Without fail, over the past 20 years that we have looked after Claymore – there has been a decent list of jobs for the winter.

The same can be said about the house and so Claymore’s jobs seem to get shepherded into the following categories

• Definitely
• Almost Definitely
• Possibly Definitely
• Definitely Not.

Well – 2017 proved a fairly testing year for boat and crew. We spent 31 days/nights aboard and it rained on 27

We seem to have a bit of an oil leak and we seem to be topping up the fresh water in the heat exchanger rather more than before.

Come October the boat came off the water at Ardfern and we decided to take a long hard look at things – which included for a moment – do we keep her? Gladly that was only a moment in the consideration and swiftly it passed!

There is only one way to bottom the thorny issues of oil and water leaks and that is to take the engine out and have a dexter at what is going on. I have a couple of gifted cousins – one is a stainless-steel fabricator the other is a mechanic – agricultural mainly but a handy man with a spanner on anything mechanical – a complete contrast to my good self who I describe as ‘inept’

Out came the engine. Barely a thing right with it! Loose everything inside and probably maxxing out at around 10hp rather than the 48 it came with. The bilges were a mess really – better give them a paint whilst we are at it and whoa! What is all that wire festooned in delicate arrays and clusters like the lair of hyperactive electric spider? Better sort it whilst we are at it but – what about the engine?

Doing the sums – it has worked out better to replace old Betsy the BMC with a new 35hp Beta which ought to be Better – Beta.. Better …never mind.

The wiring was replaced 20 years ago when I bought the boat but the problem with boats is that nothing stands still – does it. You buy another instrument and another wire is added to the loom – do this most years and multiply by 20 and whoopie -do – organic growth gone mad. Then you find that the circuit breakers are getting towards the end of life and ought really to be replaced and some of the wire was not tinned copper so ought really to be replaced and before long this job just got bigger and bigger and its March already and we are planning a trip in May.

Next Instalment coming in April.