However, while getting my hands dirty under the engine, I decided I should also bleed our oil-filled stern tube. This is what allows the propeller shaft to run from inside the boat to outside the boat without letting any water in. It's basically a tube filled with oil with oil seals ...
My original plan was to arrive at Watford, a couple of days (canal time) north of London, just before Rianne, Cohen, and Ayden arrived in order to scope out the good mooring locations, access to the shops, and the best route to Heathrow. Having said that, the main reason was to figu...
I feel instinctively that I shall have trouble here, and that I had better haul off a lee shore whilst there is manoeuvring room, and yet–and yet I secretly rejoice that every revolution of the propeller, every clank and rattle of the Diesels brings us closer together. [Footnote 1: ...
There were times when the rough conditions tempted me to take the easy way and turn around and run with the wind to stop the endless brutal banging into the waves caused by the necessary hard driving, but the easy way out seldom leads to success and I already had one failed start behind...
He explained about the basic mechanical checks we needed to do each morning and how to grease the stern gland each evening, and how to clear the propeller, if necessary. Then it was time to depart - gulp! Kevin accompanied us to the first lock, about 10 minutes north of Linslade, so ...