Not a Great End to 2014

[CX54WEK]

We have had a great year this year with Naughty-Cal however last weekend it was brought to an abrupt end by a stray piece of plastic packaging which had obliterated the oil seals in the stern drive

We were planning to take NC out of the water just after Christmas for a couple of months so all this means is she will be lifted out a bit early, in fact today is the day she is to be lifted out.

Hopefully this extended period ashore will give us the chance to get lots of little jobs done which we have been putting off. It does however mean we will be spending Christmas at home this year which will be a tad strange!

 

[TrueBlue]

There you are - shaft drives are GO.

 

[macnorton]

Had it had shafts you could have stripped off and gone for a nice hyperthermic swim to clear the prop, quite poss followed getting the twist taken out of the shaft and fitting new cutlass bearings and seals to stop the vibration and water leaks!

 

[Actionmat]

Sorry to hear that you've been the victim of someone else's rubbish. How have you managed to spend previous Christmas's on the Thames? It's been red boards for the past few years. I usually use the "I just need to go and check the ropes, love" trick, for a much needed coffee break from the in laws

 

[mlines]

She's not on the Thames, that's how she managed to spend Christmas on the boat. GH

 

[CX54WEK]

Sorry to hear that you've been the victim of someone else's rubbish. How have you managed to spend previous Christmas's on the Thames? It's been red boards for the past few years. I usually use the "I just need to go and check the ropes, love" trick, for a much needed coffee break from the in laws

We don't moor on the Thames. We moor on the Fossdyke and Witham which have been for the last few years behaving themselves over the Christmas break. We have had some great Christmas day cruises

Not this year mind. We will be at home decorating instead!!

 

[Chris_d]

Trashed both of my outdrive seals last year when I caught a 2 inch thick discarded rope around both my outdrives, stopped both engines dead.
This happened right in the middle of central London with the tide rushing in, fortunately one prop cleared and I was able to continue then raise the drives later to cut
the rope off. Very glad I wasn't on shafts that day.

Having said that though my next boat will probably have them.

 

[CX54WEK]

If this was the first time we would put it down to bad luck but it isnt and I doubt it will be the last.

CRT have been sent a very sternly worded email about the state of the river this year.

 

[boatone]

CRT have been sent a very sternly worded email about the state of the river this year.

Doubtless you will not be holding your breath?

Being serious, this sort of problem is really down to people dumping stuff and it is extremely difficult for any managing authority to stop it happening. It is a risk we take if we choose to navigate the waterways and the risk is much greater on rivers where flotsam/jetsam can be carried downstream so easily and particularly if in flood. After last winters flooding on the Thames the crud left caught up in trees when the water subsided had to be seen to be believed - in fact some of it is still there.

 

[macnorton]

Doubtless you will not be holding your breath?

Being serious, this sort of problem is really down to people dumping stuff and it is extremely difficult for any managing authority to stop it happening. It is a risk we take if we choose to navigate the waterways and the risk is much greater on rivers where flotsam/jetsam can be carried downstream so easily and particularly if in flood. After last winters flooding on the Thames the crud left caught up in trees when the water subsided had to be seen to be believed - in fact some of it is still there.

Picked up a tarporlain sheet round both props once, just downstream of where the EA was working!

 

[CX54WEK]

Doubtless you will not be holding your breath?

Being serious, this sort of problem is really down to people dumping stuff and it is extremely difficult for any managing authority to stop it happening. It is a risk we take if we choose to navigate the waterways and the risk is much greater on rivers where flotsam/jetsam can be carried downstream so easily and particularly if in flood. After last winters flooding on the Thames the crud left caught up in trees when the water subsided had to be seen to be believed - in fact some of it is still there.

No we wont be holding our breath.

This year the amount of rubbish in the water is worse than ever.

This year we have found a builders sack, duvet, blanket and now some plastic packaging.

Not happy

In fact doubly not happy as I have just ordered a new Volvo prop shaft and wiped out the bank balance

 

[Chris_d]

In fact doubly not happy as I have just ordered a new Volvo prop shaft and wiped out the bank balance

Yipes! why did you need a new prop shaft? I have the same drives and they seem unbreakable,

 

[CX54WEK]

Excess seal wear on the inner shaft.

Should have done it last time really but we put it off another year!

Yes I know you can get them repaired but having seen a friend of ours having his repaired twice due to the repair failing the first time and the cost being not too far behind a new shaft for the two repairs we have bitten the bullet and got a new one.

I will get a picture of the two together. The wear is really very bad!

 

[Chris_d]

OK not seen that really bad on mine, maybe you have lots of silt that wears it quicker or something.
Normally you just knock the seal in a bit further onto a fresh bit of shaft.

 

[CX54WEK]

OK not seen that really bad on mine, maybe you have lots of silt that wears it quicker or something.
Normally you just knock the seal in a bit further onto a fresh bit of shaft.

Only so many times you can do that!

It has deep grooves in it which we presume are from fishing line!