Saturday 21st July richardmenil to richardmenil

Trip 6kms Departure 11am Locks 4 of 245

Collettes trip to lidles paid dividends today as I was treated to a full cooked brekky including smoked bacon. Luxury.

Filled and very happy we slipped lines and drifted towards the first lock of the day. On exit I was concerned to see a mass of weed growth on both s of the canal for some 300yds and a very narrow clear channel through the middle. A boat was heading towards me. We passed very close both aware of the lurking tangle of trouble but no dramas.

We were quickly through a second and approaching the third which opened straight onto a 150mtr long aqueduct over the shallow but wide Moselle stil running parallel to the canal. I went to start the stbd engine. Nothing. Ok try again, nothing. Bugger balls and bolloxxxx

I managed to turn her and we were very lucky to have a mooring spot very close.

Safely alongside without too many dramas, I started to investigate. Found no obvious issues. The starter motor was just rapidly clicking. Consulted my maintenance bible. Dead battery or bad connection most likely. Phoned the guru. Same advice. I fuelled the genny and gave it an hour while we had fruit for lunch. I had a bad feeling that power was not the issue. I did some voltage drop checks and found nothing obvious.

I took the opportunity to take a couple of snaps of the aquaduct over the moselle through the lock which we had been about to enter and one of our very pleasant mooring but One hour later. Same issues with starting it was definately not a battery problem.

Ok we were not in a good place for this situation so decided on returning to richardmenil where there was electric and water. It was suddenly well gone 4. Collette took the steed to check out the mooring situation whilst I prepared the boat for the return. She reported back that it was filling fast but there was a spot right on the end. Perfect.

We slipped the mooring and safely negotiated the first lock on the one engine. We now approached the weedy lock. The radar post is inside the narrow channel and despite my urgent pressing it was still showing red and not responding. We past the post still nothing, I slowed, Doucettes stern turned towards the encroaching thick weed. Still no response on the radar. This was not the time for lock issues.

Yes it was! I was having terrible problems keeping Doucette within the clear channel as I was forced to turn her round. There was nowhere to moor and I had to get her ashore to use the emergency phone at the lock. She climbed on the bow and I somehow managed to get clear of the weed and she jumped to shore from the sprit. Nice one crew!

She fair sprinted up the towpath and returned minutes later with a thumbs up. She had called and after not comprehending the French response just shouted down the phone, big trouble at lock 45. No steering no engine. Did the trick and Vnf man was there within minutes.

He opened the lock manually and gave me a new radar transmitter. We were through and now just the mooring to negotiate.

The perfect spot at the end was still available and we actually got in with a degree of nonchalance. It was late and I needed a drink. El president dropped by for dues and I explained my issues. He promised to sort out a man with a key to get my water tanks filled tomorrow evening for which I was very appreciative.

I used up the chicken remains by knocking up a Chinese style curry washed down with 1664 and merlot. Things were looking slightly brighter and following another chat with the guru, I ha a plan of action for tomorrow. I slept soundly after a pretty stressful day.