s his friends from infants school!! He hardly sees them anymore because he’s based in Germany. His wife & baby Ryan arrive on Friday by plane. So he’s going to collect them & we’ll meet them all at the hotel they’re staying in (south Derby). Hugs all round…

So please can we look forward to Christmas now Please? Please?