Oh dear (Patreon)

Patrons, this is an update to let you know the next vlog might be slow coming due to a lack of power ... due to breaking down.

I was on my way to my winter mooring having had the boat re-blacked when all of a sudden there was a “clonk” from the engine and it began a metallic whirring noise. Upon investigation, the gearbox is coming loose from the back of the engine!

Luckily I limped into a marina but cannot run the engine for power even in neutral (as this still rotates a drive plate in the gearbox) and am relying on solar (limited, due to overcast weather). There’s no electrical hookup on the visitor’s berth I stopped on and I can’t even use a pole to punt the boat to another because as luck would have it, this marina is 3m deep!!

There’s a mechanic who is about to take the gearbox off even as I type this but we won’t know the extent of the issue until he’s done that.

I’m going to try to see if another moorer will tie onto me and drag my boat onto a proper berth with a power and water hookup but that will depend on their goodwill.

Anyway, I thought you’d like this snapshot of the more frustrating side of narrowboating and an explanation for any slackness on my part.

It’s all part of the fun...