Saturday 20th July 2013 - Less Scurvy

[Jeff]

Rose has been feeling a lot better for the last couple of days thank goodness, but we've been told by so many people that it's imperative she doesn't do much for a while, for fear of complications such as the development of M.E., so we're going to stay Oop North for a few weeks - we have some weddings to go to up here anyway in August, so we'll stay until they're done and then, all being well, return to life afloat for a few more months until the winter is here.

I've finally gathered together a few photos of our season so far...

At anchor at White Rock, near Stoke Gabriel, on the Dart. We rowed from here up to The Maltsters for lunch one day, and to Stoke Gabriel the next. Lovely sheltered anchorage with lots of wildlife for Nina to ask 'whasthat' to.




Spotted this Walker Bay cover made by our friend Caroline of Hotwells Canvas (www.hotwellscanvas.co.uk)



Opened up the engine (Ford Lehman 2715E 6.2 litre, 6 cylinder) to check the fuel return line connections were nipped up. Apparently they're tricky to stop leaking which can cause oil level rise due to fuel in the oil.



Split found in the outer membrane of our leaky lift pump. New one purchased and installed.



A wonderful day spent on our own private beach at the back of Starehole Bay.




Sad time as my mum looks after Nina and I watch Towser get lifted out of the water for an unknown duration. Rose in the background feeling rough.

[Terry T]

Glad Rose is feeling a bit better . just a quickly .....How does any fuel leakage from the return lines get into the lub oil?
I wouldn't be surprised if your rise in oil level s caused by the split diaphragm allowing fuel to.drain into sump via the pump flange .

[Jeff]

Ta Terry. The split diaphragm in the lift pump was the outer one, allowing a drip of fuel to come out from the outer cover. No route into the sump from there. The fuel return line on our engine runs from injector to injector under the cover (which is where we pour in oil when changing the oil) and at each injector is a fuel banjo connector, and there's a further similar connector where it exits the engine to the return pipe.

[Terry T]

Ta Terry. The split diaphragm in the lift pump was the outer one, allowing a drip of fuel to come out from the outer cover. No route into the sump from there. The fuel return line on our engine runs from injector to injector under the cover (which is where we pour in oil when changing the oil) and at each injector is a fuel banjo connector, and there's a further similar connector where it exits the engine to the return pipe.

cheers for that Jeff . not come across one with pipes in rocker cover before ...... You learn summin every day . thanks for pump info also . it's all good knowledge

[petefeet]

hi
i've been following your adventures from my desk over the last few months and can i say that its been good fun reading about all the places you've visited and the ups and downs of the journey! Sympathies to Rose too; i had glandular fever in my 20s and it took me a good 6 months to get over it but since then, like an innoculation, i've never been ill with anything much else - and that was 20 years ago!

anyway, i'm planning/dreaming of doing the same sort of thing as you, and taking a year off work as a sabbatical (so that i can return) and going round the coast and maybe across the atlantic but i was wondering how you got on with a dog on board? i guess it depends on the dog but what do you do about a)walks, and b) the toilet? I have a male JR cross and while i daresay he'll go wherever i go, i'm not sure how you deal with the inevitable toilet issues - an inflatable island that you can sink to wash it?

thanks and looking forward to the next instalment!
regards
pete

[Jeff]

Hi Pete, thanks for your post!

Your plan sounds like an excellent idea!! Do it!!!

Lunar took to it really well, but she was very very young when she first went aboard. As a result (I think) she's very good on her feet even on moving shiny gelcoat surfaces.

But we've seen a lot of other dogs being fine on boats with varying levels of nervousness.

A very very few we've seen don't like it at all - but I suspect they'd acclimatise after a while.

So really the problem you'd have as you've identified is walks and toilets.

Walks aren't a massive problem when you're hopping around the coast really. The longest we spent at sea non-stop was about 2 days. We gave her a good walk before and after and she entertained herself by barking at dolphins on the trip. Suspect longer at sea they'd just get used to it after a bit, and be a bit miserable. We do sometimes play fetch on deck with her when it's calm tho.

But the toilet might be an issue. We're lucky in that Lunar will do 1s and 2s on deck, but Terry's dogs (also JR size terriers) won't so he _has_ to go ashore so they don't burst. Have heard varying stories from other owners. I know some have a garden tray in which they grow a mini lawn and I've heard about some chemical you can put down to encourage them - and there's some mats you can buy from pet shops which are supposed to attract them to 'go' on it. Lots of things to try.

Guess you'll just have to try it and see how it goes.

Can you take yours aboard a friend's boat or something to see how things pan out?


Let us know how you get on!

[Discus]

Saw this and thought of you!

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.ph ... Jeffs-Blog

Hope all is well

Rob

[Jeff]

Wow we're famous!

We _think_ all is well now ta. Hopefully will be back afloat next week in fact! Couple of possible issues might stop that, but if we're lucky I shall be back up and bobbing and blogging very soon!

How's your summer been so far Rob? New boat going alright?

[Discus]

Glad to hear things are improving - you may just catch the last of the summer afloat. Have been getting to grips with the boat but not really had the opportunity to take her anywhere yet which has been a real shame (multiple non boat related issues this time! ). Hoping to get a week in before the end of September so fingers crossed!

Rob