Water Rail April/ May 2021

[BrundallNavy]

We saw you at Acle bridge, went and checked Potter again and showing 5-11 so won’t be going under today. 

[BroadAmbition]

When should you have ideally got under?

At this rate you might as well stop up t'other side of pretty obstruction ready for her next out of water experience

When do you think you will be getting under?

Griff

[BrundallNavy]

32 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

When should you have ideally got under?

At this rate you might as well stop up t'other side of pretty obstruction ready for her next out of water experience

When do you think you will be getting under?

Griff

Hopefully soon, it’s typical that the week before they had 6-6 + for quite a few days but the rain and strong winds have put paid to that. 

[socrates]

Good to catch up with you at Beccles. Thanks once again for the warning shouts when our rear cover blew off pulling the stern line into the water. Potential major issue averted. 

[LizG]

There used to be tube heater in the engine compartment with thermostat. If that could be retrieved you could have used that? The remaining two which were in the cabins in winter I have. One spends the winter and this spring in my greenhouse. Very useful as well!

[BroadAmbition]

The more I use our Planar heating system the more I'm impressed with it.  Only last weekend onboard when on Saturday night I was feeing rough and could not seem to get mysen warm, I turned it up to full chat, within an hour I had the wheelhouse temperature up over 25 deg and climbing.  It really does the business and is a fraction of the cost of the webasto and eberspacher units.  Water Rail would only need the smallest one they supply to keep her toasty as and when required.  I'm at an age now where if I have to absolutely 'Make do' then I will but make every effort not to put up with 'Make Do'

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

And another point. (Not a rant)

I know some traditionalists out there dig their heels in about installing modern items onboard vintage / classic boats.  I get that.  'B.A' came with bulkhead small gas mantle heaters for goodness sake, car type lamps, thunderbox heads, etc etc.  My argument is that if diesel blown air heaters, LED's and macerating heads had been available in the mid sixties, then Jack Powells would have used / fitted them.  The modern often safer, more reliable systems are available for good reason, not just comfort

Griff

[LizG]

WR has an electric fridge, inverters for charging, shore power, even electric lights but heating and hot water eluded my bank balance. Keeping her afloat was paramount 🙂 

[BroadAmbition]

Hopefully soon, it’s typical that the week before they had 6-6 + for quite a few days but the rain and strong winds have put paid to that. 

Do yersen a favour - Get yersen out on the rivers onboard 'B.A' - She's ready to go, in fact itching to go out

Griff

[JanetAnne]

Not wanting to appear out of tune with modern thinking concerning the percieved need for heating on Water Rail I have decided that she will be equipped with 4 hot water bottles in future. To take maximum advantage of these contraptions I suggest making use of her already fitted hot water system aka the kettle!

In the meantime that nice Mr Grendel has been putting his CAD skills to use and turning my designs into the digital files that allow clever machines to make me some faceplates. 

The bilge pump panel is the finished item whereas the battery panel is only a test one so I could check the population. The new faceplate will be here next week.

[BroadAmbition]

Ha Ha, no need for the Kettle, Grendel has been buying plug in heaters to use via shore power as I read elsewhere. Nice one

Griff

[grendel]

these 500W heaters are of course the interim measure, a lot of the work would have been done by now in the planned winter maintenance, but lockdown threw a spanner into the works there, as her scheduled shed time came and went, with several boats still due in before her.

I have to say i was running one all last night and it maintained a comfortable 18 degrees all night, on a single card, I have added an extra card this morning as at 5am there was 4p left on the post, and I will be here a few hours yet waiting for the tides to cross over Breydon, so as Griff says, no point in not doing it in comfort.

[grendel]

Early visitors today

[grendel]

i must say it looks a glorious day out there, sun shining and not a cloud in sight, I have breakfasted, and caught up with the internet, (including topping up my data as I ran out earlier this morning) and am about to brave the outside and take the canopy sides down.

I dont need an early start this morning, as the tides on Breydon are not until this afternoon, as i am headed south I will go for an earlier crossing, at low water rather than slack, as long as i dont end up trying to punch the tide across Breydon, low water is 14.15, or thereabouts, so I will aim for 14.30-14.45.

[grendel]

OK Canopy down, I see Andy on Evening Shadow has his open too (as the boat that was in front of him has now moved.)

[grendel]

well that was a long days sailing, 12.00 departure from Acle bridge free moorings, by the time I left I had used approximately 2 electric cards, for a full 24 hours of heating, so not too bad, as i left it was a beautiful day, shorts and tee shirt weather, and that lasted all the way down to great yarmouth, there was one threat of a shower when it started spitting, but i was soon out of that, I arrived at Breydon just at the suggested low tide time, and was still slightly punching the tide (or more likely just the rivers natural flow.)

As I crossed Breydon I could see clouds and rain ahead, so prepared the canopy lifting pulley in advance, sure enough this was needed as i passed directly under one of the rain showers, Canopy was dropped again about 2 miles outside St Olaves, when the sun came shining through again.

 planned destination was somewhere with an electric point for a warm last night, I spotted a space at St Olaves, and did a perfect mooring, only to find the electric point only had 1 small outlet, and that in use, i considered heading on to Somerleyton, but suddenly realised Reedham was closer, so turned right and headed down the new cut to reedham, where I moored up on the Lord Nelson moorings and managed to snag the last small power socket available, i then decided not to cook and went to the Lord nelson where I managed to get a nice pork belly and rice salad dish, they even delivered it to the boat for me. an evening catching up with some of my youtube subscriptions beckoned, as I now knew I had enough data to manage this after my successful top up earlier in the day.

so Youtube and packing are the plan for this evening, then final packing and cleaning in the morning before heading back to Water Rails home moorings at Oulton Broad, sometime tomorrow, then the 3 hour drive home, where I can download the cameras and post all the rest of my pictures.

[LizG]

Safe journey home - enjoyed your travels as always on my favourite boat

[Lulu]

I love hearing about Water Rails adventures. Got such a soft spot for the old girl. Im fascinated how you manage the canopy on your own after myself and Ali taking it up and down crossing Oulton Broad numerous times one day last summer. 

[grendel]

Lulu, its really not so bad putting it down, just needs careful lowering, getting it back using the rope and pulley is easy, unfortunately when running solo, it does mean leaving the steering unattended, then its all down to whether Water Rail is behaving or not.

[Lulu]

21 minutes ago, grendel said:

it does mean leaving the steering unattended, then its all down to whether Water Rail is behaving or not.

Her steering is so very different to Luna’s thats for sure!

[JanetAnne]

2 hours ago, Lulu said:

I love hearing about Water Rails adventures. Got such a soft spot for the old girl. Im fascinated how you manage the canopy on your own after myself and Ali taking it up and down crossing Oulton Broad numerous times one day last summer. 

That must have been this day....

We wanted a film to promote the wooden boats but it missed the brief when the director thought he was promoting her as a hire boat!

A fun bit of footage though

 

 

[Lulu]

6 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

That must have been this day....

Certainly was the day and what a fantastic day it was.  Even if the film missed the brief, it was an honour to be part of it. 😁 (never did receive my Oscar....)

 

[grendel]

Auspicious start to the day, finishing up my eggs for breakfast, and not one, but two double yolkers.

[JanetAnne]

Yum!

[Aboattime]

Many years ago was Water Rail an exhibit at the museum of the broads? Im sure we went on her when we were at the museum, or am i going mad !!