Sheffield to Anderton on Rallentando

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Near the junction with the Leigh Branch, there is Stretford Marine, who do pump out. Closed on Sunday, but if you can cross your legs till tomorrow, it might do.

[Midnight]

@IanD If you don't get sorted at Islington Marina there could be a few alternative options.

Thorne Marine at Stockton Heath had a pump-out when I stopped for diesel recently.

Stretford Marine have an elsan but not too sure about pump-out. 

I also once used the pump-out at Sale Boat Club but that was years ago and you may need to be an AWCC associate member. Grovelling may help 😆

[haggis]

Stockton Heath definitely have a pump out. One of the best pump outs we have ever had. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

40 minutes ago, haggis said:

Stockton Heath definitely have a pump out. One of the best pump outs we have ever had. 

How about that for a testimonial. The marina should use it in their advertising. 😀

[haggis]

It was true ! For several years all our pumpouts had been done in the marina when we weren't there so no rocking the boat or putting several pails of canal water into the tank to rinse it. The result was that there was a slight smell ( I have a sensitive nose 😉) . Probably from the layer of crud building up at the foot of the tank. 

We called in at Stockton Heath and explained the problem to the lady who operated the pump and the result was an excellent pump out with lots of boat rocking and numerous rinses. She spent ages with us and the result was a pong free boat.

I would have no problem recommending them.

 

[dmr]

New Isligton have a pump out for their moorers and there is or was a token dispensing machine in the little boaters hut. It was a bargain price, maybe £2, but this was before the new owners took over. Last couple of times we have been in there have been boats moored on the sevice dock.

 

and Stretford have done us a good pump out though that was a few years ago.

We are just waiting at Preston Brook tunnel heading for the Rochdale so will pass you in the next day or two.

[Ken X]

As others have said, Stretford Marine Services, just after you turn left on the Bridgwater at waters meeting, had a pump-out.  They were at pains to ensure we used the potable water tap not the pump-out tap in June when we passed. 

 

Not marked on our Nicholson but there is an inlet shown just before the sharp right hand corner.

[IanD]

Thanks to all for the advice, we got sorted out at New Islington -- boats moored on the service point so we breasted up. Charged us a tenner for the pumpout because he turned up late, plus £25 for the mooring -- we were right outside the Cask bar, very nice beer if a bit pricey by Northern standards. Lots of nice places to eat nearby.

 

Came down the Rochdale yesterday starting from the Rose, only problem was high water levels following the rain the day before -- had to keep running water down ahead to avoid massive cascade over top gates and towpath flooding. Total weedhatch count for the trip so far is one, the usual plastic bags, cleared in a minute or so. Lots of rubbish in the water and some shallow pounds though... 😞

 

We saw all the traditional bogeyman -- yoofs on scramblers and scooters, men with big dogs, feral teenagers in hoodies, dope smokers, 11am drinkers -- but none caused us any trouble, and the drinkers were friendly and helpful at locks... 🙂

Edited October 16, 2023 by IanD

[David Mack]

50 minutes ago, IanD said:

Came down the Rochdale yesterday starting from the Rose, only problem was high water levels following the rain the day before -- had to keep running water down ahead to avoid massive cascade over top gates and towpath flooding.

Going up Slattocks in October 2019 we met a Shire Cruisers hire boat coming down and bringing water down with it...

[Stroudwater1]

Thats very good news with the weedhatch, perhaps the high water kept you above the detritus? 

 

What sort of draft does Rallentando have? I presume that the engine is far lighter, batteries probably make an impact so maybe not too much draft which may help. 

 

The folk don't seem too unfriendly, its just what they do with their rubbish that causes troubles.

 

 

 

 

[Midnight]

@Jon57 next time we do the Rochdale we're going with @IanD 😆

[Jon57]

8 minutes ago, Midnight said:

@Jon57 next time we do the Rochdale we're going with @IanD 😆

Should get a licence discount for dredging the Rochdale for Ian D. 🤣

[IanD]

2 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Thats very good news with the weedhatch, perhaps the high water kept you above the detritus? 

 

What sort of draft does Rallentando have? I presume that the engine is far lighter, batteries probably make an impact so maybe not too much draft which may help. 

 

The folk don't seem too unfriendly, its just what they do with their rubbish that causes troubles.

 

Draft is the same as most modern boats, about two feet. There's actually a fair bit of weight in the stern with motor/batteries/inverter/IT/genny/inertia frame, there's no ballast under the kitchen/dinette and more than half a ton of steel in the bottom of the bow locker...

 

The Tim Tyler chute weedhatch is a lot easier to get to and furtle down lying flat on the hatches, quite away down but lots of space to move your arms/tools around. Also means that like the bows the stern is pretty much watertight -- I expect to test this shortly on the Rochdale Nine, there's several inches of water going over the top gate and this pound is far too big to lower... 😞

 

Currently breakfasting just above the first lock next to the dope bench -- in honour of the location, bacon and egg *and* black pudding sarnies... 😞

And here's the top lock -- and the sign with the C and S back again... 😞

Edited October 16, 2023 by IanD

[TheBiscuits]

11 hours ago, IanD said:

Also means that like the bows the stern is pretty much watertight -- I expect to test this shortly on the Rochdale Nine, there's several inches of water going over the top gate

 

Wuss. If it's not up to the balance beam it's hardly worth mentioning

 

11 hours ago, IanD said:

and this pound is far too big to lower... 😞

 

Nah, just crack a paddle or two and wait overnight!

[Midnight]

10 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Nah, just crack a paddle or two and wait overnight!

 

There is an alternative. The chap who runs the marina at Dukinfield once told me to open all the paddles. It sounds bonkers but it works.

[Jon57]

25 minutes ago, Midnight said:

 

There is an alternative. The chap who runs the marina at Dukinfield once told me to open all the paddles. It sounds bonkers but it works.

Don't think the rough sleepers have waterproof sleeping bags. 💦😬😬😬

[IanD]

So, after the Rochdale Nine we were cruising on merrily towards Lymm yesterday afternoon when the genny started playing up -- dipping on speed so the Quattro disconnected from it as an unreliable source, then a smoky exhaust when it's normally completely clean. Rang up Ricky who said that sounded like a fuel problem, either dirt or water -- we were down to 25% diesel capacity which should have been fine, his suggestion was to fill up the tank, and that he'd come out in the morning.

 

We knew Hesford Marina near Lymm would have diesel at 9am the following morning, so we slunk along on battery power to Bollington Wharf and had dinner and beer at Ye Olde No 3 to avoid cooking on the boat, then carried on to Hesford this morning. The woman who runs the place gives a whole new meaning to bad customer service -- *everything" was too much trouble, after saying "I'm not trying to be difficult but..." she gave a long list of reasons why nothing could be done -- and if we wanted to stop there at here diesel point for a few hours waiting for Ricky to arrive and fix the boat it would cost £50, and no we couldn't use their shoreline to charge up because that wasn't for boaters, and she was going home at one but didn't want to give an access code for the gate... 😞

 

So we filled up with diesel (£1.10/l if anyone cares) and reversed back a few yards to Lymm Marina, who Ricky knows well. He turned up just after lunch, having agreed that he'd do the first (50-hour) generator service because if this didn't fix the problem and Kohler needed to be called out they can try and charge a whopping fee (we had 46 hours of run time). Drained out some diesel from the bottom of the tank which looked a bit cloudy but didn't separate out a lot of water, then did the genny service which is basically an oil/filter change -- and it turned out the main boat filter/separator had a *lot* of water in it, probably from condensation the previous few cold/wet nights when the tank was more than half empty. Anyway, after all this we were back to a sweet-running generator again... 🙂

 

Now in Lymm but a day later than planned, too much choice for good food and beer -- probably the Chilli Club and the Brewert Tap (or the Saddlers Arms, or the Bulls Head...).

 

The motto of this tale of woe is -- keep your diesel tank well filled up in cold/damp weather when condensation is likely, and check for water in the fuel separator regularly. Yes I know this may be old hat to some, but I wasn't expecting a problem in such a short time...

 

One thing found out during all this is that the boat reverses beautifully -- not steering with the rudder, which like most does little in reverse, but the throttleable bow thruster, which can give a quiet gentle push sideways to steer from the bows. Dead easy, even reversing diagonally across the basin at New Islington from pumpout station to mooring was a doddle... 🙂

 

Oh yes, I forgot, the tie points in the gunwale (and carabiners...) work really well to provide spring lines when the only mooring rings are right opposite the bow and stern studs/dollies 😉

 

P.S. Yes those are battle scars from doing 150+ locks since last Saturday...

Edited October 17, 2023 by IanD

[Midnight]

Well done Ian you made it without too much hassle. Saddlers was good and the Chilli club wasn't that memorable TBH. The Chinese fish & Chip shop opposite the brewery tap on the other hand was excellent.

As we both managed the Rochdale, as promised I will no long mention you-know-whats 😆

[Hudds Lad]

Might be some mileage in investing in some Fuel Set or similar to add when you tank up?

[nicknorman]

Obviously condensation can be a problem when you have fuel tanks above the water line, however surely not in such a short timescale! Although perhaps it built up whilst the boat was in build? Anyway I think the more likely explanation is that liquid water (rain) is getting in somewhere so I would check that the fuel filler cap has an O ring in good condition and lube it with some vaseline etc.

[mrsmelly]

5 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Obviously condensation can be a problem when you have fuel tanks above the water line, however surely not in such a short timescale! Although perhaps it built up whilst the boat was in build? Anyway I think the more likely explanation is that liquid water (rain) is getting in somewhere so I would check that the fuel filler cap has an O ring in good condition and lube it with some vaseline etc.

In over thirty years of many many miles of full time boating on eight different boats we never had condensation problems of this scale, with any boat. This is definitely not a condensation problem.

[Guest]

Over the last winter we had our boat it was little used and stood on its mooring with very little diesel in the tank.

 

We were warned this would cause us a huge problem when it was topped up and next used.

 

Even after many weeks stood,  it didn’t.

 

[IanD]

14 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Obviously condensation can be a problem when you have fuel tanks above the water line, however surely not in such a short timescale! Although perhaps it built up whilst the boat was in build? Anyway I think the more likely explanation is that liquid water (rain) is getting in somewhere so I would check that the fuel filler cap has an O ring in good condition and lube it with some vaseline etc.

It could well have built up while the boat was in build -- maybe a year empty since the hull was first built and probably several months then with a mostly empty tank during fitout -- but also we must have sucked in 100l or so of moist air while emptying the tank -- and some of it was pretty damn moist, I can tell you...

 

Fuel cap is well sealed and the tank vent (on top of hollow bollard) doesn't let water in.

 

I now know what to look for in future anyway -- there's an easily accessible drain right at the bottom of the tank, and one on the main filter/separator.

Edited October 18, 2023 by IanD

[nicknorman]

14 minutes ago, IanD said:

It could well have built up while the boat was in build -- maybe a year empty since the hull was first built and probably several months then with a mostly empty tank during fitout -- but also we must have sucked in 100l or so of moist air while emptying the tank -- and some of it was pretty damn moist, I can tell you...

 

Fuel cap is well sealed and the tank vent (on top of hollow bollard) doesn't let water in.

 

I now know what to look for in future anyway -- there's an easily accessible drain right at the bottom of the tank, and one on the main filter/separator.

Hmmm not totally convinced! I would check the tank drain frequently and if you keep getting water coming out, it is more than just condensation.
Our boat is 12 years old and we have never had a hint of water in the fuel. Although clearly some water must have entered from damp air/condensation, water can in small quantities dissolve in fuel. So if there is noticeable amount of water it is not just condensation.

[GUMPY]

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

Hmmm not totally convinced! I would check the tank drain frequently and if you keep getting water coming out, it is more than just condensation.
Our boat is 12 years old and we have never had a hint of water in the fuel. Although clearly some water must have entered from damp air/condensation, water can in small quantities dissolve in fuel. So if there is noticeable amount of water it is not just condensation.

Agree totally with this. I did my first check after 10 years of ownership on the water trap on Loddon just before I sold it. Result was just a small bit of sludge in the bottom of the trap  and that's on a 30 year old boat that has probably never been done before.

In 40+ years of boating over many boats I have never seen this mythical  condensation 🤔