Inconsiderate boaters.

Still moored at Irthlingborough on the River Nene

This place has been very busy with many boats passing through and mooring up. A problem arose when 5 GRP cruisers displaying NBC insignia's, which we understand is the Northampton boat club arrived, on Saturday afternoon. As there were no spare moorings 2 boaters breasted up to save space, very commendable but they were adjacent to the service point which meant only very small boats could get in to get water or do pump outs.  During the course of the afternoon 3 narrowboats came along wanting to use the services and when the GRP skippers were politely asked to move their vessels they refused. At least 1 narrowboat skipper went away very disgruntled at this display of what can only be described as ignorance. All they had to do was breast up another 2 boats and then move up 1 boats length and the problem would have been solved. The whole incident was not a good reflection upon the club that these people represent.

I have now changed the water pump on the Mikuni central heating. While I had everything in bit's I re-arranged the exhaust as the new silencer is 4 - 5 inches longer than the original and it protrudes out over the engine bay. In doing this the exhaust fouled the air intake pipe so I had to re-route the latter so as not to melt it. Once completed I was pleasantly surprised as to how neat and tidy it had all become and creating more space. The old pump appears to be leaking from the seal on the main shaft between the motor and the pump and there doesn't appear to be any way to split the two so I have packed it with a non setting jointing gel and will keep it as an emergency spare.