The stern doors have now been fitted and look very nice, in retaliation the side hatch has decided to leak with vengeance over the last week. Oh well, up ward and onward.
Not boat related - but new year related I have decided that each year I want to increase my abilities. I am not built towards energetic items, but more to hobbyish things. I sew, knit, tat crochet etc, so I have decided to revisit a couple of hobbies I last done about 35 year ago. Spinning and Weaving.
Obviously all of this does relate to the boat in the sense that if I wish to continue I have to make sure items not to big for the boat. Research is fun!!
I have now chosen a wheel, a basic loom and a more advance loom. All which fold into neat bundles for the boat. I then re acquainted myself with spindle spinning. At the end I looked like the sheep and not much yarn on the spindle - Try again
Also, I thought, think of all those sheep in fields along the way, and all of the fleece I could gather from hedges, heck, could I do some clandestine sheep shearing along the way!! Probably not, I believe that could be a jailable offence!!
I know I am not the first, from a magazine I found at the weekend, there is a lady on a narrowboat called "Typsy Gypsy" who is already doing both. If anyone knows of her can you point her my way, it would be great to chat.
On the downside of all of this, I think and butty is definitely becoming a consideration!!!
Monday 16 February 2009
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Saga of the new Fridge
Well I hope you are sitting comfortably and why on why do I not take photographs. It would show the difference. Hindsight is the perfect science so I am told.
At the end of August 08, after a holiday of running the Gas/12v/240v fridge through an inverter and flattening batteries because the two other methods Gas & 12V would not work, we decided to get a new Fridge.
Now I liked the idea of having the three way choice, BSC disagrees on many, and possibly quite sensible points, so the decision was a 12v.
Further investigation and after taking into consideration the hole available without having to dismantle the Kitchen, which I quite like, I settled on a WACO from Midland Chandlers. On showing hubbie the chosen one, he stated that seeing as the 12v on the other fridge didn't work, it might be an idea to give the electrics a bit of an overhaul. Seems sensible!! Also, to get old fridge off, the stern doors would need to be removed, and seeing that they need a bit of attention lets do those as well. Can you see where this is going.
When arriving at Midland Chandlers (which in it self was eventfully, see previous post) hubby went into spending overload. Cable of every shape, colour, and size was purchased, trip boxes, new sockets and plugs, etc oh and a Fridge was purchased. I tried to get a new cooker and hob that I fancied, but that was vetoed. This was on the 13th December 2008
Hubby then went down with every lurgi going, colds, flu (man) tummy bugs. You name it he had it. (personally I think the thought of all the work to do frightened the health out of him)
Work finally commenced with the stern door being removed just after Christmas. As with all jobs there is more to do than originally anticipated. When brought home, the top of the door (they are stable type ones) was found to be completely rotten and had to be remade. This set the tone for the whole of the work needing to be completed.
The electrics where found to be completely crap on the boat. The original fuse box had every fuse with at least 2, normally 3 items being put through. No wonder the lights flicker when the water pump was working!!! The cable into the boat was 10mm when it should have been 25mm, and it goes on and on.
Anyway, at the end of last week we (royal we really, as there was only space for one person in most of the gaps. I supplied biscuits coffee and food and relevant intervals) completed the following
New cable into the boat
New trip box fitted
New Isolation switch fitted
New wiring internally at the stern end.
New fridge installed
New thermostat fitted on Gas heating
New sockets and plugs fitted.
New kitchen taps fitted, (other ones failed in the cold weather, even though the water system was drained)
Still to do:-
Re fit Stern Doors
Re fit cupboard Door
Re do Bow Doors (now look tatty compared with stern, that's the way it goes)
Sort out leak on side hatch doors (feel this may be an on going life long thing)
Any way I will try to get some photos of said work, when snow allows.
Now what about that cooker and hob!!!! I think I better keep quiet.
At the end of August 08, after a holiday of running the Gas/12v/240v fridge through an inverter and flattening batteries because the two other methods Gas & 12V would not work, we decided to get a new Fridge.
Now I liked the idea of having the three way choice, BSC disagrees on many, and possibly quite sensible points, so the decision was a 12v.
Further investigation and after taking into consideration the hole available without having to dismantle the Kitchen, which I quite like, I settled on a WACO from Midland Chandlers. On showing hubbie the chosen one, he stated that seeing as the 12v on the other fridge didn't work, it might be an idea to give the electrics a bit of an overhaul. Seems sensible!! Also, to get old fridge off, the stern doors would need to be removed, and seeing that they need a bit of attention lets do those as well. Can you see where this is going.
When arriving at Midland Chandlers (which in it self was eventfully, see previous post) hubby went into spending overload. Cable of every shape, colour, and size was purchased, trip boxes, new sockets and plugs, etc oh and a Fridge was purchased. I tried to get a new cooker and hob that I fancied, but that was vetoed. This was on the 13th December 2008
Hubby then went down with every lurgi going, colds, flu (man) tummy bugs. You name it he had it. (personally I think the thought of all the work to do frightened the health out of him)
Work finally commenced with the stern door being removed just after Christmas. As with all jobs there is more to do than originally anticipated. When brought home, the top of the door (they are stable type ones) was found to be completely rotten and had to be remade. This set the tone for the whole of the work needing to be completed.
The electrics where found to be completely crap on the boat. The original fuse box had every fuse with at least 2, normally 3 items being put through. No wonder the lights flicker when the water pump was working!!! The cable into the boat was 10mm when it should have been 25mm, and it goes on and on.
Anyway, at the end of last week we (royal we really, as there was only space for one person in most of the gaps. I supplied biscuits coffee and food and relevant intervals) completed the following
New cable into the boat
New trip box fitted
New Isolation switch fitted
New wiring internally at the stern end.
New fridge installed
New thermostat fitted on Gas heating
New sockets and plugs fitted.
New kitchen taps fitted, (other ones failed in the cold weather, even though the water system was drained)
Still to do:-
Re fit Stern Doors
Re fit cupboard Door
Re do Bow Doors (now look tatty compared with stern, that's the way it goes)
Sort out leak on side hatch doors (feel this may be an on going life long thing)
Any way I will try to get some photos of said work, when snow allows.
Now what about that cooker and hob!!!! I think I better keep quiet.
Monday 2 February 2009
Major changes!!!!
Well I haven't been very good and keeping this blog up to date, but a new year resolution is to try better. After Greygal success in dieting, it is making think that I also should take up the challenge. Well I am thinking about it!!
We had a very quiet Christmas this year, it being a year since my Dad died, and then my Nan died end of November. We closed the front door 24th Dec and did not surface until 4 days later. Very family orientated, and extremely enjoyable.
During our holiday last year, our Gas fridge developed serious warming problems. Flame was correct height and colour, but not much cold. We researched on the Internet for tips etc, followed all sorts of advice, but nothing worked. To get the unit serviced in Bristol, our only option is to remove the fridge take it a centre, and hope it can be put back without damaging it. The fridge it self came with the boat, and from paperwork it appears to be as old as the boat 17 years. So the decision was made to replace it.
I won't go through all of the process of trying to get a new gas fridge. It was horrendous and the generally opinion was get a 12v. So we did.
This was not entirely to plan. The fridge I fell in love with (if that is possible!!") was a Waco. This entailed a trip to Braunston to Midland Chandlers. This is where the fun started. Just as we stop to turn into Midland Chandlers we were re soundly hit up the back side by another Car. Luckily we were in a van, but the car that hit is was not so luckily.
Oh well, we thought we have travelled this far from Bristol, we will carry on. The upshot of this is you do not just replace a fridge, we bought everything to replace the entire electrically system from the batteries up. Cable by the drum, trip boxes, clips etc etc etc.
Now all we have to do is install the fridge, with new electrics. This has now been done, but I will leave the tale to another post. As you may gather, nothing goes to plan in our world.
We had a very quiet Christmas this year, it being a year since my Dad died, and then my Nan died end of November. We closed the front door 24th Dec and did not surface until 4 days later. Very family orientated, and extremely enjoyable.
During our holiday last year, our Gas fridge developed serious warming problems. Flame was correct height and colour, but not much cold. We researched on the Internet for tips etc, followed all sorts of advice, but nothing worked. To get the unit serviced in Bristol, our only option is to remove the fridge take it a centre, and hope it can be put back without damaging it. The fridge it self came with the boat, and from paperwork it appears to be as old as the boat 17 years. So the decision was made to replace it.
I won't go through all of the process of trying to get a new gas fridge. It was horrendous and the generally opinion was get a 12v. So we did.
This was not entirely to plan. The fridge I fell in love with (if that is possible!!") was a Waco. This entailed a trip to Braunston to Midland Chandlers. This is where the fun started. Just as we stop to turn into Midland Chandlers we were re soundly hit up the back side by another Car. Luckily we were in a van, but the car that hit is was not so luckily.
Oh well, we thought we have travelled this far from Bristol, we will carry on. The upshot of this is you do not just replace a fridge, we bought everything to replace the entire electrically system from the batteries up. Cable by the drum, trip boxes, clips etc etc etc.
Now all we have to do is install the fridge, with new electrics. This has now been done, but I will leave the tale to another post. As you may gather, nothing goes to plan in our world.
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