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Post by pilgrim17 on Oct 10, 2017 13:53:56 GMT 1
WE ARE NOT AMUSED! After going down & checking and running the boat on Saturday morning, & getting £13.50 worth of bait, & buying sausage rolls, pies, milk, coffee (yes it doesn't fall out of the sky) on the way home, I get a text from Trevor (at 3.30pm) telling me that he has received a cancellation from 2 of the 4 booked on anglers, saying that they had to cancel "because they got the dates wrong, & they had an important darts tournament on Sunday"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The one remaining angler is not well enough, or fit enough, to act as crew in an emergency & so I had no option but to cancel the trip. This did not please the remaining angler who had also bought bait, but I wont take the boat out with 2 on board, unless the 2nd person is a capable crewman. I shall be taking this to committee next week, & looking for reimbursement for 50% of the cost of the food purchased, & 50% of the cost of the bait I bought, along with the £10 donation payable for the day. If they impose this maybe it will deter people from crying off after others have been but to trouble & expense to prepare the trip! On checking the club rules it clearly states that "people who have registered for a trip & wish to cancel, must do so at least 48 hrs before the arranged trip, failure to do this will result in a donation fine of at least £10" So maybe an £18 fine will teach people to check their calendars before booking in future!
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Post by pilgrim17 on Nov 22, 2017 13:11:51 GMT 1
It's been a while since I last posted on here, mainly because there hasn't been much in the way of good news to report. A series of minor problems have kept me busy, a split hydraulic hose on the steering, & split plastic pipe from the engine to the oil pressure gauge, a snapped fan belt, all minor problems when you are on the berth, but not when you are on the Green Grounds Even when all is going well the fishing is inconsistent, 3 weeks ago we had a good day on the whiting with everybody having a really good feed to take home, then the next 2 trips we struggled for anything big enough to keep. Lots of small whiting & dabs with only a few of keeper size, then we went out on Sunday firstly to Mumbles to look for dabs on the ebb, & then out onto the Green Grounds for whiting. From the first drop down we were into the "Jumbo's", lots around 1.5lb some bigger, the biggest of the day being over 3lb, lets hope they hang around for a while & that we have some good weather to get out to them. For you Huw Jones this is the best of the day so you can see what you are missing
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Post by pilgrim17 on Nov 23, 2017 18:27:18 GMT 1
Needed to do a couple of little jobs to keep the TLC going, I tightened the recently fitted fan belt because it had stretched a bit, & I also swapped the anchor rope. The rope I had fitted was an abseiling rope (it's origins would alarm Donald Trump ), but it is a stiff rope & it was skidding on the winch drum when the rope was vertical, & I had to rely on help from one or more of the anglers on board to break the anchor out, this soft rope should grip the drum & come up easily. I also pumped out the anchor locker which holds about 20 litres of rainwater, & the well in the bow that housed the davit brackets holds about the same. The combined weight of water would be about 80lb in the bow, which I wish was in the stern to keep the prop down I bought a couple of galvanised buckets the other week, (not for swabbing the decks me hearties), but for using as stabilisers, when somebody passes us when we are at anchor, their bow wave & wake set us of rocking & rolling & it takes ages for the rocking to stop, so when the lifeboat launched last week & passed quite close I threw both the galv buckets (attached with about 8ft of rope from cleats) over the side & waited for the "dancing" to start. Well we certainly had some, but nowhere near as much as we were used to, & it settled down quicker too, so I think we can call that a limited success. I intend to start fabricating the new wheelhouse soon, but when the weather is good enough to travel to Three Crosses where the workshop is by scooter, it is usually good enough to go fishing Murphy's Law I think they call it. Looking at the weather for the next few days looks like it wont be good Belle weather for a while, so maybe I can make a start if its only to check the machinery is in working order, that they start, & blades are sharp. belts are tight, guards are in place etc
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Post by pilgrim17 on Nov 24, 2017 17:15:26 GMT 1
Today I went to check out the workshop I will using to construct the new wheelhouse & as expected, well done Colin its a tip everything I need is in there (somewhere) its just a matter of finding it, & seeing if it still works Also had a better look at the timber I will be using it is REALLY good 6" x 1.125" air dried larch & western red cedar, with 2" x 2" Pacific Redwood batons to secure the planks, its going to be the "bees knees" when its finished. Not sure yet how to finish it, whether to give it several coats of Clear Cuprinol & then white undercoat & gloss, or whether to finish it with Sadolin in something like Light Oak or Teak, time to decide that when its finished. Today would have been a good day for fishing but I was mindful of the last few days of high wind which will have left a residual swell, plus the BBC & XC varied in their forecast so I erred on the sign of caution, I didn't want to be stuck off the pier all day catching pin whiting & undersized dabs, & bearing the brunt of mutterings from the punters So I will leave it until next Friday when the wind is not EXACTLY to my liking but at least the days before it are forecast to be northerly which shouldn't create a swell (the best made plans lol) Today I also picked up a selection of hardwood flooring offcuts which I will sand & wax, to demonstrate in my chat (From Felling to Selling) the high quality hardwood products that have value added to them & that can come from properly managed small local woodlands creating local jobs & incomes. I sometimes wonder where I get the time from???
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 2, 2017 20:15:19 GMT 1
Well after much "tooing & froing" we eventually managed to get out this morning (Saturday 02/12) at about 0830 & plodded our way out to the Green Grounds. There were only 3 of us on board, because I had to postpone from yesterday (when I had 6 plus a reserve) because of the forecast. People either couldn't change their arrangements (or they were sulking because I postponed from yesterday). Anyway we had a very good day on the whiting, LOTS of fish from 1lb to 2lb but no real Jumbo's today, we also had a few dabs, a couple of pouting & of course dogs but not a huge amount. Trouble free day mechanically & electrically which is always nice to have, & the locks were quiet seeing as the weather was so good? Maybe everybody was Xmas shopping? Saw the Oystercat out doing either skipper or crew training, but we already have a fully trained crew on Mumbles Belle ME! I am also skipper, engineer, carpenter, painter, navigator, cook & general dogsbody & medic We came in early because it was one of the anglers anniversary & he was under the pain of death if he didn't get home in time to take his wife out? (Mine doesn't expect me to remember ours let alone celebrate it lol) Looking at the forecast for next week for a suitable day, must strike while the iron is hot.
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 8, 2017 18:57:54 GMT 1
Not a lot to report, I went down to check over the boat today to make sure bilge pumps are working etc, & give the engine a run etc. I noticed that somebody had moved the stuff stored on the pontoon & put it in the boat, so I checked the other pontoons & found circular marks on the pontoons where somebody has come around with a revolving brush to clean the deck boards. However once again none of the other boats "pontoon storage items" were moved onto the respective boats only ours? (as if the fact that it is club owned, makes it acceptable for the marina staff to treat it, & us, as second class citizens ). I gave the engine a short run to boost the batteries, manually switched on the bilge pumps, & collected the crockery to bring home to wash (much to my wife's displeasure ) I have cancelled Sunday's proposed trip because of a poor forecast & reposted for next Tuesday (12th) which looks possible if only across in the moorings it will produce whiting & dabs maybe even codling. I gave yet another talk down the club last night on the felling & processing & sale of timber (some people were actually interested ) most were surprised at just how much softwood we consume in UK in a year, last year we consumed 11,800,000 tons of it, & 763,000 tons of hardwood, 90% of both is imported "Not a lot of people know that" Will be making a start on the new wheelhouse at the weekend & hopefully it will be fabricated & ready to be installed by the spring of next year. I noticed on Facebook today that there were a couple of turbo's for sale, I wonder if one would fit on a 3 cylinder Lister?
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 12, 2017 17:27:43 GMT 1
THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS PERSIST! With the full intention of going out today, I went down yesterday & checked just about everything possible, just to be sure I ran the engine for about 20mins just to make sure the batteries were topped up, & when I left everything was "Bristol Fashion". I decided to leave the isolator switches on last night, because they are arkward to get at (especially at my age), everything was switched off (except the automatic bilge pumps which are independent anyway). This morning I went to start the engine & not a flicker from it, not even a click as the starter engaged, by using a spare battery I got the engine running, & the batteries back on charge, but I still have no idea what is leaking power when the isolators are left on? & enough to drain 2 x 74ahc batteries at that??? I was under the impression that the isolators prevented, power leakage not encouraged it. I really have no idea what an isolator does, but I assume from the name that it isolates the power when it is turned off? This is not the case with Mumbles Belle & despite paying some hefty money to a so called "expert" we still have electrical problems. The answer is to make sure they are switched off every time after use, & I will see if I can mount them somewhere more easily accessible, so that I don't have to squeeze between the back of the engine box & the fuel tank to switch them on & off. Sorry anglers but contrary to some opinions I do not have a death wish, & I wont take a chance on being stuck out in the Bay having to rely on somebody else, or the emergency services to pull us back in. There will be other days.
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 16, 2017 20:43:01 GMT 1
Having been really disenchanted with Mumbles Belle after last Tuesday's fiasco I haven't been near it this week, but with Monday's forecast being very good I thought that I would go down & confirm that the electrical problems would prevent me taking it out! Well I turned the isolators back on & gave the igniktion switch a turn expecting to hear click, click, & little else, but surprise, surprise, after a little cough the engine spluttered into life, the rev counter shot up, & the voltmeter went up to 13.4v & stayed there & everything else worked as normal. I scattered salt over the pontoon & the deck boards & over the seat where we get on board, & fished a big log out of the water which was near our stern ( & there was a very large bra wrapped around it?? ) filled the water container & made myself a cup of coffee, & did several other jobs around the boat while the engine rattled away at ~ 1200rpm & the voltmeter remained steady at 13.4v. I had a quick peep under the engine cover & all looked fine, fan belt was turning without deflection so to all intents & purposes she is ready to go again. I will nip down again tomorrow & connect up a battery charger to each battery & leave them charging overnight to make sure all is well for Monday. Reports are that there are plenty of 2lb whiting about outside the SWIGG, & lots of good dabs just outside the Mumbles moorings, & that fillets of sprat is the best bait for both, so I look forward to Monday, but I really need an "able bodied" angler along just in case of emergency.
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 17, 2017 16:39:59 GMT 1
Well that fell flat on its face! Only John Jones (Father Xmas) was interested in going, & as nice a guy as he is, he would be about as much use as a glass eye in a crisis of any kind Looking at the weather today it is hard to imagine that tomorrows forecast is sunny & practically windless? I will take advantage of the dry day by heading up to the workshop & sort through the boards for the new wheelhouse & put them ready for machining, the straightest ones can go through the planer/thicknesser in their default length (wheelhouse height) & any with any sweep in them can be cut for the shorter lengths required below & above the windows etc. I am looking forward to doing the project, the only drawback is the distance between where I live, & Cilonnen where the workshop is, especially on a scooter when its raining or icy
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 22, 2017 21:31:45 GMT 1
The electrics continue to be a problem on Mumbles Belle, since we had the starter motor changed to one without a solenoid there has been a continuing problem with the ignition warning light not working, the rev counter being reluctant to work, & a power "leak" if the isolators are left switched on (although there is nothing actually working) that drains the batteries down to a level that they wont start the engine. The automatic bilge pumps are wired independently of the isolators, & they run when the isolators are switched on or not, likewise the cigarette lighter is permanently "live", for charging mobile phones, running the back-up Navionics Tablet, powering the radio for "Sunday Love Songs! etc but nothing is ever left plugged into it when there is nobody aboard, & the engine isn't running. The common denominator is the starter motor/alternator wiring, since they have been changed, & the terminals were different to the originals, I am pretty sure that the many wires that go to & from them both have been wrongly connected. Trevor is coming down next Wednesday to do a detailed testing of the electrical fields to find out what is going where, & what isn't going anywhere! I am tempted to hit the committee with a request to throw out the 2 battery system, & the split charge diode system (which is an accident waiting to happen apparently) & replace it with a 110ahc deep cycle leisure battery wired directly to the starter motor "a la transit van" wiring. All the auxillary stuff such as lights, instrument power, etc can be connected via the existing fuse board, & the spaghetti wiring in the engine compartment can be binned!
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 27, 2017 16:36:04 GMT 1
Poor old Trevor! He came down to Mumbles Belle having never been on it before, & was underwhelmed by the size of the wheelhouse, & overwhelmed by the complexity of the wiring system & not being a skipper for some years, he froze to death Armed with meters & gauges he tested this that & the other, & like all other "Sparky's" asked me questions I didn't understand & was generally confused as to what wire went where (& I couldn't help). I think those who did the wiring conversion did it with 3 spools of cable, red, brown, black, so apart from the remaining original wiring, everything is red, brown, black, & every instrument & switch & gauge, has either a red & black, or red black brown wire going into a massive bundle behind the dashboard, & God only knows what comes out where, take your pick of which red, black, or brown you like! Maybe we should buy a few rolls of different coloured cable & run them from where they should be, to where they should end up, disconnect the default red , black brown & leave them either disconnected, or remove them one by one as they become redundant (it works in car looms) Meanwhile Mumbles Belle is moored up going nowhere & doing nothing, & missing the opportunities to do what she does best, whiting & dab fishing in the winter, because I wont take it out using the run out as a battery charging exercise, only to find out when we want to come back that it wont start. Despite some members opinions, I do not have a death wish Lets hope tomorrow the "bits & bobs" we need to properly excite the alternator will work, & that normal service will return ASAP.
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 30, 2017 22:01:05 GMT 1
2017 was not a good year mechanically! Mumbles Belle threw all sorts of mechanical bricks at me during the year, mainly with the charging, which has not been right since we had the new starter motor fitted, which had different terminals to the original one, which meant "a by-pass from here to here will sort that out ok" snip, snip, crimp, crimp, "Done no problem, make a noise like £350, byeeeeeeee". I had no rev counter, no ignition warning light, no emergency start button, no hours run clock, the alternator was acting as a conductor to empty the batteries when the engine wasn't running, in fact very little worked PROPERLY, but we never had any safety issues, just annoying things that were solvable with a little thought, plus I always carry back up in terms of navigation (Tablet with Navionics navigation charts application, Sonarphone which acts like a fishfinder only with greater detail, & hand held VHF, a Smartphone, a spare anchor with warp & chain & a spare, spare anchor, also with warp & chain, & a spare fully charged battery "just in case") Last week our secretary came down to look at the charging problems bringing meters & gauges & wires etc & he checked just about everything electrical in the engine bay & behind the dashoard, & it resulted in my charging light coming back on & working properly, my rev counter working again, my voltmeter now reading 13.6V which is what would be expected that far away from the alternator, & 14.6V going to the batteries, I am quite happy with the result but Trevor isn't & he is going to do some more snooping to find out what a couple of wires on the alternator are supposed to do, I shall leave him to it To round off my poor mechanical year I went to the marina to meet Trevor & managed to negotiate the icy conditions as far as the mini roundabout outside the hotel by the marina. There me & my scooter parted company, & it dumped me on the roundabout & carried on down the road. When I picked myself & the bike up the wheel was at a crazy angle out of the side, it turns out to be the swinging arm bracket at fault, the weld had given way & I don't know whether it was the skid that caused the damage, or the damage that caused the skid, but it has been forced back into its original shape & it is going to be rewelded & REINFORCED tomorrow, I have no wish to go sliding on my ass again this winter Once the welding has been done & the arm refitted onto the engine, I will put the engine back in my scooter (Oh yes did I forget to say that I had to take the engine out to get the arm off) 2017 cant end quick enough for me
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Post by pilgrim17 on Dec 31, 2017 19:22:27 GMT 1
Happy New Year to all, unfortunately 2018 has started the way 2017 left off, but the problems are with my scooter not the boat, but with A I cant down to B Seeing as its New Year I cant get a response online to get the parts I need so the sooner we get back to normal the better! Apparently Trevor has had some thoughts on the wiring on Belle & wants to examine the alternator wiring again for some reason, so I will let him carry on lol. Also without the scooter working I cant get down to the workshop to work on the new wheelhouse, so the quicker these Chinese get back to work & send me my parts the better! Hopefully I will get the scooter fixed before the next spell of settled weather arrives, I always feel more optimistic about cod on the first spring tides after Xmas, & I would hate for the "opposition" to catch when we don't Tight Lines to all for 2018
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Post by pilgrim17 on Jan 2, 2018 20:20:38 GMT 1
Things are slowly improving, the Chinese spares people have said that my bushes have been sent by 1st class post (knowing Royal Mail they will probably arrive next Thursday), & so far M&P Motorcyles, & JT Motorcyles have failed to respond to my enquiry about getting a new tyre fitted to my already removed wheel, it makes you wonder how some people remain in business. The continuing bad weather, is the only thing stopping me blowing a fuse over poor service in the motorcycle trade, even if the bike was on the road the weather is too bad to go anywhere! I will have access to the car for the next 3 weeks, so if the weather does improve at least I will have wheels to get to the boat, & if Trevor does his investigative thing on the remaining alternator wires God knows what will be working that I didn't even know I had The generator that runs the 3 phase 440V machinery in the carpentry workshop where I am building the replacement wheelhouse has broken down, so the one positive thing I had going on if it wasn't suitable for fishing has gone "tits up", I think I have the "Reverse Midas Touch" every bit of "Gold" I touch, seems to turn to s**t at present, but I think it must end soon Seemingly there are a lot of spurdogs out there to be caught at the moment, & they are about as popular on Mumbles Belle as smoothounds! I will keep you posted on here & on Facebook about the continuing progress on the scooter, Belle's Electrical Saga, & the progress of the new wheelhouse, that should be enough to keep me going until Springtime
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Post by pilgrim17 on Jan 3, 2018 19:50:10 GMT 1
Managed to get down to the boat this afternoon (after the wife had left for Malta & left her car keys behind ) All appeared to be well despite the wind & rain we have had, so the automatic bilge pumps are working ok. I replaced the bulb in the "Glow" indicator, & replaced a couple of old ceramic fuses in a small fuse box which does and as a consequence when I turned the starter switch to the "glow" position the glow bulb lit indicating that the fuel heater plug is working, & the ignition light is now working again, both indicators went out when the engine started (as they should) so it appears that Trevor certainly knows his stuff on auto electrics, & according to him he hasn't finished yet, but I am more than happy with what I have now, that I never had before The scooter saga continues, before I can put the now re-welded & reinforced swinging arm back onto the bike I have to refit the rear wheel before I put the engine back in, however TJ don't have the new tyre I want in stock, & wont have it until Friday, so I wont be "4 wheel independent" until Saturday at least The scooter is so much more versatile than the car in traffic & in parking, but you cant carry as much on it. It seems that the weather is going to stay pretty poor until next weekend at least, so hopefully by then, the boat & the scooter will be running at full efficiency & we can get a few more cracks at the whiting & dabs before they move offshore. Unfortunately it appears that there are quite a lot of spurdogs charging around the area I like to fish, & like smoothounds & growlers they are not a favourite of mine, but they are better than mechanical breakdowns
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