Still in Pont de Vaux

As mentioned in the previous blog my brother Carl visited us for the first month here on the boat and we did an enormous amount of work, building new beds for both the main and guest cabins, cupboards (I suppose one should use the correct term-lockers) for these two areas, installing new oak flooring and renovating the pine flooring in the galley area. We installed new cladding in the salon and galley and also new ceilings before fitting a totally new Ikea kitchen. What a pleasure to have good assistance for the carpentry. We had great fun despite the fact that we could not go cruising. I had removed the timing chain tensioner and was waiting for a new one to arrive from Germany.
 

With the working and the few excursions in between we got to know each other better as adults and the experience, I believe, was mutually satisfying. We were slightly different in our approach to the task and the difference worked in our favour and it was used to good effect to get on with the job as we could trust the result of each other’s efforts. We briefly discussed what had to be done and he got on with it with only an infrequent brief consultation on the best approach to a particular aspect. He was very energetic and thoroughly enjoyed the month of handwork. Rudi and I were both very sad to see him leave and so, as was evident, was he.
 

Following Carl’s departure Rudi and I decided to just complete the kitchen, give attention to the engine and then start cruising as soon as possible....at least, that was the plan. However, the engine ultimately had other ideas.
 

In the process of finalising the kitchen we noted that the heavy, solid oak work surface, 2 pieces in all, would require multiple joints due to the lengths supplied. Our very kind French neighbours, Ludo and Cecile, offered us their Combi to return to Ikea in Lyon to exchange these for one shorter and one longer piece that would require only one joint. Having exchanged these we traipsed back to the boat and I considered ways of getting the job done professionally. Ikea could have done it for us, but would have required a 6-week lead time. The local carpenter, whom I had asked to come and give us a quote for doing it on site, simply did not turn up as promised. Eventually I decided, as I have on most tasks on the boat, to give it a go myself and with much careful measuring I made the necessary joint with hand tools, dowels and strong polyurethane wood glue. It turned out quite well and looks a treat.

After fitting the basin and new gas hob, again a self-completed job after the plumber we requested to give us a quote also did not surface, I decided that I should tackle the clanking in the engine that had started in the latter part of our cruising last year. I had concluded after much internet research and discussion with various knowledgeable people over the last number of months, that it was possibly the timing chain tensioner that needed servicing/ replacement. At least that was where I would need to start.

After ordering the tensioner from the nearest Mercedes Benz dealer, in Macon, we went to pick it up in a hired car when they called us, only to find that it was not the correct part. Fortunately, the gasket in the box coincided with my model and I was able to convince the dealer to send it back to Germany at their cost and to find the correct one. Weeks later the correct part was available and I proceeded to replace it, following instructions in the two workshop manuals I had, one Dutch and one German, for the particular model of engine. Unfortunately, the replacement of the tensioner did not solve the clanking and I was advised that the timing chain, which displayed some damage, should also be replaced. I sought the assistance of a mechanic for further work but could again not find someone immediately and possibly only in September!

As we were awaiting further parts that I had ordered Rudi and I downed our construction tools and decided to take a bit of a break. We rented a car and took off into the local French countryside for three days. We had a grand time and enjoyed the towns we visited. Niki and Jon Low from Geneva joined us with Niki's mum Ouida and sister and brother–in-law for lunch in Bourg-en-Bresse.
 

Ouida and Niki in happy mode

 

 

 

This town is renowned for poulet de Bresse, a specially raised large chicken with black feet that is said to be more flavourful than any other in France. It is also the only chicken that warrants a certificate of geographical origin and is therefore also much more expensive than other poultry.

 

 

The visit with our friends was wonderful and far surpassed the experience of the rather expensive and disappointing lunch though!

 

We spent one night in the lovely town of Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne, where we stayed in the most welcoming hotel with the widest range of home-made jams for breakfast imaginable.
 

Hotel L'Inattendu

World beating array of home-made jams, 34 in all

 

 

The next day was spent visiting the nearby Parc-des-Oiseaux, a very big bird park which both thrilled and dismayed us. Seeing the weird and colourful birds of South America was wonderful, but we could not stand seeing the cooped-up Condor and vultures! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two days later we made up for the disappointing lunch in Bourg-en Bresse, quite by chance by stopping in the smallest of villages at a cafe at lunchtime and having one of the most exquisite meals we have had in France, guinea fowl as main course, and for a quite modest fee!

 

 

Our break away from the boat allowed Rudi and I to catch our breath a bit and to recover from the physical strain and focus of the month and a half of hard work and we were now ready to tackle both the engine and some of the more cosmetic work. We had found some lovely tiles for the kitchen on our trip in the countryside, and some painting of walls and ceilings was still required.

 

Attie relaxing with Auberge Bichonniere's cat

5 star kitchen!

 

New guest room cum study

Ceiling now completely painted

Tool/guest wardrobe combi

 

 

We were taking it at quite a leisurely pace and were aiming to only cruise locally when we get the engine going until I had had my blood tests on the 24^th of August. The delay in repairing the engine will mean that we would not be able to follow our friends on the planned route along the Canal du Centre and then the Nivernais Canal as we had hoped for this summer, but we still hoped to cruise at least part of the way after the 24th.

We are taking this rather philosophically and are ever gratefully mindful of the options we are able to command. For example, we had been invited by David and Joy Willers to visit them in Provence towards the end of August (unfortunately stymied when their sewerage drain broke down) but they will join us on the boat for a few days on their way back to London. Heidi will be back in September to oversee the renovation of her 2 century old house and she invited us to go down and see her near Avignon. Fortunately we have very good public transport options from where we are and the train trip down from Macon is both reasonable and fast. Other visits we are looking forward to before our return to South Africa in October are from Niki and Jon and Alan and Sharon from Scotland with my sister Babsie and brother-in-law Bremer sometime later

 

Neighbours' children visiting from England

 

More neighbours

Yet more eighbours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As with all things on the boat, I could not find a mechanic to replace the timing chain before mid September, if at all. Part of working so intimately with the engine and ordering parts had led to us finding out that the engine model and number was in fact not what we had been led to believe by the registration papers and after much further internet research and studying of the now three workshop manuals, I decided to attempt the job myself. I replaced the chain with some trepidation, but with what seemed to be success. However, in the process the chain had slipped off a cog and led to doubts about the timing. I therefore had to do more serious research to find out how to reset the timing. Having done this it was then essential to resynchronise the injector timing. This again led to further trepidation and research and with still no saviour mechanic in sight save yours truly attempting yet another new task. I spent many sweaty hours in a hot and humid engine room over a period of about a week and we are still no nearer a solution. In fact the engine stubbornly will not start, not even a cough or a hiccup, and emits a vague and suspicious clacking when turned by the starter motor. The strange dilemma has driven all those amateur mechanics in our vicinity to the extremities of their perspectives on the possible causes but it remains entirely baffling. I have all along been concerned that what we were treating were symptoms and not the cause of the clacking.

 

I have now decided, sadly, the need to follow the original plan B and the advice of both an experienced Mercedes service manager in South Africa and my Australian neighbour, a farmer with a lifetime of practical experience with diesel engines, not to spend more time and money on trying to fix this motor, but rather to seek a good replacement of the same model, which we can simply drop in place, so to speak.  The sensible reasons for this are that further work would require removing the engine from the boat and parts and labour alone to refurbish this motor would be far more expensive than obtaining a good running replacement motor. We have thus called on our good friends in Zaandam to seek out, test and send such a motor down to us in Pont de Vaux poste haste! 

Dunce!

 

I joined our Australian neighbours who wanted to attend a jazz concert that was being held in town a few evenings ago. The band playing comprised of junior school students, and we lasted only one session before deciding to slope off to the cafe opposite for a much more pleasant coffee. While the local townsfolk’s support for the school group was overwhelming and the fact that they at that age willing to take on jazz was commendable, the band was not yet a confident at entertaining. During coffee we got talking about music and discovered how important it was to each one of us individually. All five of us continued to participate in some way or another in a facet of music and enjoyed it!

We have enjoyed two rather wonderful display of fireworks, one for Bastille Day and one for Assumption of Mary.

 

On the health front we are generally well, despite growing numbers of aches and pains from all the work we are doing, often in very cramped and uncomfortable spaces. I am taking my chemo tablets religiously and have completed the second 28-day course. The comprehensive blood tests, with markers, on 24th of August have shown some increase in numbers and we await the oncologist’s instructions as to whether we should return or remain here and continue with the current medication. I have experienced some difficulty with foot and hand syndrome, a known symptom of this treatment, but I have been able to keep the other known side effect, namely on the digestive system, in check with Immodium.

We have had a number of lovely visits with friends from Geneva, Ireland (barging friends), the UK and have met lovely people here in Pont de Vaux. The language really does come into play when one wants something precise or technical, e.g. work on the engine, but we have improved our French quite markedly and get by with the help of new friends where the language has challenged us.

This weekend and last Pont de Vaux hosted the respectively the national quad championships and offroad bike competition. Much noise and excitement.

 

 

Well this blog was completely done by Attie while I hid behind a paint brush, cleaning, washing, shopping or cooking that shopping. The last two weeks were extremely hot, so last week we rented a combi and off to Macon for a portable electric air con, a dining table and coffee table. All looking spiffy and low and behold it started raining for 2 days and this morning Attie had to switch the central heating on!!!! I give up! From 38 degrees to 12 this morning.

 

Ok. Will keep you informed about our next move!