After the sun shone so gloriously upon the righteous folk at the Blue Lias 2 weeks ago and a half decent spell of weather last weekend we decided we really should venture onto Uncle Mort for a short excursion on the G&S this weekend.
Mrs B prepared the way by spending a half day aboard on Thursday, shooing away the spider colony that had taken over and generally sprucing up the place. We hadnt been aboard since Saul Festival except for a pop in to check things over 2 weeks ago. It seems that the Captain started the engine and then forgot to a) replace the exhaust pot cover and b) plug the shore mains back in. So the domestic batteries were run flat by the fridge ! Silly twit ! Wisely Mrs B had suggested that just in case the weather wasnt great we come prepared with the stuff needed to do the annual oil change. So I wandered along to Limekilns new shop in Stourport to acquire the 2 gallons of oil required. As usual on these chandlery visits it is necessary to buy more things than one really needs, so I have 6 new cabin hooks but declined the K99 water resistant grease in the blue and yellow tin which I usually feel compelled to add to any purchase. The car was loaded from boat corner of the garage including all the things I thought I might need, including the 2007 tin of water resistant grease in the rather dusty blue and yellow tin languishing next to the anchor chain and sundry varnishes. It began to rain on Friday evening coincident with my arrival at Parkend, Mrs B having spent a mainly sunny and relaxing day aboard. I loaded all the nautical stuff aboard the boat and stowed the K99 water resistant grease in the blue and yellow tub (2007 vintage) in the proper place next to the 4 other tins of K99 water resistant grease in the blue and yellow tubs (2 unopened and 2 part consumed). The forecast was pretty grim but these things can be wrong, we decided to wait and see what things were like in the morning. They were like the kind of day heaven sent for doing an oil change and not bothering to cruise anywhere. I checked the records in the last 2 years Uncle Morts engine has run 101 hours. Since the last oil change in Feb 2008 just 26 hours. There is nothing Mrs B enjoys better than assisting with the extraction of 2 gallons of the smelly black stuff from a 60 year old sump. Especially on her wedding anniversary weekend. So the engine is refreshed, also the gearbox with 2 litres of multigrade and a new fuel line filter. The engine room smells "proper" with the aroma of oil and diesel and now we are really all set for that long overdue cruise but not yet for a few weekends. Lets look forward to a crisp and clear weekend or two before Xmas. -- Captain Beeky
