BarryH
Well-Known Member
So we're mostly tied to and internal cumbustion engine of one sort or another for motive power. Its sods law that the thing that pushes you through the water will let you down at some stage.
So bearing in mind that most will carry the basic spares kit theres always going to be an occasion where thats going to be rudundant. So what bodges have you used to get yourself home.
In the past I've used a manual bilge pump to pump cooling water, well the wife did and she got some well developed biceps from it!
A beer can bubble gum and jubilee clips to seal a cracked copper pipe.
Gaffer tape......I should have shares in the stuff!
One I don't want to admit to, but I cleaned clogged diesel filters in petrol and reused them. There were no spares on board.
And one that I really shouldn't admit to. I mixed parrafin and two stroke petrol mix to get me home after I run out of petrol. Engine was a bit smokey for a bit!
I used orange drink for the kids to top up the cooling system on one of the hottest days of last year. The kids moaned all the way back thru the harbour.
Its a learning curve. My spares kit has got bigger by the year. Some people laugh at me for carrying so much when we mainly coast hop. Yet in the event of a breakdown I sure that I can get the thing running again within a short period of time. Its even got to the stage where I keep a spare engine in the workshop at home. The summers are short enough as it is and I don't want to be left without a boat for too long.
So go on admit it. What bodges have you used to get you back to your berth?
So bearing in mind that most will carry the basic spares kit theres always going to be an occasion where thats going to be rudundant. So what bodges have you used to get yourself home.
In the past I've used a manual bilge pump to pump cooling water, well the wife did and she got some well developed biceps from it!
A beer can bubble gum and jubilee clips to seal a cracked copper pipe.
Gaffer tape......I should have shares in the stuff!
One I don't want to admit to, but I cleaned clogged diesel filters in petrol and reused them. There were no spares on board.
And one that I really shouldn't admit to. I mixed parrafin and two stroke petrol mix to get me home after I run out of petrol. Engine was a bit smokey for a bit!
I used orange drink for the kids to top up the cooling system on one of the hottest days of last year. The kids moaned all the way back thru the harbour.
Its a learning curve. My spares kit has got bigger by the year. Some people laugh at me for carrying so much when we mainly coast hop. Yet in the event of a breakdown I sure that I can get the thing running again within a short period of time. Its even got to the stage where I keep a spare engine in the workshop at home. The summers are short enough as it is and I don't want to be left without a boat for too long.
So go on admit it. What bodges have you used to get you back to your berth?
