Maintenance - 600 hour service

This is a belated update on the latest maintenance work.

Following our trip to Scotland we had run up just under 200 hours on the engine. The Penta manual advises doing a service every 200 hour, or at least once a year - whichever comes first. There is also a schedule for 600 hours, which following our trip to Holland, the main engine had clocked up. Other than inspecting and cleaning the turbo, the 600 hour service is the same as the 200.

There is nothing difficult or arduous about following the service schedule which makes it more likely that the work will actually be done. Before I started looking seriously at Elling I was concerned about accessible since the engine is "tucked away" in the centre of the boat under the central galley work area.

The picture below gives an example how Elling have made access to the areas that require routine maintenance simple. Here I am changing the gearbox oil and filter. Access is via a large panel in the master stateroom which is held in place by quick-release locks. A similar system is used in the third bedroom to access the starboard side of the engine so that replacement of the air filter and crankcase breather is easy.

Easy access to the rear of the engine

The new filter

On a different note, I gave the wing engine a good long run whilst returning from Holland.  It's uncanny how well-attuned you become the sounds, smells and feel of the boat over time. Anything slightly out of the ordinary is picked up on straight away. When the wing was running I felt a mild vibration for a short period which then went away. I had plenty of time to think what that might have caused the vibration and shortly after I returned to base I go the GoPro out and inspected the sterndrive leg. Sure enough, one of the anodes was missing.  I arranged for a quick haul out and bottom wash during which time I replace both anodes. I was unable to determine why the main anode fell off but the replacement has been secured with loctite on the bolts!

Our next major trip is likely to be to Europe sometime in October in anticipation of Brexit actually happening! The reasons for moving the boat to an EU country when (if) Brexit happens have been explained in an earlier post.

The return to the UK

Mon 8/7/19

I left Amsterdam for Roompot at 0600 with a forecast of 15 kts of winds off the starboard quarter which was predicted to decrease as we travelled south.  The trip along the Amster was uneventful. The interesting bit happened shortly after I locked out. I had read that the tides can cause problems around the entrance to the Noordzeekannal and as I approach the open water I could see turmoil ahead. I made sure everything was shipshape, closed the windows and roof and entered the fray. I was greeted by very steep short seas and 26kts on the beam. Not dangerous but not nice.  The waves subsided after a mile or two but the winds remained stubbornly just aft of the beam at between 17 and 22 kts for most of the day. Beam winds are not comfortable in an unstabilised motor boat.  I got very little done during my 11 hour passage having to wedge myself into the helm seat. 

The only break to the monotony came from a Dutch Coastguard vessel that passed me 180 degrees out. He then called me and asked me a number of questions about the boat, the number and nationality of the people on board, where we had come from, where we were going, what was our home port and information about why and where we’d been in Holland. He was very polite and was clearly satisfied by my answers since he decided not to board me and sent me on my way.

I arrived in Roompot at 1700, cleaned up the boat, took a shower went for a meal and planned the trip home. I went to bed knackered at 2115.

Tues 9/7/19

What a difference a day makes. Very light winds and a gentle rolling swell. I left the marina at 0430, called the Roompot lock as I left (I think, from the sound of his voice, I might have woken the lock keeper) and was shepherded in on a green light when I arrived at 0455. I departed the lock at 0502 - must be a record.

The North Sea is a busy place and you see all types and design of ship. This one looks like it was designed by a 3 year old!

The only thing of note was one of the larger swells caught me unawares and deposited a cup of soup over me and the pilot house carpet. I spent a good hour cleaning up the mess and washing the carpet and my cloths.

We tied up at 1650/1550 (EU/UK time).

Total distance covered 485 nms.

The Big Day

Sat 6/7/19

THE BIG DAY. Jane hit 60 (but doesn’t look it!!).

I got up early to dress the boat having agreed with the boys they would help. However, a late night out and too many beers/cocktails saw them remain in bed.

By the time Jane surfaced I had recovered from the hyperventilation and nausea brought on by blowing up all the balloons. 

We eventually went to Greenwood’s for brunch (highly recommended) followed by a river cruise. Below are some pictures which reflect typical views of Amsterdam from the water.

 

For Jane's birthday treat we chose The Dylan Brasserie for dinner: a lovely restaurant in a nice setting which serves good food. We brought along a fine bottle of red wine to toast the birthday girl.

 

Sun 7/7/19

We all felt subdued: it was time for us all to go our separate ways. Giles left at 0800 while Jane and James had a little spare time so we went and checked out the Amsterdam Marina. It’s a large marine which is situated in a mix between heavy marine industry and urban regeneration. There’s a nice clubhouse/restaurant building that serves basic food.  However, in my opinion, there’s still some way to go.

 

A flatting hotel adjacent to Amsterdam Marina

Some urban regeneration with still some way to go

 After I was left to my own devises I prepped the boat ready for a morning departure.

Next stop - Edam. It had to be done!

Thur 4/7/19

The trip around Flevoland really is straight forward and we only needed to negotiate one lock before entering the Markerkmeer. Next stop Edam. We just couldn't visit Holland and give this place a miss. We stayed at the De Zeevang Marina a short stroll to the village. This is another community run marina with very helpful and obliging staff - they even loaned us bikes for free! Edam is another stunning town with lovely houses lining the canals and a very picturesque old town. As you might expect, it also has plenty of cheese shops. I can recommend the very old goat cheese and the truffle infused cheese.  Yum.

Boats line the canals all the way from the marina into the town

The town square - a good place for a drink and to watch the world go by

We ate at an Italian restaurant - La Galeria and returned on our loaned bikes along the picturesque canals to the marina.

Fri 5/7/19

Knowing how busy Sixhaven gets at the weekend, we set off in time to be back at the marina for 1200 in order to give us a fighting chance of getting a berth. Tomorrow was the big day - Jane's 60th - and the boys assured me they'd get up early to help blow up the balloons and decorate the boat. This was not to be!

We opted for a simple meal and then retired to the canal-side beer emporium that James and I had discovered earlier. It was clear early on that the boys were in party mood so Jane and I left them to it at about 2300.

We were awoken at 2a.m. as they stumbled on board. I knew then, decorating the boat would be a solo job!

Time to do some exploring - in the boat

Wed 3/7/19

Time to take the boat out. We opted for a trip around Flevoland, an island south of the Markermeer to the east of Amsterdam. This provided the family with “lock experience” as well as a lovely view of the countryside. One thing that struck us was the amount of wildlife taking advantage of the copious waterways in Holland. I have never seen so many birds from swans to cranes to ducks  

We stopped for the night at Elburg, an old fortress town with rectangular fortifications and a moat and moored at a berth belonging to Elburg Yachting

The village is beautiful and the old part well preserved. Feeling adventurous, we sampled the herring, a speciality in these parts, served in a bun with onions. We all found it to be delicious. Flushed by success we bought some eels to take back to the boat.  Once again, they get a bad rap in the UK but were actually very nice.

We splashed out on a meal of meatballs and pasta on the boat washed down with a beautiful bottle of Craggy Range wine bought for me by James for my birthday.

Elburg is home to Elburg Yachting - a major Dutch company that supplies all kinds of services to the boating community.  If you like window shopping for nice boats for sale take a look at their website. https://www.elburgyachting.nl/sp/ixnl.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjw7O_pBRA3EiwA_lmtftZyUp55MiySPpjYZnNkMwlp8oXQxUlHlBOr8zr4NunwHDw1BQxjtRoC87kQAvD_BwE

Jane and Giles arrive

Sun 30/6/19 to Tues 2/7/19

On Sunday Jane arrived from the UK and Giles from Toronto. We spent the next few days doing the sight and avoiding those areas we decided had nothing to offer us!

I should point out this is not Jane

Below are some random pictures of this great city.

On Tues I took the opportunity to get the Mastervolt people, who are based in Amsterdam, to check out the electrical side of the generator. (The mechanical fix was sorted before I departed but couldn’t be fitted in time before I left). They gave it the all clear so hopefully I’ll have the genset up and running on my return to the UK. 

Of note during out stay in Amsterdam was a meal we had at the Brasserie Ambassade where were treated to outstanding service from Sergio and stunning food.  Well worth a visit.  Top notch. 

Bikes are everywhere in Amsterdam and, to the uninitiated, eyes in the back of your head would be an advantage! The Dutch mastery of the English language was ably demonstrated when I stepped onto a cycle path without due attention only to be reprimanded by a Dutch gentleman who shouted “stupid old fart” as he swerved to avoid giving me an opportunity to try out the Dutch medical services.

James arrives from China

Sat 29/6/19

James arrived at the marina from Shanghai at 0700. We ventured across to the city for a quick look around. To quote Bill Bryson we arrived just in time for the litter festival. This is a common scene first thing in the morning but the mess is soon cleaned by an army of workers who make the streets presentable in time the hoards of tourists arrive.

The "Litter Festival"

Having picked up another bike we set off to explore on 2 wheels.  What a eye opener. Just a few miles outside the city is beautiful countryside peppered with irrigation channels, quaint bridges and beautiful individually designed houses.  I highly recommend taking time to get away from the bright lights and experience the stunning vistas just outside the city. Broek in Waterland and Monnickendam are well worth the effort 

There are some lovely houses in beautiful setting as you head through North Amsterdam

Once out of the residential area open countryside provides for some stunning vistas

Broek In Winterland is well worth a visit (see above 3 photos). We found a lovely little cafe on the banks of a tiny canal for some well-earned refreshment.

From Broek we cycled to Monnickendam, a quaint seaside town with a vast marina complex and lovely centre.

We felt we deserved a good quality hearty meal so, after some research, opted for the highly recommended TDQ steak emporium. Don’t bother: bland steaks, over priced and poor service. As the night was still young and James didn't seem to be suffering from jet lags (one of the benefits of youth) we hit the town and ended up in a canal-side bar specialising in a wide variety of beers. First night madness ensued and today's blog ends here!

To Amsterdam

Thur 27/6/19

After having a coffee on Albert’s boat I headed off at 0920. There are 2 lock options to enter the Amsterdam-Rijnkannal and I opted for the smaller, yacht locks.  This turned out to be a mistake. A problem with the first lock gate meant it took 2 hours to negotiate both locks. There we also 2 bascule bridges prior to entering the Amsterdam-Rijkannal. Having until now used the larger canals and rivers this was my first encounter of the Dutch smaller variants. The bridge operators try to balance the needs of the canal users with those of the wider public on foot, in cars and on the ubiquitous bikes. The result was that we ended up with a queue of boats waiting for the bridges to open. It proved to be a bit of a faff trying to maintain station while being blown by the wind in a narrow busy canal.  Once  onto the Amsterdam-Rijnkannal the passage was easy, if busy with quite heavy traffic. 

It is not possible to book ahead at Sixhaven marina in Amsterdam but I called 2 hours prior to my arrival to see if there was space - there was. I arrived at 1500, later than I had planned due to the delay in the lock and was directed to a berth next to a large, brand new Sunseeker. Sixhaven is a small marina and is a tight fit for a 15 metre boat. I managed to birth without scratching the new gin palace and, breathing a sigh of relief, tied up and plugged in. The only minor downside of Sixhaven is that shore power is limited to 1300 watts/boat. This is not enough to run the oven, kettle or other power hungry devices. In theory nearly 6 amps should be available; however, the harbour master informed me more like 3 amps were available. A minor issue that we worked around.

Sixhaven is an awesome place: a small marina right in the centre of Amsterdam directly opposite the Central Station which is only a short, free ferry ride away. 

Between the 2 boats you can just make out the roof of the Central Station. Sixhaven really is "central".

There’s a great atmosphere and the amenities are of a high standard.The place gets very busy and it pays to arrive soon after 1200. As it fills up, boats of all shapes and sizes are rafted up, squeezed in and huddled together. This all adds to the ambiance. I love the place. As in all the marines I had visited, the harbourmaster was exceedingly helpful and a master at using the last piece of water to squeeze in just one more boat!

Fri 28/6/19

A day used to clean the boat, do some minor jobs and stock up with food and provisions before the clan arrived. I hired a bike from the central station in an attempt to fit in with the locals. I got some relief from the cleaning duties as these welcome visitors arrived.

Wed 26/6/19

I departed Willemstad at 0810 and headed for the the turn off into the locks that lead from the Lek onto the Amsterdam-Rijnkannal. Holland makes good use of its network of rivers and canals with commercial traffic be a very common sight. 

Lek is a busy river but an easy, enjoyable route. Swimmers, canoeists, jet and water skiers all share the river with the commercial traffic and seem to coexist in harmony.  The Dutch are renowned boat builders and below is an example of the top end on offer at "Oceanco" that I passed en-route.

I called ahead to WSV de Peiler to book a berth and was met by the Albert Van Heijst, the harbourmaster who directed me to the pontoon. I was tied up by 1430 - a short day. Albert and his enthusiastic team could not have been more helpful.  He loaned me a bike which allowed me to visit Helsdingen and Vianen - a large town with a pretty, historic pedestrian centre.

A "free" bike loaned by the marina

One of the wonderful buildings in Vianen

Another one....

I saw these sheep in a field during my ride. I can't recall seeing anything like these anywhere else.

On returning to the marina, I ordered a beer and was joined by Albert who told me of his forthcoming trip to the UK.  

A well-earned beer with Destiny in the background

Albert's Linssen

Albert has a Linnsen yacht and the manufacturers organise an annual trip for Linnsen owners looking for travelling companions and an adventure. (I wonder if Elling has considered such a thing. I will raises this with them. There seems to be little in the way of formally fostering community spirt across Elling owners). This year 12 Linnsens are planning to travel to the east coast of the UK. I hope to meet up with them and reciprocate some of the hospitality they showed me.

De Peiler is a community run marina and the cheapest I’ve experienced on my travels. At €22.25 it was outstanding value and is well worth a visit. It has a small, welcoming restaurant/snack bar/club house where I ate my evening meal. In the morning, Albert showed me around his Linssen Grand Sturdy, introduced me to his wife Else, and plied me with coffee before I departed at 0920. Fond memories.

Tues 25/6/19

Prior to leaving the UK I had planned on running along the coast to Amsterdam; however, having departed sooner than expected I now had time on my hands so decided to take the rivers and canals inland. I left Roompot and headed in the direction of Dintel.  Being in no hurry I set 1450 RPM and cruised along at 6.2 kts in bright sunshine and a hot temperature. We passed through the large Krammersluis without incident but had to wait at Volkeraksluizen for a while before entering so I tied up onto the waiting pontoon and had lunch. These 2 sluices have separate locks specifically for yachts so they don’t have to share the much larger locks with commercial traffic. That said, even these “smaller” locks are big and attract some very large barges and river cruise boats, as was the case when I went through. 

Looking at the marina options I decided to bypass Dintel and head for Willemstad. I called the new marina, Jachthaven De Batterij, and had my first experience of mooring between post to which you tie up. This is a fairly common method of mooring in Holland. My helpful neighbour greatly assisted in the process. He also informed me that Holland had suffered a massive breakdown in the mobile phone network the previous day - this explained why I couldn't contact anyone at Roompot! 

Approaching the town from the marina

This windmill has been converted to a stunning house

The quayside

Dutch humour

Willemstad, what a great place. A stunning small village with traditional windmill and lovely buildings. It even has an exceptionally well equipped chancellery where I bought the necessary charts for the remainder of our adventure. The only down side was my choice of restaurant. I ate at the Rosmolen, situated on a tree-lined avenue in a great setting. The calamari starter looked and tasted like it had been reheated several times and despite my best efforts I could not eat it. The prawns in the main course were hard and flavourless. 

Inedible calamari

The waitress didn’t seem in the slightest bit concerned when I said I had not enjoyed the meal. I would not recommend eating at the Rosmolen.  My friendly neighbour, a local who knows the place well, sucked in his breath when I told him of my experience. He too, would not recommend the place! One restaurant aside, I love Willemstad. It’s well worth a visit.