My indecision about whether to buy a small suitcase generator or not may be concluded shortly as our "intelligent battery charger" stupidly blew up the other day - with smoke and popping sounds! It's back with the shop we bought it from, almost exactly 2 weeks after the 1 year warranty expired! The installers have removed it, and reckon there's a chance Sterling (manufacturer) might do the decent thing and replace it under warranty anyway - I hope so - I've spent quite a lot recently on anchor chain, anchor rope, a new leisure battery, a handheld vhf and a radar reflector, so am keen not to spend more at the moment.
But without a battery charger means effectively without fridge (not in use at the mo anyway as we use the giant fridge that is 'outside'), lights and heater (Eberspacher diesel heater uses battery power) - so we need to sort it out.
We've just got back from a two night trip to Salcombe (via the Yealm for a night in both directions) so the batteries are charged up at the moment due to motoring back this morning - but a new charger or generator are required pronto. There is always the option of running the main engine to charge the batteries periodically - but it's noisy and allegedly not good for the engine to be run without load. I think a generator will be the way forward. Having one will mean we can spend a lot less time in marinas and a lot more at anchor once we set off on our journey around the UK.
Another issue we've had recently is that since we were re-rigged last year, the mast has developed a nasty juddering motion in certain winds. The riggers claim it's unavoidable and that in the 8 months before the re-rig, we were simply very lucky not to have encountered winds of the appropriate direction/speed. An amazing coincidence!! Riggers attempted three times to solve it by tweaking the tensions, and failed. In Salcombe, I rigged up a rope between the end of the boom, and the middle of the mast, then pulled at its middle by hoisting it on the main halyard - effectively pulling the middle of the mast back. It worked! So I'm very pleased with myself. We can easily set that back up when the juddering returns.
Here's some pics from our recent Salcombe trip:
The mast judder solution
Isabella alone on the visitor moorings - no so popular this time of year
A chilly walk on the cliffs - Lord of the Rings style
Motoring out of Salcombe on a falling tide, to catch the Westerly tide flow back towards Plymouth
Drifing in almost no wind, but still making 2 knots due to the tide
Dawn start from the Yealm to Plymouth
Dawn start from the Yealm to Plymouth
Dawn start from the Yealm to Plymouth
A well earned cup of tea
