Whats this then ??

Much excitement this week because the Bowman exhaust gas heat exchanger  was tested and collected from Birmingham this week and it just fits  .... phew..
It's that long silver cylinder with the red ends on the left. At a meter, its the same length as the engine and gearbox combined. A simple but very effective system that heats water as the exhaust gasses pass through it
Got this because as the Petter is air cooled and any heat transferring has to be done via the exhaust system rather than using the radiator effect from a water cooled engine. This is exactly what the Bowman will do when the engine is running.....this means when that travelling in wet/cold/damp weather (which lets face it has been the norm this year Ha Ha) anyway it will produce hot water and with a pump will heat the boat without the need to light the a fire (from  much experience when on the move the smoke from the chimney really does get in yer eyes !! )

So now the engine is sitting in place we can start to see how things will fit together. The Bowman will sit snugly along one side on the bottom so its well out of the way.  The gearbox is having an extension so that the control cable is at optimum curving but that may have to go around the back of the engine... Removed the exhaust manifold (in front of my right foot, gosh are they really clean trainers .... must have been Sunday Ha Ha)
The Aquadrive support  brackets arn't in yet and before any painting (it will all come out for that), it need to get in everything that has to fit in the compartment and make sure it does....and when it does it can all still be got at ...... Jim would be doing a CAD in 3D !!!!
Another extra for the air cooled Petter BA2, is to have a couple of bilge blowers fitted under the deck..
I feel the need to make a list ..........
Hm .... but so far so good.... and thrilled to see this part of the refurb unfolding

Engine on board .. just

Can't believe its happening...pushed the engine to the boat on Jim's sledge, made to move the telescope ... "everything should have 2 purposes" was another of his motto's
                                                                                               
well its the closest this pair have been together so far

Hmmmmm,  !!!! its down there and needs to be up here. Block and tackle borrowed, found some webbing and ....












up she goes, nice and easy, bit of a tilt but no problem ...

Gantry just high enough we thought.  But a bit of levering did the trick











Clever roller-bearing device glided sideways
















and she sits on the back deck whilst the fittings and mounts are double checked





                                                                                                              

Gosh    I am almost speechless  ... it all fits in a treat, but I always knew it would..


We did connect to a battery and start her up and I am still choking arghhhhh ..but no spare hands for pictures.

its all marvelous

Another reminder

of just how far Wildrose has come on since her return.  I remember being unable to take many photos at first. It was just so sad to see her all neglected and in such a mess. I think if I had looked too hard I may never have started. But here she was less than 3 years ago....

Found hiding away, still at Bumble Hole where she was built and lived in until 1996. How could we abandon her? well we did and there you go, all these choices and decisions.  But anyway, I didn't look closely and just remembered how lovely she was and started thinking about how loverly I can make her again now that I have the time, inclination and hopefully the energy !!!!!!!

 The roof could have be mistaken for dancing ledge on the Durasic coast. Never seen so much pitting it looked really orrible. But the man selling me the filler assured me that as it was used for chieftain tanks, and it would do the job for me.....
and it did too

The water must have just sat on the top under the tarp but the water would run off so the sides and base plate were in much better condition ...  phew

 The sludge was at least 12 inches deep and was shoveled out in bucketfuls. The shoveling seemed to go on forever yuk........This was when my hair turned brown for a year Ha Ha...Kept thinking I had a suntan but it all went down the plughole !!!! Haven't been so dirty since we dismantled the Riley Kestrel and at least that was dry and indoors....

Large tin of filler badly needed ha ha !!

 The engine compartment was just full of  wires and pipes and rubbish and lots more rust .... the fuel tank was rusted to a wafer thickness.

 Just arrived at her refit home, I was very nervous then to take off the tarp, not seen her revealed

On the low loader ready to roll, placed expertly with a forklift truck !!!!











Inside my camera flash wasn't working, but you may just be able to make out the battery balancing above the water with the bilge pump attached....pumped it out for ages !!!!!!!






Looking towards the back deck, there's the kitchen again from the other side of the two bulkheads....which I have decided to not replace and leave the interior as open plan ...saves a lot of work too

 Off come the covers, slowly.  Painting and patterns still there and her faded glory revealed Ha Ha

 Looking in from the front deck, just dark and horrible...She  was a delight inside once .... and will be again ....

 Took a long time to get to this even. Thank goodness for the workshop hoover .....

So looking at Where I Have Got to, my goodness hasn't she come on well eh!!!
Today we erected a sort of gantry over the back deck with help from Bells Steel and rolled the engine up to where we can attach it to the block n tackle ready for the first lift.... tomora ???? depends on the weather.....oooh la la ... pics in tomoras update if it doesn't rain Ha Ha not holding breath eh!!!

Keeping cosy by the fire

Then all of a sudden things are happening... The helpful Ian of Kinver Canopies came over to check out Wildrose and decided that some extensions to the side safety bars would be needed in order for them to fit the canopy framework. They recommended a welder and he has done a cracking job. Doesn't look like an extension at all and is a good safety feature also.

 With a little help from his dad, who used to have a narrowboat himself.

Parallel bars,  to be painted blue with a red top rail. A good job well done.


AND he appears to be not just a pretty face but is a mechanic/engineer by trade.  ahaaa I thought as I showed him the engine with fingers crossed behind my back, and as luck would have it I am now pleased to report that he has agreed to take on the job of installing it and getting the whole engine, fuel supply and, well, everything needed to getting her up and running.  "A refreshing change from working on crappy cars"  he said.  So this week has seen us dragging the engine into the light ... whoopydoo ....

Lots of discussions now, finding everything, the manuals, drawings, lists of things to include and bits n pieces.  ?? Where is the Aquadrive ?? (phew glad I have already got this as it had to be specialy machined to fit), Where did we hide the diesel tanks ??  
Gosh I hadn't expected this.  I had actually given up and was going to leave it till she was back on the water then just hope.  
So, lets see what a couple of days from a professional will bring.  
P.S. apologies to anyone reading this who has a crappy car, I hav had a few and they got me about and did the job and every one of them I loved.