I wanted to do some thing really nice with Helen for Valentine's Day so I took her to Dewsbury! We do love being on the boat. We arrived at the boat around lunch time on Saturday and immediately got to warming the boat up. We found that the electricity had run out, but it could only have been a day or two at the most as the batteries were nearly charged up fully. In fact I was quite relieved as I really wanted to change connections as we had terrible trouble getting the card to go in the slot. I moved our cable to a more easily accessible slot, and joy of joys there was still some credit on it too. I checked that that the coldest inside temperature measured was only freezing despite the very low temperatures outside since we had last been. This explains why the electricity had been used up but proved that the heaters we have set to prevent too cold temperatures inside the boat are also working.
We quickly had the chimney on and the fire lit, along with the Hurricane. The gas was the next priority so we could get a cup of tea along with turning the water from the tank back on and we were soon warmed up and it was all systems go again. After a bite to eat I was going to check out the engine hole but as it was raining I thought I would get a couple of inside jobs done. I couldn't resist starting the engine though and after ten seconds on the glow plugs it started first time with hardly any smoke at all. I don't want to jink anything but the engine as has never missed a beat so far. Now the boat was warm I switched of the controls to the Hurricane and set to moving the room thermostat from near the stern doors to in side the cabin space. I felt the heating was liable to cycle needlessly as the actual temperature inside the cabin, that is the other side of some heavy curtains, would be warm enough but by the colder air by the stern hatch etc. it was registering it was cold. I just extended the wires before drilling holes etc to check that the extra length would have no effect, which it didn't, and then swiftly fitted it. After initially tripping a breaker everything was fine so lets hope that it works.
Meanwhile Helen was making a new summer curtain for the side hatch. By now the drizzle had ceased and I got out side to see what the engine hole was looking like. Last time I had taken some preventative action to stop water getting in so I was keen to see if I had been successful. On the whole we had. There was a little water down there but following the downpours we have had in the area there was very little indeed. I checked everything out and all looked good I am pleased to say. I also managed to watch some the England v Italy game too.
We quickly had the chimney on and the fire lit, along with the Hurricane. The gas was the next priority so we could get a cup of tea along with turning the water from the tank back on and we were soon warmed up and it was all systems go again. After a bite to eat I was going to check out the engine hole but as it was raining I thought I would get a couple of inside jobs done. I couldn't resist starting the engine though and after ten seconds on the glow plugs it started first time with hardly any smoke at all. I don't want to jink anything but the engine as has never missed a beat so far. Now the boat was warm I switched of the controls to the Hurricane and set to moving the room thermostat from near the stern doors to in side the cabin space. I felt the heating was liable to cycle needlessly as the actual temperature inside the cabin, that is the other side of some heavy curtains, would be warm enough but by the colder air by the stern hatch etc. it was registering it was cold. I just extended the wires before drilling holes etc to check that the extra length would have no effect, which it didn't, and then swiftly fitted it. After initially tripping a breaker everything was fine so lets hope that it works.
In the top right corner of the engine hole there is rust on the deck before I painted it last year. The water was just pooled in the same area so only took a little mopping out.
Meanwhile Helen was making a new summer curtain for the side hatch. By now the drizzle had ceased and I got out side to see what the engine hole was looking like. Last time I had taken some preventative action to stop water getting in so I was keen to see if I had been successful. On the whole we had. There was a little water down there but following the downpours we have had in the area there was very little indeed. I checked everything out and all looked good I am pleased to say. I also managed to watch some the England v Italy game too.
The photo doesn't show any of the curtain but reminds us on a dull drizzly day in February of the lovely weather we are all hoping of later in the year.
We had decided to celebrate the well known saints day by going out for a curry. First we called in to buy an electricity card. At least that was the excuse. As always there was a great atmosphere and some nice beers on. We settled in front of the fire and I supped an Abbeydale from Sheffield. It was tempting to stop but we walked up into town and found the West Riding Refreshment rooms at the station. This was another great place with plenty of choice of beers. I again settled for an Abbeydale but instead of a pale ale, Moonshine, I went for a bitter. We did stop for another as the Indian Restaurant didn't open until 1900. As we hadn't booked we wanted to be early just in case they would be full later on. I had a Wentworth's Oyster stout. We went to Mim's Cafe/restaurant. By day the downstairs is a cafe and at night the upstairs is an Indian Restaurant. It was very nicely decorated with very attentive staff and owner. We made sure he chatted to everybody. The food was excellent too and not expensive. It was a definite find we will go again. We then wandered down into the town and found the Weatherspoon's. I had a pint from Acorn brewery from Barnsley. So all Yorkshire beers this weekend.
On Sunday I did a little measuring and checked the battery levels, but ran out of distilled water. Must add it to my list. We were expecting friends to visit at about 1100. I sailed with Jon about 35 years ago and last saw him more than 25 years. He hadn't changed much other than losing his hair, like me, and looking more like his Dad. It was one of those things that we had kept up with Christmas cards but not met up. Now we are both retired and as we are in Dewsbury and they live in Wakefield the planets were aligned and it was good to see each other and catch up properly. We will meet up again soon. I didn't stock up the stove Saturday night as I really wanted it to die out for Sunday morning. However it was still well alight in the morning. I think that it was some smokeless coal I had taken from home at the start of last year. What ever it was it burns really well and has little ash. I also used some logs that had come form a pruned tree at home. Again they were well aged. I'm not sure what type of tree it is but it seemed to burn like charcoal. There was hardly a flame and hardly any ash. I'm glad it burns well as I have heavily pruned the tree again this year so there will be many more logs for the future.
This was the fire after ten hours with no fuel added and a good riddle through in the morning. Certainly kept the ,morning chill off.
We packed up tools etc and were back home before half time in the Scotland v Wales game which was quite an entertaining game. It wont be so long before we visit the boat again.
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