The Journey -
Other folk ... and Rosy

NAVIGATION NOTES:

Just before we get down to the gossiping ...

The Canal du Centre is now requesting boats to share locks.  This is a pain, and us boaters feel that the water problem is self imposed.  The locks are always left empty, with (usually) the bottom gates open, resulting in the waste of a lockful of water each time a boat passes.  So now there ain't enough water!!!

Right - gossip time ...

The cruiser Heatherdown moored up nearby.  In the evening, we were on the bank having a small tincture (the word 'tincture' being used in memory of Dennis Thatcher who, I assume, died as a result for chronic ear-ache) and raised our glasses to the crew of Heatherdown; the male half of which strolled over, bearing a full glass and a plastic bag.  He and his boat were fresh out from England, and the bag was filled with framed pictures that had fallen off the walls (?) of his boat - due to the heat melting the glue.  The pictures ...

Were black and white photos of his grandfather, grandmother and mother working grandfather's Humber keel.  Grandfather bought the boat as a young man, and worked it until he retired.  Mr Heatherdown (Ray) was about 18 at the time, and had often been on the boat.  He had hoped that the boat would pass to him, but he reckons that grandfather saw the demise of the boats, and sold his whilst he could still get a reasonable price for it.  Ray, with no capital, bought a lorry instead, and has been a self-employed truckie all his life.  He is now early-retired and enjoying the fruits of his labours.  His dad was also a truckie, so that's three generations in haulage.  I had a lovely evening in his company.

As for X ...

Moi: I hear you're going back to England for a few days.

X (the dots paraphrase yet more burbles): Yes.  Jeff is giving us a lift to the station at 7, in time to catch the ... then we change at Lille onto the 9.04 Eurostar and arrive at Waterloo ... to Norwich where we'll get a taxi to ... We have to get back because my nephew ... he is my mother's brother's ... his father worked in the electronics industry but is now retired and ... Anyway, the nephew who did well at A levels and went onto  ... married a lovely girl whose parents ... two children, the boy is at ...

Moi (Sotto voce): Surely suicide must be better than this?

Then there was Mr Y.

Y: Hey Bill.  I hear that you're changing your engine.  What are you putting in?

Moi: The Perkins 3HD46 with a PRM 2:1 gear box.

Y (After much drawing of breath and sucking of teeth):  I think you've made a wrong choice there.  You should be putting in the 4108M.

Moi: I'll check that out.

(Moi retires to boat and reference books, and reappears 10 minutes later).

Moi: Yes.  I did consider it.  It produces 50hp at 4000 rpm, the 3HD46 produces 46 at 2250.  The 3HD46 is 0.75 of a litre larger, and has one less cylinder.  So the hp output is about the same, but the 3HD46 has more torque - which is why it's used so extensively in dumper trucks and tractors, and should do well in my heavy boat.  The 4108 merely relies on more revolutions (and, hence more fuel) to produce its power.  (And, silently, "So up yours, matey!")

Y: But you're forgetting that it's an older engine, so you'll have trouble getting spares for it!!!!!!

(Cobblers, actually - they are extensively available throughout Europe).

Y (continuing): Anyway, what size prop will you put with it.

Moi: I'm more concerned with the engine at the moment.  I'll sort out the propeller later.

(Props are tricky, as matching prop diameter and pitch to the engine, the length and form of the hull and the weight of the boat is a subtle mixture of computer based calculations, black magic, guesswork and trail and error.)

Y: I'd put a 16 inch one on if I were you.

Moi (silently): But you're not.

OTHER NEWS:

The red squirrels are still around here, plus some birds of prey.  Some say that they are ospreys, but I'm not sure.  They certainly catch fish, but then so do some other raptors.

Fanny now knows all about swimming, though she still has to be enticed in to go swimming.  She also met some kittens for the first time, and was most interested, especially when one fell in the cut and came out crying and bedraggled.

Toodle pip!!

Bill