Thursday 5 March 2015

Patience awakes to 2015 - and maintenance

A couple of weeks ago I drove over to see Patience and check she was feeling OK. she was fine except for a moderate amount of water in the engine room bilges and an unaccountable damp patch near the stern port window. I left the engine room alone, with its oily inch of water, moved things about under the stern port window and made a note to seal it more effectively in the spring.
Today John (newly returned from adventures abroad) and I returned to Patience to find that someone had kindly taped a plastic bag over the open window to the loo and that the leak under the stern port window was no better, in fact a little worse.
So we spent the morning mopping up the oily engine room water and wondering how so much had got in. We also looked more closely at the stern port window and John saw the seal around the top of the window had cracked  and would need replacing. I called myself an absolute idiot for forgetting that I'd removed the toilet window in a cleaning fit two weeks ago - and forgotten to put it back in.
And so we move on. Having planned a maintenance day or two in a fortnight we sat in The Wharf and listed all our maintenance jobs, making note of what we had to buy and bring. I'd already brought a new mop, rubber gloves, sponges and small durable carpets. How can you tell I was expecting a damp and grubby Patience after the winter ....
Fortunately nothing serious is amiss. My stupidity in leaving the window opening simply added an inches of water to the basin and the shower tray. The damp under the window will dry and the cork tiles will probably be none the worse. Little has failed, but a lot needs attention.
So this is the maintenance list:
  • Check all windows for old sealant, rake out where necessary and renew with new silicon
  • Seal chimney flue (there's some evidence of water dripping onto the stove)
  • Check floor tiles - possibly use adhesive, possibly remove carpet tiles and wash (marking position of each tile if removed)
  • Check water tank for rust, paint (patch) where necessary with bitumen, leave to dry then fill
  • Wash roof thoroughly with fresh water and detergent (using canal water increases mould!) using scrubbing brush
  • Clean then undercoat necessary areas followed by at least one coat of International Interdeck Slip Resist Beige 090 (large tin)
  • Tighten up loo pump (slackened off during winter to avoid cracking if frozen) - need spanners for this.
  • Wash sides and wax
  • Check gas bottle lids as they are delaminating and need treatment or replacement with new marine ply
So - some few things to keep us going until the warmer season begins.
The complete list would include checking all bilges, ropes, all surfaces for mould and damp, engine (a long list in itself but it has been recently serviced), safety of gas and electrics ....
In due course we will add bedding and resupply food stocks. Then it's all aboard!



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