Ready for winter

Today was bracing, with a chill wind, but the rain held off and the middle of the day was quite warm. A good day to collect Patience from the tender care of the folks at North Kilworth Wharf who have given her a proud black bottom and a new hatch over the engine - as well as a pump out. This was good work at a fair price and we are very pleased. Once again we can stand firmly at the stern without worrying that we would slip and slide away.
And so we should add to our annual servicing a coat of varnish to the edges of the hatch as it was damp creeping in from the sides that caused the previous hatch to swell.
Returning with pride to Welford (and being extra careful to avoid scraping her freshly painted hull) we enjoyed the usual excellent lunch at The Wharf before setting to with winterising.
We've given details of winterising elsewhere but in summary we've drained the water from tank, taps, shower and loo, changed the oil in gearbox and engine and given her a general brush up before the winter sets in. Patience will be generally on her own until the spring so it's important that things are ship shape and closed up. It may not feel as if she will be ice-bound, but it's only a few years since this is what happened on the Old West river -

Yes that really is ice and snow, in 2010

I also took away any food that was out of date, listing it all so we can replace with basic food next year. See the article on basic food for your boat.

Homeward go beans, tomatoes, soups, pasta sauce and long-life (not long enough!) milk.
Meanwhile John enjoyed messy play with oil ...

So rest quietly, Patience. We'll pop in to check you're OK when we are passing, but there's no need to stir until spring.

Tanks and tappets

With moderately fine weather first thing, we motored over to Oundle marina to do a few more winterising tasks.  The diesel tank was topped up to reduce the likelihood of condensation over the winter.  We were reassured by Mark in the office that he pre-treats all the marina biodiesel, so we don't have to worry about any additives.  In the short journey to the fueling stage we managed to pick up a short length of rope (someone else's) around the prop shaft, although it didn't seem to slow Patience down too much.  We also noted that the o-ring on the filler cap needs replacing, so it was measured up to get a replacement.

Having returned to our mooring, it was off with the rocker cover to check the valve clearances.  According to the BMC manual. 1.8 litre engines with a 'later type' camshaft should run with a clearance of 0.014 in, measured hot or cold.  You can tell if you have a later type camshaft by looking at the side of the lower engine block - if it has ribs you have the later type camshaft.  Turning over the diesel engine to close each of the valves in turn is difficult, as the gearbox doesn't engage if there is no hydraulic pressure and you can't apply enough torque on the nut on the front end of the crankshaft to turn it.  In the end, we turned the engine over briefly on the starter and tried to avoid it firing.  Note for next time: this would be easier with the engine cold so that it doesn't fire. Most of the clearances seemed to be fine, but three needed adjusting to reduce the clearance to the designated 0.014 in.

We checked the gas fridge, which had been giving problems failing to ignite in the summer, but today seemed to fire up first time.  That may be because it's much easier to see the pilot light in the gloom of a winter's afternoon. We don't want to spend £500 or more on a new fridge if we can avoid it.

Finally, we measured up the effluent tank as a prelude to possibly investing in a resistance type depth gauge.  It's the one tank on board where a little technology would pay dividends.  Unlike the fresh water tank (which you can see into) and the fuel tank (which you can put a dipstick into), those solutions aren't a pleasant option for the black water tank!

Winterising

With the evenings rapidly drawing in and the end of the boating season looming, we spent a day servicing the engine and draining down the domestic water system. 
I obtained replacement filters (fuel and oil) from the excellent ASAP supplies and the oil (Morris 10W/40, recommended for canal boat engines) from the very helpful Oundle Marina Chandlery.  With the sump pump fitted to the 1.8 litre BMC engine, it's a relatively easy job to drain the old oil out into a can.  Taking out the old diesel filter is a bit messier as there is no drain plug on the bowl. There is no air filter element to replace, but I did clean round the air intake grill.  Finally I checked the belt tension and the anti freeze concentration (this was replaced last year).  I am planning to go back and check the valve clearances, as recommended by Calcutt Marine, but that can wait for another day. 
We also drained the water tank and as much of the pipework as possible.  Having experienced a cracked toilet pump valve block last year, the screws to the flange were slackened off to ensure no water remained in the block. The last couple of litres of water in the bow tank were removed with a bucket and sponge.  The inside of the tank is in really good condition with only a few rust spots visible.  The strategy of applying a coat of potable bitumen paint each year seems to be paying off.
We also fitted two replacement LED tubes in the galley.  These were obtained from the very helpful people at Campercare Products.  Although not cheap, they draw less current than the old fluorescent tubes they replace and are much brighter.  We plan to replace the other six tubes on a rolling replacement programme. 
It only remained to wander into Oundle for a pint and a steak sandwich at the Ship Inn in the High Street.  Job done!
[See also Winterising 1 ,Winterising 2, and Chief Engineer's Report - all previous blog entries on wrapping up your boat safely for winter]

Winterising 2 - changing the antifreeze

As it must be at least three years since the engine antifreeze was changed, we decided to replace it. Antifreeze not only protects the engine against freezing, but is important in preventing internal corrosion. It is degradation of the corrosion inhibitor that limits its useful life and it is usually recommended that it is replaced every couple of years.

There are various types and colours of antifreeze. The original antifreeze in the cooling system was green - probably 'HOAT' (hybrid organic acid technology) in an ethylene glycol base. We have replaced it with Unipart 'Cool Blue' 2 year antifreeze, which is stated as being suitable for all types of diesel and petrol engines. This is a traditional ethylene glycol based mix.
One of the problems with a swim-tank-cooled marine engine is the large volume of coolant in the system compared to a vehicle engine. The volume of the swim tank in Patience was calculated at about 25 litres, which together with the engine block and connecting hoses would account for an estimated total coolant volume of between 30 and 35 litres. We therefore bought 15 litres of antifreeze to give a 43 to 50% mix. The recommended mix is 50% to cover the very lowest expected UK temperatures.

If you use a hydrometer for measuring the concentration, don't forget that the specific gravity of the mix depends on its temperature as well as its concentration. A 50/50 mix at 70 deg C has a similar specific gravity to a 30/70 mix at 20 deg C. Therefore, according to the hydrometer, the mix will seem to be weaker if measured at engine running temperature compared to the same mixture measured when cold.

Another problem is draining the system, as the bottom of the swim tank is right at the bottom of the engine compartment, so draining it into a bucket just doesn't work! We decided to drain it into the engine compartment bilges and then use the bilge pump to pump it into empty containers for safe disposal. This works up to a point, but it is difficult for the bilge pump to extract the last couple of centimetres, which had to be sponged out into a bucket!

We extracted a total of 30 litres of coolant, which, allowing for some coolant left behind at the bottom of the swim tank and engine block, confirmed our original estimate of 30 to 35 litres in total.

Having drained the system and replaced a couple of the flexible hoses that looked slightly worn, we put the 15 litres of new antifreeze into the system and topped it up with water. Running the engine for a few minutes made sure that the water and antifreeze were well mixed and that any air pockets had been eliminated. A final topping up with water was then carried out.
On the way home we disposed of the old coolant mix at the local recycling centre. Job done!

PS Based on our experience above, do this before it gets so cold that you're the one who needs anti-freeze! Make sure you have enough containers for the old liquid; they should be used only for anti-freeze so label them boldly! Finally, don't forget to wear disposable gloves, as antifreeze is toxic, and dispose of the old mixture responsibly - don't just tip it into the river!
See also the earlier post: Winterising

Winterising

As our third winter with Patience floats into view we've made sure she is prepared for the cold. Out with the water in the tank (revealing a few rust spots we'll be best touching up before the spring), out with the waste tank (pumped out at Ely) and in with the roof gear such as the poles.

Ironically two days after our winterising there was the sunniest and warmest day for a long time, so instead of taking her out I set to with the sander and paint brush and smartened up the area around the top of the starboard side and the roof rail. With harsh sunlight it was difficult to tell how it looked but I'm hoping it's an improvement.
In addition to the rust spots in the tank the sides will need smartening up. The fridge is a bit erratic when lighting and John has ordered a replacement water pump, then I think we can really batten down the hatches for a few months.
You might read the Engineer's Report from last year for a summary of what John has done to keep the engine up to scratch for its winter hibernation.
Patience has acquired a new neighbour in the form of a self-built cruiser, Queen Bea. She does rather loom over Patience but we think in a fight Patience's metal might just win out over Bea's laminated wood. Anyway, it won't come to that if we check the moorings frequently.
Next year we'll consider moving further afield though for how long we need yet to decide. We've thought of exploring the Middle Level or The Nene now that we've seen what the Ouse and its tributaries have to offer but we've become quite accustomed to The Lazy Otter.
See also the later post on Winterising and anti-freeze

Well Winterised

Today, in the midst of the coldest sustained winter for 30 years, we thought we'd better check that the winterising was working.
Nothing worse than finding your boat wallowing under water like this one by the riverside in Cambridge this week (picture left, video clip here)
or with water spouting from a once-frozen pipe.
Of course old sea salt Alan had done everything necessary - draining the water tank, the loo, the fresh water jerrycan, switching batteries off and battening down the hatches.
Nevertheless, it was useful to browse the switches and knobs to check which ones had to be turned on again. And we started the engine (first time!) to warm her up, as well as to recharge the batteries, left her running for a while and set the wood stove going to heat its associated radiators and dry out the inevitable damp. All is well and Patience relaxed quietly as the warmth reached her chilled metal sides.

Outside, the picture was very different, with a bright low sun and a firmly frozen river everywhere except near the bridge. I also chanced upon these pics of a narrow boat as ice breaker.

So we retired to the Lazy Otter to consider our options and plan our next moves over a pint of Rocking Rudolph Seasonal Ale (Greene King, 4.5%).

The main project is to decide on the best way to create two more berths. I had looked at the current double bed in the aft section and noticed it was made up of chunky cushions. Closer study this time reveals it is in fact two fixed bench seats convertible into a double bed with the option of a table between, "pullman" style.

This adds another variation for us, as we could now choose to have any combination of tables and beds fore and aft. By building two bench seats forward with an optional table, we have maximum choice for eating, sitting, and sleeping up to 4 people.

Only time will tell the most popular combo for us, but it will be worth providing the options.

So enthused are we, and so happy that winterising has worked, that when the ice has melted we may take Patience out for an overnight trip very soon, perhaps down to Cambridge, and test our mastery of locks.

If we take a jerrycan of water, a few basic supplies and avoid using the loos we won't even have to de-winterise her.

What fun!