Wednesday 29 June 2011

A Continuation

Sorry for the absence but there seemed little point in continuing this blog as it was rapidly heading into negative territory. At last there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel I think it only fitting I restart telling my tale of woe and ho we are overcoming the problems left by our builder Ben Harp.
We left the story with us moving into Great Haywood marina at our own expense after being ordered off the Harps mooring owing to the fact that we had not been provided with a servicable craft until after the blockage at bridge 20 at Stenson had started.
During the time at the marina I went round to see Mr. Harp to see about getting the remainder of the work carried out, Despite promises on the first visit nothing happened and the second visit I got the order to fornicate elsewhere in his best anglo saxon. At least we now had it confirmed that we could not expect the contracted work to be carried out.

First job on the adjenda was to sheet down the leaky skylight and fit weather boards to the wheelhouse doors to try and stem the ingress of water which was already ruining the flooring. Ontop of that it was just a quick trim with a jig saw and router to get the control desk away from the wheel. The most seroius job was to extend the fuel tank breathers which were venting into the engine compartment.

Thats the right hand and there is the same on the left, both were extended to the outside of the wheelhouse. Even so the fact that the fittings into the tank could be rocked concerned me. That done hanging rail installed in the wardrobe and mirrors fitted into the bathroom cabinet for comfort. ( Yep he hadn't even done that - if you look at the pictures of Trudy Ann on the Ben Harp web site you will see pictures of the sink but not the cabinet over it because he never finished it!!!) Oops geting negative again.


Anyway once the waterway was open again we had a very pleasent cruse back to Pillings marina. This turned out to be a bit of a shake down cruise because a few things shook off. The bow thruster worked when it felt like it, water came up past the rudder post, catches fell off cupboard doors and the batroom sink lifted up when you operated the plug.


That brings us up to the end of April 2010 and back at our home mooring with the resolve to get a profesional examination of the boat for our own peace of mind.


That'll do for now - plenty to catch up yet.