david_steward
New member
At last we have got our new (for us) boat. A Princess 46 Riviera of 1992 vintage sold to us by Essex Boatyards. But the weekend has not been entirely without incident.
We have been waiting to get the boat for ages as we have had to have a new propeller made and some engine work, all paid for by the dealer. But finally all was ready for last Friday.
The plan was to sail our Fairline Turbo 36 from Ramsgate across the Thames Estuary to Essex Marina on the River Crouch. This involves quite a long dogleg via Sunk Sands Beacon, which is miles from anywhere and no place to be messing about at the end of November.
Then we would swop over to the new boat, motor across the river to Burnham Yacht Harbour, for the night and return to Ramsgate Saturday. The forecast was good so we were off.
Or rather not coz the Fairline threw a sulk and blocked a fuel filter while still in Ramsgate. I still had one spare on board but most of my tools were removed and already on the Princess. Cue some awkward questions from Sarah.
After borrowing a spanner we were off.
Nearing the River Crouch I had a call from Essex Boatyards to say that the boat had been damaged by trees during road transit from them to Essex Marina. Result both VHF aerials snapped, anchor light and steaming light wrecked, and some bent stainless on the radar arch. Don't worry they said, we will pay for everything. Too right, I thought.
We got to Essex Marina to find the boat in a right state, it was absolutely filthy, covered in bits of tree and oily muddy footprints. More phone calls, more apologies.
So we swopped over and motored to Burnham. I will just plug in the shore power. No I won't coz the lead has gone missing from the boat, it was there Wednesday, coz I used it. More phone calls.Are you sure its not on the boat? Yes I bloody am !
To the dealer's credit they sent over a man via road and river with a spare lead, a pity it didn't fit though. While we waited we tried our hand at cleaning off the footprints with limited success.
Its now dark and we still have no shore power, so I decided to start the gennie. Or not coz the bloody thing won't start !!!!
Not much chance with it as there is no manual on board.
At last I managed to cobble up a shore connection using a extension lead and a domestic plug. It it safe? Asked Sarah.
Er sort of. Who needs an RCD anyway?
Morning dawned and things started to look a bit better. I fitted some new air filters, we put up the new full length canopy, and the man returned by car and boat with the correct shore power lead.
We sent of from Burnham expectantly. Sea flat, Sun shining, 22 kts at 2000 rpm.
Then we got to Sunk. Cough cough splutter, smoke. The Port lump is very unhappy indeed. Open the hatch to find 2 feet of water and a vigorous jet of yet more water from the port lump adding to the new ensuite engine room swimming pool.
Off with engine, on with bilge. What no float switch? Stuck shut. After an age, with questions like 'Are you sure its dropping?' The bilge is empty and we carry on on one engine.
Now making 14 kts at 2000rpm on Starboard only.
Much later we arrive in Ramsgate and finally manage to tie up using one lump and the bowthruster. The Pub now beckons.
Further investigations next morning reveal a leak from an O ring on top of the heat exchanger. The float switch is unclogged and I take a look at the air filters as the smoke etc from the port engine is worrying me.
Turns out the water spray has soaked the airfilters, plugging them. The filters then collapsed and the engine tried to eat one of them. No damage though. So those new airfilters lasted a good 2 hours.
More calls to Essex Boatyards and they are sorting everything without question. Fair play to them. They have been very helpful throughout the whole process.
Also respect to C&O Engineering for the new prop on time and on budget.
Double respect to Select Design for the superb new canopy, on budget, and all done within three weeks when most firms wanted double the price and no chance till next year.
Thanks to all those who offered help and assistance with the delivery, you know who you are and sadly I haven't managed to reply to you all.
Next stop is Xmas in St Kats, Yippee.
We don't want a sports cruiser, totally impractical. Err ok then.
Dave S
We have been waiting to get the boat for ages as we have had to have a new propeller made and some engine work, all paid for by the dealer. But finally all was ready for last Friday.
The plan was to sail our Fairline Turbo 36 from Ramsgate across the Thames Estuary to Essex Marina on the River Crouch. This involves quite a long dogleg via Sunk Sands Beacon, which is miles from anywhere and no place to be messing about at the end of November.
Then we would swop over to the new boat, motor across the river to Burnham Yacht Harbour, for the night and return to Ramsgate Saturday. The forecast was good so we were off.
Or rather not coz the Fairline threw a sulk and blocked a fuel filter while still in Ramsgate. I still had one spare on board but most of my tools were removed and already on the Princess. Cue some awkward questions from Sarah.
After borrowing a spanner we were off.
Nearing the River Crouch I had a call from Essex Boatyards to say that the boat had been damaged by trees during road transit from them to Essex Marina. Result both VHF aerials snapped, anchor light and steaming light wrecked, and some bent stainless on the radar arch. Don't worry they said, we will pay for everything. Too right, I thought.
We got to Essex Marina to find the boat in a right state, it was absolutely filthy, covered in bits of tree and oily muddy footprints. More phone calls, more apologies.
So we swopped over and motored to Burnham. I will just plug in the shore power. No I won't coz the lead has gone missing from the boat, it was there Wednesday, coz I used it. More phone calls.Are you sure its not on the boat? Yes I bloody am !
To the dealer's credit they sent over a man via road and river with a spare lead, a pity it didn't fit though. While we waited we tried our hand at cleaning off the footprints with limited success.
Its now dark and we still have no shore power, so I decided to start the gennie. Or not coz the bloody thing won't start !!!!
Not much chance with it as there is no manual on board.
At last I managed to cobble up a shore connection using a extension lead and a domestic plug. It it safe? Asked Sarah.
Er sort of. Who needs an RCD anyway?
Morning dawned and things started to look a bit better. I fitted some new air filters, we put up the new full length canopy, and the man returned by car and boat with the correct shore power lead.
We sent of from Burnham expectantly. Sea flat, Sun shining, 22 kts at 2000 rpm.
Then we got to Sunk. Cough cough splutter, smoke. The Port lump is very unhappy indeed. Open the hatch to find 2 feet of water and a vigorous jet of yet more water from the port lump adding to the new ensuite engine room swimming pool.
Off with engine, on with bilge. What no float switch? Stuck shut. After an age, with questions like 'Are you sure its dropping?' The bilge is empty and we carry on on one engine.
Now making 14 kts at 2000rpm on Starboard only.
Much later we arrive in Ramsgate and finally manage to tie up using one lump and the bowthruster. The Pub now beckons.
Further investigations next morning reveal a leak from an O ring on top of the heat exchanger. The float switch is unclogged and I take a look at the air filters as the smoke etc from the port engine is worrying me.
Turns out the water spray has soaked the airfilters, plugging them. The filters then collapsed and the engine tried to eat one of them. No damage though. So those new airfilters lasted a good 2 hours.
More calls to Essex Boatyards and they are sorting everything without question. Fair play to them. They have been very helpful throughout the whole process.
Also respect to C&O Engineering for the new prop on time and on budget.
Double respect to Select Design for the superb new canopy, on budget, and all done within three weeks when most firms wanted double the price and no chance till next year.
Thanks to all those who offered help and assistance with the delivery, you know who you are and sadly I haven't managed to reply to you all.
Next stop is Xmas in St Kats, Yippee.
We don't want a sports cruiser, totally impractical. Err ok then.
Dave S
