Monday 22nd April professional engineers thats better!

Simon called at 8.30 with directions to a new engineering company he had located in Migennes.  He explained that the unit was tricky to find and that he would phone ahead and someone would be outside waiting for me. A hurried cuppa and off I went. After trying 2 buildings I found a young chap who had spotted me having seen me pass earlier, the UK number plate. Actually it was just round the corner and sure enough the boss was outside waiting for me. I was escorted in and taken to a chap on a lathe. 20 minutes later, the shaft had been verified as 0.3 mm out of alignment. The boss refused to take any payment and would not even let me give the lathe operator 10 euros for a drink. Bloody fantastic. They had been so helpful. I was both sad at the confirmation but pleased to be sure that a new shaft was required and this was the problem.

Stopping at the boulangerie on my return buzzing with confidence after my chats with the non English speaking gents at the engineering company, all went pear shaped when the young girl asked me what I thought was “do you want it hot or cold” referring to a pain au raisin, I stumbled a reply of cold please but her sniggering revealed that I had clearly got it very wrong. Left red faced with my tail between my legs a bit deflated after earlier successes in the language stakes.

Returned for a very late breakfast before phoning Mark at Lancing to advise that the faxed shaft diagram would be sent as soon as Simon was back from Sens. I set about applying the second coat of antifoul and got the rudders and p brackets painted. Simon returned late in the day, too late sadly to get the fax off for Lancing to start today. He had a look at my cutlass bearing. I was unhappy with it. He confirmed that it needed replacing. You could see where the rubber had melted and blocked some of the waterways. Another first for me would be its removal. Have heard horror stories but that’s for tomorrow.  I reflected, clearly my fouled props incident last year caused a lot more damage than was first realized.