At last

Mark26

Mark26

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17 Nov 2017
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377
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Penton Hook
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The weather forecast (06.03.22) is for full sun for the next three days, 7th, 8th, and 9th March.

About time.

Last week was lousy, with wall to wall gray and constant light rain.

As of the 6th, downstream of Windsor is on yellow decreasing boards; with a bit of luck we should start to see some white boards very soon, hopefully in the next 24hrs, just in time for the start of the sunshine on Monday.

Hopefully I can get out for a few days?
 
Is Romney closed ? Went though in February and the keeper told me it was going to be closed until end of March.

Also Cookham and Penton until end of March apparently.

Have a nice time boating.
 
Crossed the Thames via bridges several times yesterday, it all looked very full , mucky, murky and fast.


"The eyes take on a certain gaze
And leave behind the springtime days
Go looking for the summer"

Chris Rea.
 
Last edited:
Outinthedinghy said:
Is Romney closed ? Went though in February and the keeper told me it was going to be closed until end of March.

Also Cookham and Penton until end of March apparently.

Have a nice time boating.
Click to expand...
Romney is on the winter closure list from 21/02 to 31/03 but I haven’t been up there to see if it’s actually happening.
 
Mark26 said:
Romney is on the winter closure list from 21/02 to 31/03 but I haven’t been up there to see if it’s actually happening.
Click to expand...
Romney on Twitter shows the timbers in the lock have been replaced and they now have some more work to do. Penton and Romney still listed as closed until end of March. Won’t be out for a couple of weeks but planning on Hampton Court towards end of March if conditions allow.
 
Made it out to Laleham and whilst it was a bit breezy this morning it is nice and calm down here with warm sunshine.

Just us and Winifred here at the moment and the river is not too high or fast but coming down all the time.

Flying the Ukraine flag in support!
 
Sadly I still didn’t manage to get out, due to family and time issues, although I was on board Sunday afternoon to check her over and will be again tomorrow.

I have a mysterious antifreeze leak which I need to fix.

My antifreeze leak has been going on for a few years and I haven’t managed to find the source. It doesn’t leak a drop all summer or autumn, it only leaks when the temperature falls below 5C.

My diagnosis is there must be a join, possibly between dissimilar metals, where one side is contracting when cold allowing the leak. I’ve been all over the engine and hoses checking all nuts, clips etc are tight and have run fingers and tissue paper over every join and gasket but have found nothing.

I did it this winter when it started leaking around late November when the temperature dropped, and found nothing.
And I did it the winter before and found nothing.
And the winter before that.

I have pumped many litres - I’d guess maybe 10 litres in total over a few years out of the bilges which are otherwise completely dry. It’s definitely antifreeze, and yet the strange thing is I’ve never had to top it up! The coolant temperature continues to be normal and the coolant reservoir is ok. It’s gone down a little, but nothing like the amount I’ve pumped out.

I’ve decided the antifreeze I’m pumping out looks rather thin, suggesting I may be leaking antifreeze and water separately which are mixing in the bilge. This points me towards the join between the coolant pipes and the calorifier. I have felt around them for wetness before, but it occurred to me that I’ve never actually put a spanner on them to see if they will pinch up, and it could explain both fresh water and a little antifreeze to colour it.

Hence I shall be hanging upside down with spanner in hand tomorrow.

Its not a major problem, in fact not a problem at all during the season as it doesn’t leak a drop from March to October, barring the odd very cold night, but I’d be very happy to cure it once snd for all.
 
Well that failed.
Four years I’ve been trying to find the source of this leak and work out why I’m lifting lots of antifreeze mixture from the bilges whilst not having to top it up.
I’ve still drawn a blank.
I’ve been over every inch of the engine and traced all coolant pipes and water pipes and can’t find any sign of seepage yet still I get puddles under the engine every winter.

The puddle forms under the engine and is retrained there by a hull stringer. It’s not from the calorifier as that sits over a different hull section and any water coming from it would fall and sit in a different place. The same is true of my stern gland, which is a Volvo drippless type and doesn’t leak, and it I’d did any leaks would fall in a different place and be retained there.

I’m getting antifreeze puddles under the engine, which can only come from the engine, which only happens when the temperature is below 5C, doesn’t leak a drop all summer, and the antifreeze has never, in four years, needed topping up in spite of me removing 2 litre puddles of it twice a year for 4 years.

I remain perplexed, but unworried.
 
I did Tedd to Richmond and back today just to get out. Blowing a gale and running like a train but was good to get out !
 
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