The Start of our 2022 season
Hello again. Here we are, back on board Hunters Moon hoping for a smooth cruising season.
However, despite Sid doing several trips up to Fenny Marina to do various bits of maintenance and fitting a further solar panel during the winter our season has not started quite as we had hoped.
We had a visit to Fenny during the last weekend of April to install a new, super dooper MPPT solar panel controller, which all went well and Sid was a very happy bunny. However, that very evening when turning on some cabin lights we found that none of the saloon or kitchen lights were working! Much scratching of heads took place whilst Sid began to search for the cause of this electric failure. Fortunately, the lights in the bed cabin and heads were OK as was the rest of the 12 volt system. Very odd! A call through to good friend and narrowboat genius, Dave Staines, helped Sid with some possible solutions. Darkness was closing in so it was decided to sleep on it.
Further investigations took place on Sunday morning, wires traced, cupboards emptied, in order to take parts of the roof lining down to track wires, checking and re checking connectors. All to no avail. The problem must be well hidden. We decided to go home and return with fresh minds and the right tools the following week.
So, we return on the May Bank Holiday weekend to firstly, sort the lighting problem and then to get off cruising for a couple of weeks! We have a saying that 'our plans are what makes God laugh'. That is certainly the case here. Sid eventually located the area where the wiring fault was and luckily only had to take a small portion of ceiling down.
So, boat back in order, full lighting restored, a good nights sleep then off in the morning. Well, that's what we hoped. Firstly, the heating should have come on at 7.30, which usually acts as our on board alarm clock but it didn't. Another problem. Breakfast first then the troubleshooting. Heating sorted then next start the engine. Guess what - flat starter battery, which was a bit surprising because it was only 17 years old! Battery replaced and engine starting OK now.
Hopefully all is now sorted and we can get cruising.
Tuesday 3rd May
Well, the saga goes on. Our plan to head out of the Marina on Tuesday morning was thwarted once again when we, yet again, failed to hear the heater kick in, which indicated a problem with our domestic batteries! This is all getting a bit tiresome. Sid spent the day trying to isolate the problem and investigating where we can get replacements, if necessary. So we still haven't moved.
However, the boat has been washed - Hunters Moon must be on the birds flight path - Jenny has washed all the crochet work and we have had a reprovision at Waitrose. So have been busy.
Tomorrow is another day.
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