On Monday, 16th August 2021, SONFLOWER had her overdue Boat Safety Scheme examination. I was prepared. I had installed a new CO alarm and written the date of installation on the back; fixed down the batteries so they could not move in any direction; replaced the battery covers; checked that the stops were screwed into the window reveal so that the kitchen window could not close the last inch; refitted and cleared out the vent holes from the fridge exhaust; sealed up the bilge pump electical connectors with self amalgamating tape (effectively IP57) as they might get dislodged into the sump. She was ready.
There was a small gas leak from the test point on the Morco water heater. There was no fibre washer fitted to the screw during manufacture. The test point has never been used by us. With no spare washer readily available, PTFE tape (the yellow coded gas safe variety) was used to make a replacement and all was well. A PASS. Well done SONFLOWER.
Our "overstay" period completed, I decided to leave Cambrian Wharf for Alvechurch to complete another link in the journey to Worcester. We need to be there on Friday 27th August or the day before ready for the IWA Festival of Water. I set off at about 11.00 and had fair weather apart from a few spots of rain. I decided to stop in Selly Oak, on the moorings just south of Sainsbury's Supermarket, so that I could purchase a sandwich for lunch on the tiller. The moorings were empty so no-one to meet. In fact it was all a bit deserted.
After setting off again it was a very nice cruise until I approached Wast Hill Tunnel. This was not a problem either. I followed another narrowboat that was about half way through when I entered and there was no oncoming traffic to contend with. I made good progress and found the tunnel reasonably dry.
After the tunnel I started to meet oncoming traffic and in particular hire boaters setting out from the large hire base at Alvechurch Boat Centre. The first was cutting a bend to his port side. There was no way I could pass to his port side and by putting the engine into reverse he made it impossible to get out of my way and the bow swung across my course. I went into full reverse and stopped short of a collision. I advised the steerer never to cut bends. He will be aground next! The next incident was at a bridge hole on a bend. As I approached a hire boat emerged. I reversed and retreated to allow him to pass but he reversed his engine as well, losing steerage and ending up stemmed to the bank on the outside of the bend. The next was a weaving hire boat. I assumed that the steerer had just taken over and was not used to steering the "opposite way" but a moored onlooker assured me they had been similarly weaving the day before! Next I came across a day boat on which it appeared the crew were being instructed in the art of using a winding hole to turn. It was a short boat but they managed to stem it up on the far bank rather than introduce the boat into the hole itself. I crept through behind them with a gentle toot and left them to it. The next was at another bridge hole on a bend, this time the steerer was accompanied by boatyard staff, hooted his horn to let me know he was coming and we passed without incident. I thanked them for letting me know they were there!
I was by then almost in Alvechurch and started to look for a mooring. However, when I enquired of the staff on the boatyard wharf where a 14 day mooring might be they scratched their heads and replied that ALL the moorings in Alvechurch were 48 hours. Needing to leave Sonflower for longer than that, I slowed to a dawdle as I passed the marina and I was glad to have done so. The bilge pump started to discharge and I noticed that there was a little oil in the water. Where did that come from? I thought. The pump carried on at full bore and I was now very concerned. Either I had split a coolant line and swamped the engine bilge or water was coming from elsewhere. I stopped the engine and lifted the engine bay cover to find water half way up the Gearbox and the weed hatch two thirds off. The strongback was on the deck. There was water everywhere. John of Alvechurch Boat Centres saw my plight. He told me to get the boat over to the wharfe if I could. I poled it some of the way and then checked the level had been reduced well enough by the bilge pump, replaced the weed hatch cover and tried the engine. Thankfully she started. I am so glad I waterproofed the bilge pump power supply!
John was joined by Ian and they pulled the boat round to a pump out point that could take oily waste where they dealt with the water and a small surface film of engine oil in the engine oily bund. The boat floated up into its usual trim. I made arrangeents for a short term berth, started her up and moored her. She will rest be there for about a week.
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