AIR HEATER, DREDGER, VELVET SCOTERS

12 02 16

Air heater

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The heater has arrived from China. It’s far smaller than the old one and, at 5kW, twice as powerful.

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Problem: it won’t fit in the cupboard space of the old heater as the burner air inlet and the exhaust have to fit beneath or on the side of the heater and run outside the living space but there is insufficient headroom as the air inlet outlet level is right at the top of the cupboard. 

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Big re-think and I’ve decided to fit it high in the wheelhouse on the bulkhead astern. Mounting it high up will mean that the circulating inlet air will be taken from the warmer used circulating air and re-circulated, making the heater more effective. The burner air inlet and exhaust will pass through the bulkhead to the fresh air outside. I’ll get some anti-vibration foam sheet to make a vibration free mounting. Both the burner air inlet and exhaust have silencers. The fuel pump will have to work harder to lift the diesel up from the tank, but this is within spec..

I’ll get a marine surveyor round just to confirm my ideas are OK. I don’t want the insurance survey due next year to tell me that I’ve got to change it all.

The warm air ducting is a bit of a challenge. Some of the old system is still there. Must decide whether or not to replace it with new. Tony has found some insulated ducting 100mm dia. as against the plain 80mm dia. standard ducting. Decisions, decisions.

A little move and a little dredger

Simon is expanding his marina by dredging a bit each winter, so Lady Cate has had to move along to a temporary mud berth. It is right by the river with far better views. The electricity supply is through a cash meter. That’ll drive home how much I am using! I’ve loaded up with 20p pieces.

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Here is Simon on the marina pontoons as he takes them across to park out of the way on the mud on the other side of the river. See the little dredger top left, ready for action.

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The dredger is a little monster, very aged and rusted all over. I’m intrigued to see it work for a few minutes. I suspect its noise will drive me quite mad quite quickly. I must plan some trips away!

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The dredger drill bit is out front just breaking the surface.

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This is the drivers cabin. Boys’ toys!

More anon.

Velvet scoters

Great delight! I’ve not heard of this bird before, but I saw four this morning. Had to look them up in the reference book and got a 100% recognition. No doubt. It helps to boost the case for the suspected Scoter chicks I referred to a blog or two back.

Google images

COOL WEEK

Literally. This sunny clear skied Friday morning there is ice on Rinker’s (my neighbour) stern step.

However, my temporary mains powered heating system seems quite satisfactory and my cabin remains snug and warm throughout the night. Must get on with the diesel air heater.

Scoters?

There are two little balls of dark fluff, about 20cm long, swimming about the boat and diving, presumably for food. They spend as much time under the water as on it. They insist on keeping up sun, so I find it impossible to see them clearly. If I get close, they dive and hide under the marina walkways. I think they are young Common Scoter.

  

East Anglian skies

http://www.elizabethfitzgeraldcarter.com/commissionhomes.html

On Wednesday the tide and sun were just right, so I took Lady Cate down some 4-5miles to the anchorage and back. All the trots at Woodbridge and Waldringfield were empty which made the wide East Anglian skies seem even wider, kindling a profound sense of floating, small and insignificant, on the surface of the earth with all of space above; nothing between me and infinity.

It is so difficult to capture the sense that these open skies prompt in us, whether by photograph or painting. Here is a copy of a very successful painting by Elizabeth FitzGerald Carter who undertakes commissions of this kind.