Sunday 24 October 2010

Update ( Second attempt to get home)

Looking at the blog I see it's a year since my last entry. Things have moved on over the last twelve months but not by much. I stopped recording progress as there was nothing positive to report.
Went to collect Trudy Ann in te first week in November but on the Monday there was an electrical fault.

Went back on the Tueasday and were given the all clear except for a temperature sensor fault which Beta were coming to sort out on the Wednesday and any snagging work would be done at our home mooring. So in good faith we made the final payment and in preparation we went down to Gt. Haywood Jn. to tank with water and fuel for the central heating. Just as we winded at the waterpoint the engine boiled up. Shut the engine down and thankfully a lady on the towpath took the bowline and with the help of Anglo-Welsh staff pulled us into the bank. Spent a very cold night just off the waterpoint as the batteries failed early on, being still flat from the previous electrical fault. No water, no light, no toilet and no heating because we couldn't run the engine for charging for fear of causing damage. When Chris from Beta arrived on the Wednesday it didn't take him long to point out that the engine cooling system was connected up in reverse and a few other items. Ben couldn't get the correct hose until the following day and we pointed out that it would be too late to set off on the Thursday and get back to our home moorings before we had to get back to work. It was decided to leave the collection for another day which would give time for the snagging work to be completed - leaking skylight, fuel tank breathers, sticking doors, steering wheel binding on control desk and lots of stuff that had been promised to be sorted as well as items yet to be fitted such as tunnel lamp.