Moving from Brighton to the Med - we're off!

[jimmy_the_builder]

hi jimmy.............SORRY this is a thread drift, BUT, as you said on another thread, you waved like mad at Thanks Mum over the weekend, however it was bruv who waved back as i was trying to video powerskipper on the fawn coloured fairline...... well i just thought i,d mention it!! ... hope all goes well in the hot n sunsoaked med..spare the odd thought for us lower orders stuck here !!!! ... ENJOY.. regards steve

Aha, well, it was nice to see Thanks Mum anyway. Sadly I won't get the chance to wave like a madman at you again cos Vega has just been to sea for what should be the last time in the UK - she's being lifted day after tomorrow for final prep. Thanks for the kind words though and good luck with the video data recovery.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[mm1]

good luck

so all the very best to you &Vega in her new home,if you ever want a dose of real boating again,out of cobbs under two bridges!!keep in touch.omg second thoughts can we come too,regards mm1.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

So the boat has been lifted again this afternoon, bang on schedule. Hull polish, antifouling, and final cosmetic prep all starts tomorrow. Planned transport date continues to be a week today.

The decision to launch just for a week following the servicing work and various upgrades has proved to be very sensible. As previously posted, I had a strange problem with the fluxgate compass, which in the end was simply down to it being too close for the chosen aircon compressor installation position. Seacraft Marine had moved it, but only a few cm, and they had changed it's orientation by 90deg.

I went down to Poole on Tuesday to meet with Mark and Mark from Seacraft to borrow a spare fluxgate compass, in case the unit itself had gone defective. We also had a talk about the aircon unit, and in particular whether or not mine was noisy, or just typical for this sort of installation.

Their advice about testing it was to put it on to reverse cycle to heat the boat, and assess the noise then. So on Tuesday, that's exactly what I did. It was a bit chilly in the boat, 9c, and so I set it to heat to 24c. After an hour it had raised the temp to 18c - and then at that point, the water pump and compressor stopped, although the fan kept running.

There were no messages on the control unit display, so I left it running for 30 mins or so to see if this was normal behaviour - but no change. In due course the temp in cabin started to drop again, and by this time I needed to take the boat to sea to test my fluxgate compass changes. While in the engine room before this trip, I noticed that although the aircon water pump was not running - it was red hot to the touch.

I sent a note to Seacraft about this on Tuesday night, specifically to ask if this was normal behaviour or not. In particular, time was becoming a bit pressing because of this afternoons scheduled lift. Seacraft, to their credit, were concerned about some problem with the pump, although in general this particular model of pump is apparently considered to be quite a reliable item - and they decided to come to the boat first thing this morning to investigate.

So at 8am today they were on board, started testing, and sure enough after an hour, the same thing happened. It turned out that the pump was seizing after an hours running time. They referred the problem to Dometic, who in turn diagnosed a defective pump, and a new one will be installed on Monday. There obviously won't be any opportunity to test this in the water before the boat goes - but I'd like to think that the chances of having two defective pumps on the trot is fairly small... and if I _do_ have another problem, then poor old Seacraft will just have to drag themselves down to the SoF for a day or three to resolve the problem.

While they were on board, we took the opportunity to install a third aircon outlet, this time in the mid-cabin. It does seem like the system has plenty of air handling capacity, so although I hadn't originally planned to do this, the opportunity was there so I thought I might as well take it. As usual, the Marks applied their formidable design skills to come up with a very nice installation compromise...

The jobs list is getting smaller, although only very slightly. I suspect that we're getting to the stage where some things won't now happen.

One thing that has slipped through the net is getting the teak cleaned, which I normally do at this time of year as part of the season preparation. Given that it's going to get tramped on a lot over the next couple of weeks - would forumites who have trucked boats down advise leaving this to SoF, or getting it done here now, regardless?

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

As previously posted, I had a strange problem with the fluxgate compass, which in the end was simply down to it being too close for the chosen aircon compressor installation position. Seacraft Marine had moved it, but only a few cm, and they had changed it's orientation by 90deg.

Excellent result

While in the engine room before this trip, I noticed that although the aircon water pump was not running - it was red hot to the touch.

Mine does that occasionally but usually after a long period of inactivity. A smack with a wrench usually encourages it to get going again but I do carry a spare pump on board just in case

One thing that has slipped through the net is getting the teak cleaned, which I normally do at this time of year as part of the season preparation. Given that it's going to get tramped on a lot over the next couple of weeks - would forumites who have trucked boats down advise leaving this to SoF, or getting it done here now, regardless?

Do it in SoF. The boat will get tramped on by all sorts of people in transit, most of whom won't be too careful about where they put their oily boots

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Do it in SoF. The boat will get tramped on by all sorts of people in transit, most of whom won't be too careful about where they put their oily boots

Thought so, thanks Mike. Boat's going to want a good clean when it gets there anyway, so this will fit. I've already got enough to pack in between now and next Thursday...

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[volvopaul]

Jimmy, say hello to my good friend nigel if you see him he is on true blue the f43 behind you in the yard.

 

[Hurricane]

Good luck

I remember the time that JW left the Solent for the last time.
I'm sure she will never be back.
I wonder if that will be the same for Vega

 

[gjgm]

Jimmy
on your way then. Do you realise how unlikely it is NOW that we will meet up on the water
Look forward to hearing of weather so hot that your get to put that aircon system to the test.

 

[henryf]

Chatting to Ben in the Marina office and he says Haslar are experiencing
a huge increase in enquiries from the South of France. People wanting to get out and re-locate.

How odd

Have a safe trip and fingers crossed you enjoy warmer weather than the Cote D' Gosport.

Henry

 

[rafiki_]

Great progress Jimmee. Wishing you all the very best for the SofF.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Nearly there! We've had a very long day packing up the boat today - the end of the road is in sight. As is nearly always the way, you push hard and it all comes together at the last minute. Hull polish was completed on Monday; four guys were on the superstructure polish yesterday; antifoul (Micron 77 with trilux on the drives) was completed today. Passerelle delivered this morning. Lovely new super duper Cantilupi reading light installation completed this afternoon. The list goes on.

Tockfield in Derbyshire, one of the OE upholstery suppliers to Fairline who did all the original upholstery for the Targa 40 have made me a new coachroof sunpad, which should arrive on a before-9 courier tomorrow .... which is good, because the transporter is due at 0800, yikes. And the extremely helpful people at Solent Premier Foams supplied nice new reticulated foam for both bow and stern sunpads today.

About the only job I failed on was to organise a new microwave for the boat ... so I can see that I'm just going to have to rough it in the local restaurants for the first few weeks. Oh well

I'll post some pics of the transport load tomorrow.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[ACE]

Jimmy if you don't mind me asking what Passerelle did you go for ?

 

[MRC]

Good luck with the transport down.

My boat is being loaded on Monday should the pad be late you are welcome to throw it on mine for the trip down. (along with a microwave )

 

[MYAG]

Nearly there! ......................I'll post some pics of the transport load tomorrow.

Well done Jimmy, this thread has been a good read over the past few weeks, all the best for the move and enjoy your new playground.

 

[rafiki_]

Good luck Jimmee. I'm looking forward to the pics in your new home please.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Jimmy if you don't mind me asking what Passerelle did you go for ?

Hi T, it's the Trem 2.3m folding gangway, distributed in the UK by Aquafax. Fits perfectly into that little locker under the companionway.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Good luck with the transport down.

My boat is being loaded on Monday should the pad be late you are welcome to throw it on mine for the trip down. (along with a microwave )

Thanks for this. In fact the sunpad cover turned absolutely bang on time, and made it on to the boat. However - can I say yes please to the offer of shipping a microwave down? I'll send you a PM.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

So, finally, the boat got away yesterday afternoon. We had a last-minute hitch with a tech problem on one of the engines, and that delayed loading by a couple of hours. After this final delay, everything got underway.

This is the Coast 2 Coast lorry that will be taking Vega to her new home:

This is Nick and Nigel from RK Marine, loading up:

Ready to go:

... and away:

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[kashurst]

good luck

I did the same thing this time last year, its been great so far
don't get too excited when she arrives - triple check the props etc are bolted back on again properly before she goes back in the water.

oh yes, and try not to get stopped by the harbour master within the first 200 yards for going a bit too quick (it wasn't me honest )

 

[Nick_H]

Interesting pics. Do they just need the escort to the M27, or all the way to the port?