Day 14 – All Fixed – Onwards

Today is the day. Lee from Cox Autos is due this morning to install the fixed alternator & control box. It did look nice and shiny – the stator all rewound. It’s been a trying time but by lunchtime we were off – our dues paid to Springwood Haven (3x £10/night plus £20 for the pump out) and our goodbyes said to a few of the inmates – still there for their solar installations. (Del & Ali on Derwent6 and Simon & Carol on Kestrel). Plus Stuart on Aecern, who was setting off . . . heading North! All the best. We were bound for Atherstone, some shopping after lock 6 and then a quiet mooring for Easter. After lock 9.

A man alone with his thoughts and his pipe (and a pink gin!)
Forecast is for some excellent sunny weather – days of 20+ degrees and full sunshine
Lee turns up on time and sets to putting all the gear back – first the control box – two wires for the a.c. output and three for the energising of the stator. Box all sealed and with a warranty for a year too. Thumbs up to Cox Autos.
including the shiny refurbished alternator – stator coil rewound, relaminated, new brushes, new external wiring and painted
in situ – a tight fit and now all belts tightened
Note to boaters: these bits of kit need a service every 4 years. The brushes wear down, the alternator runs at 800 Volts, yep, that’s why there’s a control box to transform it down to 230. So look after your kit!
a happy Lee – invoice paid!
and away we go . . . the upper Coventry canal is quite scenic
a mightily relieved skipper – maybe just a bit happy? Maybe? Just a bit?
Yes, you meet em all on the canal . . . so where are these Alpacas?
Ah, there’s one! We have a Karma Llama on board . . .
Hmm. Them again.
Time for bluebells
and frollicking horses
then it’s the 11 locks at Atherstone – doing just 5 then shop, then 4 more until we stop
Viv opts to drive and Steve winds
always with lots of cheerful help from the volunteers
Another one for Lucia – bridge 42
star of the day – Viv!
Are we watching Viv’s effortless driving or the dogs?
After Steve shops at the local Co-op, just a few hundred yards from the canal – we swop over and Viv does the winding…. lock 9 then stop, a good rural spot and still within walking distance of the town. A very long day but the end of the frustration of boat failures . . . for now!
The final resting place photo
One of our favourite sites to moor
We locked up and went back into town – for some Church End beer and for Viv to get some crochet stuff to make some doilies for the windows plus restock our liquor cupboard, getting low on gin, whisky and wine, which won’t do.
However, by the morning we had a slight list – the pound down by a foot! A leaky lock ahead.
Listing to port? Hence the phrase, rolling out of bed . . .