Easter Weekend work party

Saturday/Sunday 20th & 21st April 2019

When you go somewhere exotic for a holiday, the first couple of days are fine then it’s days spend in the bathroom – why should Jannock be any different?

I was up early, washed, dressed and ready to ackle – no change there then. Sufficient water stored, I went to turn off the water pump and found that it was leaking as well. Luckily we always carry a spare for that – currently sat in a soggy carboard box beside the leaking pump.
All three water system components have failed at once, what are the chances of that? At least all can be fixed whilst we are at the mooring with a car handy if more items are needed.

Old calorifier removed and new one installed in order to get the water back on as soon as possible. Then remove the old Alde boiler. Chimney connector was welded in place to the top of the boiler by internal corrosion so it had to be cut off in order to get the boiler out. New aluminium pipe required. Rang Midland Chandlers, they have one in stock so arranged to go and fetch it in the morning. Replaced water pump and turned it on to refill the system – only
one weeping joint which sealed itself when I wiggled it. OK we’ll test the new immersion heater – it’s brilliant and meant that I could have a nice hot shower at the end of a hard day’s work.

In the evening Pat and Mike (nb Nuggler) popped round for an evening of home brewed beer and sewing natter. As they left we spotted a fabulous red moon rising.



Sunday morning and I went back to Braunston to get the chimney extension pipe. They had said on the phone yesterday afternoon that they opened at 9am. They actually open at 10 am on a Sunday and so breakfast was an cerial bar and a cube of juice from the emergency stock kept in the Touran while I waited. Then back to Brinklow to rebuild the new Alde heat exchanger unit into the old case and fit into the narrow gap beside the airing cupboard. The chimney still had a large lump of aluminium tube stuck in the bottom of it which needed extracting. Then refit it onto the roof and the boiler. Talk about a boatman’s holiday ;^)

Deep joy, the new calorifier is so well insulated that there was plenty of hot water available in the morning even though the immersion heater had only been on for an hour or so. Hopefully in future there will be no requirement to run the engine for several hours in order to have a morning shower.
While we were eating dinner in the cratch one of the local ducks hopped onto the front of our neighbours boat and started tapping the glass obviously expecting to be fed - they've gone away for Easter mate :^)
Graham