Broad Ambition - TLC Time Again

[Meantime]

9 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Could I purchase one locally a fortnight ago when onboard?

Worth bearing in mind if you can purchase of Amazon, they have Amazon lockers in a couple of places in Hoveton, I know there's some at Oulton Broad and I'm sure there would be others dotted around The Broads as well.

[BroadAmbition]

Our Jack Powles pennant is now well past its best after fourteen years. 
 

Step forward a new replacement, Jonathan sourced a new one with a spare. 
 

Fitted this morning 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Stanley !

Griff

[grendel]

You forgot the instruction, always cut towards your mate didnt you.

[grendel]

or was it like the guy at work, when we were issued kevlar gloves to protect us while cutting foam board in the office, who put the glove on then proceeded to try and stab his hand with the stanley knife, very shortly followed by ow, the point went through.

[BroadAmbition]

New house pennant arrived, now flying proudly. The first version had been up there about fourteen years

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

As with most things connected with boating, sometimes it’s one pace forward and another un astern 

We have a Thetford four burner  gas hob in t galley. Well, that is to say we used to, due to an FFD going t1ts up, yesterday we now have a three burner hob. 
 

Ive contacted Robin, he is sourcing a replacement to bring onboard next week when I’ll change it over. Great fun - not

Griff 

[BroadAmbition]

What else?  
 

Oh yes, the Jabsco remote controlled search light has decided to go on strike in its port to stbd operation, it still works up & down though. We suspect either a cable or control pad fault. Now that Bro has found the wiring diagram I’ll have to fault find via FaceTime next week when we expect dry days. Robin has found a full parts list so he’s ready.

 I would really like a new upgraded LED item with differing light intensity options if such a thing exists

Griff

[Mouldy]

9 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

As with most things connected with boating, sometimes it’s one pace forward and another un astern 

We have a Thetford four burner  gas hob in t galley. Well, that is to say we used to, due to an FFD going t1ts up, yesterday we now have a three burner hob. 
 

Ive contacted Robin, he is sourcing a replacement to bring onboard next week when I’ll change it over. Great fun - not

Griff 

Hope he’s able to get one.  We decided to invest in a new cooker for Norfolk Lady and ordered a Voyager 4500, to replace the ageing Flavel Vanessa that’s currently fitted, from one of the local chandlers.  Six weeks on and there’s still no sign of it’s arrival.  Obviously the shortage of materials and lorry drivers has consequences more far reaching than initially thought, or they’ve just arrived on the container ship that was blocking the Suez Canal a few months ago!!

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

or they’ve just arrived on the container ship that was blocking the Suez Canal a few months ago!!

I loved the comment in one of the papers when the ship was arriving in Felixtowe -

Your garden furniture is nearly here!

[Vaughan]

FFDs don't very often fail.  They are actually a very small electromagnet, which is held in place owing to the micro current made when the bi-metallic probe is heated by the flame.  So they will not work if there is bad contact.  Try removing the metal wire from the back of the valve and cleaning both contacts inside.  Then make sure the nut is done up tight when you put it back.  Also make sure the control **** is going in and out easily against its spring.  If not, take the front plate off the valve and lubricate it with gas tap grease.

Also make sure that the head of the probe is well positioned in the blue part of the flame or it will not get hot enough.

I didn't tell you this of course, as it is "work" that should be done by a gas safe fitter.   

[Vaughan]

I see the swear filter has censored my last post.

For its information, K N O B is a proper term for use in engineering.

[BroadAmbition]

I have already done as you suggested Vaughan, all to no avail sadly. 
 

Mouldy - or Robin is undefeated in his his deceive efforts, of course he succeeded, all he needed was one of these:-

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

Then in short order I got reply:-

The thermocouple has been a bit of a challenge to find - I’ve been on the phone to a caravan shop in West Runton who’ve at least given me the specific part number but I’m waiting a call back to see if and when they might get one in stock. Using the part number to search online finds me other retailers, all out of stock though.  Update: Well the caravan shop said the part numbers have all changed and they had none in stock. Using he new part number (SSPA0678) I’ve found one in the Midlands. Is on order and should be with me come Tuesday. Robin

Griff

 

[BrundallNavy]

2 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Hope he’s able to get one.  We decided to invest in a new cooker for Norfolk Lady and ordered a Voyager 4500, to replace the ageing Flavel Vanessa that’s currently fitted, from one of the local chandlers.  Six weeks on and there’s still no sign of it’s arrival.  Obviously the shortage of materials and lorry drivers has consequences more far reaching than initially thought, or they’ve just arrived on the container ship that was blocking the Suez Canal a few months ago!!

We changed our Vanessa for a Voyager 4500 a couple of months ago, I ordered from a caravan shop in Liverpool they had the basic one in stock but the one with ignition would take 3 weeks. These are made in the uk but I guess parts to build them are the problem. 

[BroadAmbition]

Whilst onboard recently during our recent summer cruise I got stuck into a few items outstanding as one always seems to be doing.  The new FFD has arrived via Robin - Wrong one supplied, Robin is on the case.  Of course I had removed the hob plate and got set to before I opened the packaging of the replacement FFD - Doh! 

The velcro that holds our canopy in place around the wheelhouse was coming adrift in some areas, so I removed the loose stuff, then bonded new on using contact adhesive with s/steel staples - Jobs a gudden

The spotlamp up fwd, opened it up, did the facetime thing on the phone with Bro' as he has the wiring diagram / parts list at his place and we now know for certain that the horizontal motor has failed.  New replacement motor ordered

The Garmin Etrex display is starting to fail.  We have had this onboard since around 2007 if memory serves correct.  It's probably my fault too as I have a bad habit of turning it on when arriving onboard and leaving it on until I depart for home.  We (Especially me) are now turning it off once cruising has finished for the day, this seems to be helping the display last for the next full day - Sometimes.  A replacement is on order.  It really is a handy bit of kit, we have it displaying heading and speed, it is accurate to point one of a mph 

I carried out a minor engine service on Sunday before coming home, that's another 250 x Hrs in the bank before the next one is due.  I did a stock take, we have six air filters, six oil filters and now zero diesel filters - Six ordered yesterday, oh and 5 x Ltrs of new oil ready too

There's the usual ever growing list of items to attend to planned in for a forthcoming maintenance weekend in September:-

Remove gearbox, take round to Toby's in Stalham, Fit brand new input shaft, Fit new driveplate to Beta flywheel, refit box onboard.   Trace Beta slight coolant leak.  Nip up gland packing on shaft.  Change bearing in plumber block.  Grease / adjust connections and cables on throttle / gearbox.  Deep clean raw water filters x 2.   Replace 2 x bunk lights.   Sort out shoreside locker (Yet again) and owt else we can think of too

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

I wasn't sure where to put this post but then decided that it was definitely quite apt being in the 'TLC' thread

For the first time since we have been the custodians of Broad Ambition she has now at last, finally been blessed good n proper.

By the recently ordained vicar of Aintree no less!  (Grebe - Natalie)

The ceremony was carried out on Sunday 15th Aug at Beccles during the Wooden Boat Show - Very appropriate

I offered to pay for the ceremony which was refused but we insisted.  Payment was therefore agreed as being one of MrsG's special Gin concoctions and a donation from me towards Natalie's parish 

We are very grateful for the blessing and our thanks goes to Natalie 

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

It has been pointed out to me that by our new owner that blessing boats is a risky business as one doesn't want them getting all H o l e y 

Griff

[andyg]

On 08/08/2021 at 08:43, Vaughan said:

I loved the comment in one of the papers when the ship was arriving in Felixtowe -

Your garden furniture is nearly here!

Apparently our new coffee table was onboard that ship,  still no sign of it yet. Ordered back in April. Grrr.

[gancanny]

people do have odd names nowadays

[BroadAmbition]

That the new drive plate arrived at our hovel ready for the forth coming maintenance weekend.  These are serviceable exchange or repair items, they are not cheap either, glad we don't have to replace these very  often

Griff

 

[Vaughan]

That'll keep you busy for a morning, anyway!

[BroadAmbition]

Won't it just along with the other issues we are going to tackle

Griff

[Andrewcook]

Hi Griff I must say you keep a very good servicing record on Broad Ambition if and when it needs doing to keep it in tip top condition. I do wonder if the Hiring yards do the same with there whole fleet of Boats?Or do they wait till the problem arise to which I hope not on my Holidays or there's.

[BroadAmbition]

Thursday 16th Sept, Bro' Howard and Robin onboard mid afternoon and make a start, the Borg Warner gearbox is due out first thing Friday morning so Toby round at Marine Transmissions can put a brand new input shaft in it

By the time I arrived onboard it was past 2000, so an evening in front of the box with some nibbles.  Jonathan arrived Friday evening.  We toiled away through to Saturday teatime when we starburst for our respective hovels

Friday morning, Robin cracked on with sanding down some suffering varnished hardwood on t bow, mysen and Bro' got the gearbox out and delivered round to Toby.  Howard removed / replaced the drive plate on the Beta flywheel with a brand new item.  Then the fun started.  There are six grease points onboard 'B.A' they all received the attention of our grease gun loaded with ZX1 grease,  one is the helm rack and pinion behind the wheel which is particularly awkward to get to, two on the drive shaft - now removed out of the way, the plumber block has one, we removed the plumber block & bearing completely and replaced it with a brand new one, although the present one is perfectly serviceable seems silly not to whilst the coupling was off, then it was the two auto greaser reservoirs by the gland packing on the shaft and the rudder pin too.  The Etrex is getting tired, after checking the transformer, power leads etc a replacement one had been ordered.  Robin replaced the onboard Alarm system with an upgraded new one. 

Engine coolant leak - this one has been bothering us for some time, now was the time to fettle it once and for all.  After a thorough external clean the Beta was fired up, left on a fast tickover to thoroughly warm up, then it was eyeballs & hands with dry blue paper towelling everywhere whilst engine was still running - Nowt to be found.  We had cleaned / polished the drip tray and lined it with clean blue paper too.  Eventually it showed itself, coming out of the over flow tube fitted to the 'Radiator' cap on top of the heat exchanger tank.  Still not hugely convinced as not that much coolant quantity as we have been witnessing in the drip tray recently.  We would get a new 13lb cap and go from there.

Another issue was a lazy starter motor, this one really had been bothering us for some time.  It was often but not always sometimes struggling to spin over the Beta fast enough, this again could have been pointing to a blown head gasket.  The starter battery had been recently replaced a month ago so we new that was not the culprit, there was a healthy 14v charge going into the starter battery both from shore power and the onboard alternators.  All cables / connections were undone, cleaned, coppaslipped and tightened up - Still no improvement.  So, removed the starter motor & off I went again this time to Panks for testing.  They declared it fit and healthy but suggested we might consider removing the solenoid and cleaning up the internal contacts - We did (Obviously)

The new radiator cap was still allowing coolant out of the overflow pipe.  Off I go to Jason (Hatch) and borrow some test equipment to pressurise the system.  On fitting the the test pressure valve to the heat exchanger the collar that accepts the cap moved!  That was the culprit the blasted collar was fractured  we had found our leak.  Off back to Jason (Yet again) for a new aluminium replacement collar with its own new cap.  Tried the starter motor with a cold engine - Eureka - it was dirty / pitted contacts within the solenoid.  The reason for not much coolant leak during the engine warm test is that due to no gearbox being in place I couldn't get the temperature of the system above about 75 degrees.  The Beta is running smooth and starting instantly once more (Now have a spare cranking battery we didn't need  )  A river test once the gearbox is back in place will be the final test but I am confident, happily confident

Next was the really awkward one, an AMP item carried out once every two years that hasn't been done due to Covid (Again), that is to remove the starboard bank of three leisure batteries, the battery box, one control cable and the river water inlet pipes thereby giving me access to wriggle my way to the sump on the diesel tank to open the valve to drain off whatever contaminants are in the bottom of the diesel tank, I drew off around half a pint - it was cherry red and clear as a bell - Well impressed, as it should be as we always put 'BA' to bed with a full diesel tank and added Soltron at every fill

The FFD or thermo coupler if you want to be technical on the hob - try as we might we just could not get this operational. Further deeper strip down revealed a small part with a part number on it, Robin is on the case, if he can't source it, then it will have to be a replacement hob, but this time we will buy the same one giving us three spare working FFD's from the current unit and some control units / knobs - Next visit. We also noticed that the flexible gas pipe that fits onto the hob is showing signs of perishing, a new one of those is now on order too

Bunk lights, one changed, we needed to change two but only had one spare in stock, so will source some more - Next visit

The varnishing needs one final coat of full strength Brava, Robin has completed the application of five coats of Ravalaak - Next visit

We emptied and tidied out the shoreside locker (Again)

A capping on top of a sash side post needs bonding back in place with some Sikaflex - Next visit

A heater vent plastic outlet has broken (Again) they really are useless cheap things, we have just one spare available now - Next visit

I don't know what has happened with Toby as we were expecting our gearbox back with us nlt than Saturday lunchtime but it never happened.  I'll sort it out this week with him on t phone and hopefully get the gearbox installed next visit along with the other outstanding issues tended to

Griff