New Engine

Well the good news is that the new engine is in the boat.  The bad news is thats its not actually connected yet to make the whirly thing at the back go round.  Still, its getting there slowly.
After all our engine problems we decided last year to replace our ageing and noisy 3 cylinder Kubota. In a fit of madness I bid for a new Isuzu 35hp engine on Ebay... and won. The race was then on to find someone to put it in and get it delivered there. So last November (that long ago?) we clanked and puffed our way up to Newbury and left it in the boatyard to have the engine swapped.  And waited.... and waited...  On the plus side we had the opportunity to clean out the bilge, scrape it and paint it.  In a cramped, filthy, oily space in sub-zero temperatures this was really fun. (not!)

Sunday 22nd August

A nice lazy breakfast meant a late start - but we have no strict schedule. Easy day.  Moored for the night just north of Days lock.

Saturday 21st August

Turned the boat around north of Godstow bridge in order to start the journey home. We arrived at Osney Lock in Oxford to find boats all over the place.  I had to avoid a reversing trip-boat who was escaping the melee - he informed us the lock was broken and would be out of commission for several hours. A phone call from Claire at this point told me that she and her brother were on their way to join us.

We waited for them at the East Street wharf and then had to try and direct the two of them to us when neither we nor they had a map!  Anyway I spotted Claires car driving by while I was on the phone to them and they managed to get parked in a side street.  We had a lovely couple of hours chatting, then took them through the now functioning Osney Lock, to drop them on the other side and make their way back to the car and home. We went a little further before mooring up for the night.

Friday 20th August

George a nd Isabel arrived at the appointed hour and we set off at 10.45am to do the Oxford 'mini-ring'. This involves a bit of the Thames, turning right down the 'Dukes Cut' to join the Oxford Canal, then south till it joins the Thames in Oxford.  A seriously overgrown channel called the Sheepwash Channel connects through to the Thames, then its back up the Thames to where we started.

George helmed for a fair bit - just showing that if you can drive a Dart 16, then you can drive anything! Isabel had a drive too. We had a thoroughly entertaining day, arriving back at Godstow  at 5:30. Sadly the mooring we left this morning was taken, and had to moor up in a much moor exposed position - needing all 4 lines out as it was so windy.

Thursday 19th August

Not having heard from boatyard and notwithstanding a poorly engine we decided to head on towards Oxford and meet up with George and Isabel. Set off at 10am in a cloud of smoke which after 20 minutes reduced to a dull and manageable haze (just so long as you didnt breath it in).  Stopped just after Godstow Lock opposite Godstow Nunnery at 1pm. This is a serious ruin founded by the Saxon Queen Evida. In the 14th century the Oxford Dons were prohibited from attending as they were causing too much grief.

Walked lady round the Nunnery site - Tudor architecture very obvious but a quick poke around in a (stone) lined water channel found loads of stone roof tile, several oyster shells (the Nuns dined well) and some iron slag (the Nuns also did their own iron founding!)

In the evening George drove down and picked us up from the boat to take us for a lovely meal round their gaff. Being a keen sailor it didn't take much to persuade them to join us for the day on the boat tomorrow.

Wednesday 18th August

I was wary straight away.  It was good he rang - dont get me wrong. But he said his name was Giles.  Something not right when the repairman speaks with a posh Oxbridge accent and is called Giles.  And another thing!  It had been arranged for him to arrive 'soon after 3pm'. I was therefore expecting 5pm. But here he was at 1pm saying sorry, cock up on the time keeping front - could he call in 15 minutes. OK no problem we arent going anywhere.

Burned out valve seat was the diagnosis - Giles went straight to it. An education obviously pays. Would send quote, no probs, shake hand, gone in 15 minutes.

Mum and sister came over and joined us for a meal at the Kings Arms and coffee back at chez nous.

Tuesday 17th August

Abingdon to Oxford. An early start was agreed and implemented, with bacon and egg butties on the move.  Mid morning I suddenly noticed smoke from the exhaust - no, much more smoke than usual... and you know what they say about smoke.  Cutting the engine to tickover we headed to the bank (towpath side in case we needed to be recovered). A passing boat gave us a helpful nudge in towards the bank and we were close enough to deploy the plank and knock mooring pins in and make fast.

Opening the engine compartment let of a mini nuclear-cloud of smoke and steam into the lower atmosphere. Once cool, an examination of the engine revealed it was only a water hose that had come loose.  This was quickly fixed and we were on our way again.  Arriving at the next lock I dropped it into tickover.... and whoof! - the smoke was back.  This time there was no obvious cause and the early afternoon was spent tinkering and scratching heads.  In the end had to phone RCR (the inland waterways version of the RAC) who were with us within an hour.  Now the experts were on it!  And in far less time than it took me to do - he came up with the same conclusion - sorry guv - dont know what it is... but it looks like its inside, so I cant do anything now.

So they will be in touch tomorrow.  In the meantime we are marooned in a beautiful Thames-side spot with an en-suite canal-side pub selling great ale and doing good food.  Waiting for the repairman is going to be tough!....