I wish the weather would sort itself out, I had to light the fire again!
We didn’t move, but I took Meg for a walk back to Anderton to meet the girls coming back up the lift.
Corbiere exiting the Anderton Lift.
I’ve been doing some research, and have come to the conclusion, supported by someone technical at Crowther Propellers, that my noisy driveshaft is in fact a “singing prop”. No, not like Frank Sinatra, more like fingernails on a blackboard. The phenomena occurs when the water leaving the trailing edge of the prop blade curls back on itself, causing a vortex and producing a vibration in the water. It is impossible to predict; of 2 identical props one may “sing”, and the other not. The cure, apparently, is to grind the edge of the blade so that instead of being a half round in profile, it is more of a chisel edge. This allows the water to exit the blade cleanly, avoiding the turbulence. It is supposed to be 90% effective.
Obviously, this is a job to do out of the water, so I’ve been in touch with Gary at Orchard Marina, and booked Seyella in for bottom blacking on Friday. While she’s dry, we’ll dress the propeller. If the change of profile doesn’t work, at least it’ll have been worthwhile, with fresh paint on the hull.
We moved on from Marbury today, when Carol caught up. Through Wincham and Rudheath, past Orchard and finished up at Billinge Green Flash, one of our favourite spots on the canal. Quite a few other people think so too, there were half a dozen other boats here when we arrived, and a couple more have turned up since.
Moored at the Flash
There are plenty of youngsters around at the moment, near Broken Cross there are 5 moorhen chicks, the biggest brood I’ve seen.
They were scattered across the canal, so I only a picture of one.
The swans were much more co-operative….
Carol has taken advantage of the dry evening to strip a bit more paint from poor old Corbiere, this time at gunwhale level.
In fact it’s been a good weather day, warm with hazy sunshine.
Locks 0, miles 4½.
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