Weedhatch Test

Wednesday 30th November, 2011.
We have continued to have problems with the stern gland leaking and squeaking.
Axiom, who make the prop say its not because of their prop.
Vetus say its not their stern gland. However, their fitting instructions for the gland state that the pipe that is connected to the inboard end of the gland should be connected to a fitting below the waterline. Apparently, despite these instructions, it is common practice for narrowboats to terminate this pipe in the weed hatch above the waterline.
Logic would expect the area immediately in front of the prop to be a low pressure area and so this area would produce suction. It seems possible that with a 'normal' prop, which is very inefficient, this may not be the case. However, with the Axiom prop perhaps this low pressure is causing the stern gland to suck air down the pipe - thus causing friction, squeaking and then leakage.
To test this idea, and to see what was actually happening, I built a clear perspex weedhatch cover.
With this in place, my grandson Jamie and I watched what happened at various rev settings in forward and reverse, both moored up and in motion.
What became very clear was that in forward gear no water was coming out of the pipe in the weedhatch - so no water was flowing through the stern gland. In reverse gear a considerable amount of water was flowing through the pipe into the weedhatch.
Next we disconnected the pipe from the weedhatch and put it into a glass of water. In forward gear the glass gradually emptied. This clearly showed that there was suction in the pipe and, when connected above the waterline, it would have been sucking air into the stern gland.

Cruise to charge the batteries.

Sunday 27th November 2011.
Drove up to Harefield and took 'Many Meetings ' north on the Grand Union to charge up her batteries. Went up to Bridge 177 just south of Copper Mill Lock, where we turned.
Still having problems with the stern gland squeaking and leaking. The squeaking stops if you run it in reverse for a while. Have decided to investigate as neither Axiom (who make the prop) nor Vetus (who make the stern gland) are being helpful.
Hours 104.7 - Miles 4 - Locks 4

A Bit Flat...

Friday 25th November, 2011.
Dropped in to Harefield on our way back from The Lakes to check on 'Many Meetings'.
Found that the domestic batteries were almost flat! We had left the Hurricane heater on 'frost protection' in the belief that if the voltage did get low it would lock out (as it had done twice on our cruise down the Thames). However, it seems that as the voltage dropped - instead of locking out it kept on trying to light and flattened the batteries.
Ran the engine to put some charge back into the batteries and to warm her up. Made sure everything was switched off before leaving.

Arriving at Harefield, MM's Winter Mooring

Monday 7^th November, 2011

Left just after 8:00am. Very grey day and quite cold. Mick had said that there were two great lock-side cafes – so Robin didn’t have breakfast before leaving (anticipating a treat in store). Unfortunately one café opened only Thursday through Sunday out of season and the other was closed on Mondays.

Went through the three locks without any problem. Only used one gate to make it easier. The third lock at 11ft 1in is the deepest on the Grand Union. Took it very gently but it was actually a lot easier than some of the locks on the Wey and Arun.

Arrived at Harefield Marina at mid-day and tied up at the entrance. Took on water, did a pump-out and filled with diesel. 98 litres for £95.44 on a 40/60 split (more heating in the winter).

Then took MM to her winter mooring in the Marina. When we arrived and switched off the engine the hour meter read 100.0 hours. Perfect timing!

Checked the engine compartment to find that there was quite a bit of water and a slight drip from the stern gland even when stationery. Dried out the water and put the red kitchen bowl under the drip with the bilge pump in the bowl – so if the drip continues, any water will get pumped out more quickly.

Also checked the weed hatch and found several bits of plastic bag wrapped tightly around the prop shaft. Removed them all. Cleaned all the leaves off the roof.

Finally sat down to a brunch of porridge and juice.

5 miles and 3 locks – 3.0 hours

Total 190 miles and 107 locks – 100.0 hours

From Hanwell to Packet Boat Marina

Sunday 6^th November, 2011

Woke early again. Early to bed and early to rise seems to be natural on the canals. Expecting Mick to join us – driving to Packet Boat Marina, where his boat is moored, and then cycling on his Brompton folding bike to Green Lane – about seven miles. Mick arrived at 9:00 and after a cup of coffee we started up the Hanwell flight of six locks that raises the canal by 53 feet. Or at least we would have started had MM not run aground and then got a branch caught in the propeller. To add insult to injury, the glass in our lovely red cafetiere broke as Marion was making the coffee.

Luckily, just at that moment Rory and Catherine appeared in nb ‘Charlotte’ on their way up to their winter mooring on the Paddington Arm. They towed us off the ‘mound’ in the middle of the canal on which we were aground, we tied the two boats together and went into the lock side by side while Robin pulled the branches out of the weed hatch. They were also joined by a work colleague to help them up the locks. The two boats stayed lashed together through all six Hanwell locks. With Mick on his bike riding ahead and Catherine and her friend on the paddles and gates we got through the locks in record time. The fourth Hanwell lock was MM’s 100^th since she was launched.

After the next two locks after the Hanwell flight we stopped for lunch. We then continued to Packet Boat Marina where we moored up opposite the Marina. Mick collected his car and took Marion back home to Reigate (she has a choir committee meeting to prepare for).

Robin stayed on MM and will take her the final few miles to Harefield tomorrow. Robin went to the ‘Water’s Edge’ pub for supper at 7:30 – almost deserted except for one other table – everyone round the table seemed to be very LARGE!! Still the food was OK even if the well-done flame grilled asparagus was a little unusual.

7 miles and 8 locks – 4.1 hours

Total 185 miles and 104 locks – 97.0 hours

First Time on the Tidal Thames

Saturday 5^th November, 2011

Woke early and prepared to go back to Teddington lock to see if anyone else had booked passage to Brentford for the morning high tide. As we are supposed to have an anchor easily available on the tidal Thames, Robin carried the 16kg anchor, its long chain and rope from the front bow locker, where it is normally stowed, to the semi-trad rear deck (he sounded like the Ghost of Christmas Past as he rattled and clinked from one end of MM to the other). Just as we were about to leave another narrowboat called ‘Ruffian’ went by going towards Teddington. They said that they were booked to go through to Brentford – so we got ready to set off behind them. Then Robin’s phone rang. It was Brentford to say that there were four other narrowboats booked through at 9:30 and we could join them. As we were pressed for time we decided not to stop for breakfast.

We sailed back to Teddington, where we joined ‘Ruffian’ and were soon joined by three other narrowboats. At 9:30 we all five squeezed into the centre lock. By chance we ended up as the last boat out of the lock – and so took up the position of tail-end-charlie for the convoy that headed down the Thames.

Half an hour out from Teddington there was a loud and persistent beep-beep from the direction of the electrics panel. Fearing the worst Robin checked the engine panel, but everything was still green and it was not clear what had caused the alarm, which stopped after 10 seconds. We carried on – admiring the fantastic views of Richmond and then Syon house from the river.

In just an hour we all arrived at Brentford lock, which could only take two boats at a time, so we had to hover outside the lock for over half an hour to wait our turn to go through. It was very difficult to keep MM still as the wind kept taking her and blowing her sideways.

Eventually we got into the lock (on our own as the fifth boat) and rose very slowly. The lock keeper, who was very helpful, explained that there was very little room to wait before the second “gauging lock” just a few hundred yards up the canal – so there was no hurry as the other would still be going through.

When we did go through, the two boats in front of us were just entering the gauging lock so our timing was excellent.

Marion didn’t like either of the locks at Brentford as they were not in a nice area and were quite aggressive when filling.

We continued up the Grand Union Canal and through the next lock, where we stopped for breakfast. Well it was 1:00pm by then so maybe we should have called it lunch. Hobbits don’t mind a second breakfast at 1:00pm – although that is a bit late. But to have FIRST breakfast at 1:00pm, that’s too bad. Dear me, No!

After Brunch we sailed on up to the foot of the Hanwell flight of locks where we moored up for the night. When we had moored up Robin discovered that the alarm that had scared us both had been the Hurricane boiler for the central heating that had had a ‘flame out’. Robin checked the instruction book and found that a ‘reset’ button had popped. He reset it and the heater started working again but we need to keep an eye on it to see if it does it again.

We went for a walk up ‘Green Lane’ past the Fox pub around the back streets of Ealing. Remarkably the houses next to the canal are almost like a small village – and the canal is very quiet (except that it is November 5^th so there are a few bangs about).

We phoned Jackie and Mick and Mick is coming over tomorrow to give us a hand up the Hanwell flight of 6 locks plus 2 lifting us almost 68ft.

8 miles and 5 locks (including the tidal Thames) – 4.6 hours

Total 178 miles and 96 locks – 92.9 hours

Up to Teddington

Friday 4^th November, 2011

It rained all night but in the morning the sky brightened and we even had blue sky and sunshine. Went through Sunbury lock and Molesey lock and passed Hampton Court Palace. Moored up for lunch at the end of Hampton Court Park, just before Kingston Bridge.

Continued on up to Teddington lock where we moored at the visitor’s moorings just before the lock. We walked to the lock and saw the lock-keeper to get a one-day Thames EA License and to check on the passage for Saturday. He said that Brentford was only working on an advanced notice basis – so we must check with them before proceeding. Back at MM we decided that the mooring was too noisy as it was opposite the wier, which was very loud. So we backed MM down the cut (she does reverse so very well), turned round and sailed back about a mile to Steven’s Eyots (island), where there are EA visitor’s moorings. On the way we called Brentford and left our details on the answer-phone as instructed.

On Steven’s Eyots we moored up next to a very new looking wide-beam dutch barge called ‘Josephine’, whose owner said that he was going to Limehouse through Teddington lock in the morning. Later in the evening we saw his tabby ship’s cat on the prowl. One look at us though and she scuttled back to her wide beam home.

The original idea was that once we heard from Brentford we would call Jackie and Mick, who had offered to come over on Saturday to help with the tidal Thames transit.

In the end we did not hear anything from Brentford lock – so we talked with Jackie and Mick and agreed that it didn’t make sense for them to come over if we were not sure of being able to get through.

Went to sleep to the explosive lullaby of Guy Fawkes fireworks.

10 miles and 2 locks – 3.6 hours

Total 170 miles and 91 locks – 88.3 hours

Off Again, Back on the Thames

Thursday 3^rd November, 2011

Drove to Pyrford – it took about 40 minutes. Left in MM at 11:45. Sailed up to the Pelican where we moored for lunch. As it was still quite early we decided to go onto the Thames to reduce the time pressure tomorrow to get to Teddington. Went through Thames lock, helped by the lock-keeper, and left the Wey for the Thames. We had only seen two boats moving on the Wey all day. Marion steered up the Thames. Stopped and moored just upstream of the Star pub in Walton-on-Thames (where we watched the Mikron Theatre with Angie and Jane). We moored about an hour before sunset and just as it started to rain – good timing! Greeted by a raucous cacophony from a flock of parakeets – could be noisy in the morning! After dark there were several rowing eights and fours practising on the river with their coaches in launches (all carrying lights of course). They made a lot of wash as they go very fast. Strange to see them zipping along in the dark.

7 miles and 5 locks – 3.3 hours

Total 160 miles and 89 locks – 84.7 hours

Shopping for Lifejackets

Wednesday 2^nd November, 2011

Robin went to Halfords in Redhill to get the scratch cover polish and then went to Shepperton and bought two lifejackets (£116.50) and a life-ring (£30.62)for MM for the Thames tidal transit. Also went to The Shed and bought some bits for MM.

Fetching the car from Enslow

Tuesday 1^st November, 2011

Robin took the train up to Heyford where Ben met him and took him to Enslow to pick up the car. Robin then went to Kingsground (stopping off to buy biscuits on the way) to see Tiffany and the guys.

Robin then dropped into Capture and went on to Pyrford to drop off a couple of bits on MM. Checked the 12v power and ran the engine for an hour to top up the batteries. Then drove home.