205. The gearbox nearly fell off my narrowboat!

#narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
After I had the narrowboat blacked at Stone I set off along the Trent and Mersey canal to head to my winter mooring. Unfortunately, disaster struck on the outskirts of the town when one lovely sunny Sunday morning, the engine made a peculiar noise which resulted in a horrible discovery...
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Filmed from October 31-November 21st
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[@jmpattillo]

You did a video about restoring a toilet cassette. I think the people complaining about your videos being all rainbows and unicorns haven't looked back enough.

[@NarrowboatChef]

Ah, the joys of owning a narrowboat! 😅 Very impressed with the skills of the boater who towed you - hard enough steering one boat in the wind!

[@rabbit_scribe]

Home with a cold and binge-watching Cruising the Cut videos in no particular order. Very therapeutic 🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢

[@CruisingTheCut]

Get well soon!

[@lornajaneadventures]

What a lovely doggy giving you a tow and very good of the marina to let you stay. Well done Tom & Co

[@spthompson6501]

Your breakdown appears to be the result of sub-standard mechanical work earlier in the boat's life (before you bought her). The engine oil seal and the lack of split-washers on the adapter plate bolts are indicators of this. Unfortunately, these things are almost impossible to check when surveying a boat prior to purchase. I'm glad you were quick to detect that 'odd noise' and immediately nursed the boat to a marina. Your quick action probably saved you a much larger repair bill. Happy New Year and happy boating from here on. 👍👍

[@grahamerobinson3234]

Hi We have returned to narrow boating after a gap of two years, having spent 8 years on the Kennet and Avon. We picked up our new boat from the builders in Warwick and her maiden voyage was to a small marina in Northamptonshire on the Grand Union. I happened upon your vlog whilst surfing you tube and can say this morning I have completed all your videos. I have enjoyed them greatly and realised what I have been missing over the last two years. I am so looking forward to cruising the midlands and the north indulging in my past time of wild life photography from the unique prospective of a Narrowboat. I look forward to your 2020 vlogs and hope to pass you on the cut one day Captain Pugwash aka Grahame

[@CruisingTheCut]

Welcome back to the cut!

[@susanbrown2909]

I think you are the best man for a canal vlog. You have a cordial ,and convivial way about you. You speak clearly and concisely too. I enjoy your videos..glad you got the old gal working again.

[@robertfine5131]

On the other side of the pond, we say cruising is fixing your boat in exotic locations... Glad it all worked out!

[@taiyoctopus2958]

CLASSIC B.O.A.T. moment. Go to fix one thing, and find out there's 5 other things you should probably fix as well. Time to "Break out another thousand" :) Hopes shes running good after your expenses. It will be well worth. Thanks for taking a camera along for all this!

[@mhn3773]

Experiences like those boaters helping you make life worth it. It really is the small things in life.

[@tk45440]

I'd love to watch this, but i'm still only on episode 60. i'll see ya back here in . . . a while. Love the videos from the start!

[@the-selfish-meme7585]

With everything else going on in the UK and the rest of the world, your VLOG is a real tonic. It's all too easy to forget about what is really important in life - oil seals, flywheels and sheared bolts... thank you, sir!

[@johnpadmore3228]

Sorry for your problems but an excellent narration of the problem. I boated for 16 years in New York, USA and towed a number of folks. One chap thru 4 locks on the Champlain Canal and into his home slip. Thanks for sharing. 😎

[@jasonbrant6394]

An absolutely fabulous advert for the canal and river rescue and aston marina both well deserved . Glad to see your up and running again .

[@NeverlandSystemZor]

Nothing like the kindness of others to save the day, eh? Hope you offered them a good cup of tea in thanks!

[@deanmills5106]

Having problems like that is always stressful. On the other hand it's always a comforting feeling when you know that the problem has been solved and you can proceed with a certain amount of confidence.

[@LittleCarol]

What a brilliant vlog and such a great boating community, where everyone pitches in to help. It took a while to fix with the parts arriving. But it also proves my two favouite little proverbs. ' Life happens while we are busy making other plans' and ' There is never a good time for a crisis' Thank you for sharing.

[@edmctug8800]

Bummer Well at least it happended at the end of the season and you were close by to the marina,, luckily not a wrecked transsmission,,, just a few parts a little down time,, hope it did not croak your repair budget,, thanks for Shareing Sir !!!!

[@Synchro-Mesh]

Glad you got it fixed!

[@doctorpc4x4]

Love the artwork on the narrowboat that towed you to your new mooring

[@rightsideupvt]

Thank goodness, a fresh Cruising The Cut to break the sky screaming.

[@mikenelson8786]

Happy New Year. Glad to see you back online and mobile. You will soon be a narrowboat mechanic.

[@ringding1000]

Thanks for the unglamorous look at life on the canal. I enjoy the seeing mechanical bits of a canal boat and what it takes to keep them running. Let's hope for years of easy running with repaired gearbox!

[@GordonjSmith1]

Just like decorating a house through the letter box. Impressed.

[@chrissayers7076]

When I read the headline my first thoughts were, "THAT CAN'T HAPPEN", but to my astonishment and amazement it nearly did, I'm not sure I could have been so jolly facing that situation, thank you for posting that blog David, it's not all smelling the Rose's, being a boat owner does come with hidden costs,, I take my hat off to your marine engineer for fixing your gearbox and engine in the field, clearly highly skilled. An old saying of fathers, if you don't plan for maintenance, your equipment will plan it for you, in this situation I am not sure you could plan for that. Happy new year David.

[@muddshshshark]

Wow almost 100k subs! love the sound of that little diesel

[@craigbowie8925]

What an adventure. Thanks for sharing it with us David. Boat: A hole in the water into which you pour money. Can't wait for the winter fireside chats!

[@dozer1642]

Breaking down across from a marina is so idealic on your part. You live such a sheltered life. Whenever the rest of us break down we are always in the middle of nowhere and have to swim for our lives. But seriously, I’m glad you had good bad luck. That’s what I call it when things could’ve been much much worse. If it’s mechanical, it will fail when you least expect it. 👍👍

[@rogerwhittle2078]

Wow! That, apart from a hull plate around the galley outflow that had rusted to 'lace' and a failed bilge pump allied with a rudder pintle that spewed water on the Thames, I think that is the most serious boat breakdown I've ever encountered. You were kind of doubly lucky about where you were, when it happened and having really skillful neighbours prepared to tow you to a shore line! Could have been a cold, bleak couple of weeks else. On the plus side, you've been fretting about an oil leak for an age and, I'm guessing, slow speed handling has probably improved with that drive plate having been replaced. Incidentally, in the motorcycle world, that flexible coupling is called a 'cush drive'. I even had something similar on a CT Scanner I used to work on! Thank you for thinking of making a distressingly stationary interval, into such an interesting vlog. And well done to the field engineers who came out to do the work.

[@J1mbo888]

Top Work by the "RCR Guys". Very impressed :-)

[@bobuk5722]

Hi. I'm sure those replacement bolts were put back with some thread locking compound or at least shake proof washers under the heads. Even better would be to have had the heads drilled and the bolts then wired in place. I guess it was the vibes from the diesel that loosened them. I very much doubt the engine was built with that damage to the seal, specialised tools are used for inserting at build. I rather suspect it had been badly replaced once before - maybe without lifting the engine enough to get the necessary clear working space. Still, great to know that there is a highly skilled and capable Canal Rescue Service, I did not know that existed and it's been great to see them in action. Bob.

[@rayswann7618]

my mom used to repair heavy marine gearboxes, I remember her bringing the larger trawler size ones home as she used to work on them sitting up in bed. I asked her if she enjoyed lifting those huge gears about , she said "Its hell son- pass me a large crow bar and chaw of bakkey"

[@frederickschranck893]

Proof once again that a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money. I had an electrical issue with my outboard this summer that was an expensive and thankfully short-lived interruption. Glad it eventually worked out for you.

[@colh5910]

Glad it's all sorted and nobody died ! Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year David.

[@griffog2001]

Who are the grumpy sods who downvoted this vlog? Keep up the great work, one of my fave channels 👍🏻

[@CruisingTheCut]

My army of haters!

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

@@CruisingTheCut man, that's nothing. 8 sour grapes.

[@Gregwing]

@@CruisingTheCut Wait! You have an army? Well, I guess that makes sense. With your drone and Narrow Boat, you have the Airforce and Navy covered.

[@hermitoldguy6312]

5 in 10,000? It's just people having "finger trouble", trying to watch in full-screen.

[@thomaswilson3437]

I'm glad you showed some of the headaches involved in cruising, which are frankly endemic to almost any activity involving machinery. For some real excitement in your life, take that gearbox apart!

[@mobrien98]

"A bit of a klonk" what a lovely description

[@Vlogsoup]

Ugh I hate when mechanical issues happen with my car, I cannot imagine a boat! The stress is real.. I’m glad that there were nice people to help you and Tom did a great job. I love the sound of that engine. Glad you’re back out on the water! Cheers! I watch playlists of your not-a-vlogs nightly to sleep to.😁

[@CruisingTheCut]

Awww that's lovely. I love sending people to sleep hahaha ;-)

[@Vlogsoup]

CruisingTheCut hahaha 😄 I enjoy your sense of humor 😁

[@kenty2831]

I watched the KZbin "TV Journalist Quits His Job to Live on a Tiny House Boat". During the interview you mentioned as a field reporter you felt like a "one man band". A very eloquent summary of working through life. Your skill sets of writer, director, producer, photography, and "starring role" shine through. Well Done.

[@ilblues]

I'm glad it broke down when you were so near to the marina and not when you were in the middle of nowhere. Glad you got it sorted and found help to relocate the boat where there was power.

[@harpomarx7777]

We call them "mechanics" here. Engineers design things and mechanics have to compensate for their engineering shortfalls by fixing them. Police that bilge from now on and good luck.

[@t1n4444]

Over here HM, we call it "cobbling". (Aka D.I.Y.) A term covering everyone from a real, expert, experienced mechanical engineering bod to someone who owns a hammer and a blunt screwdriver who is not shy at having a go at fixing anything, anything at all under the Sun ... without a manual. And of course incurring hundreds of millions of £££ ( collectively) in getting a real expert to fix it properly. This expert person is known as "a man who can". "A man who can" absolutely loves people "cobbling" because a task which might have taken 5 mins turns into an epic repair job which pays off the mortgage, ensures a new car every two years and three months holiday cruising around the planet. You may be familiar with this economic "model"?

[@roejogan9517]

Thanks for the video! Greetings from Spain!

[@andreafirminger9319]

Great videos as always. I’ve spent the evening catching up on the last 9 vlogs and they are so relaxing and you’ve got my sense of humour. Now onto Vandemonium. 👍🏼

[@paulroberts5677]

Just sat here looking at your vlog and realised you have been doing these vblogs for almost four years. I found your site after I had surgery for cancer and subsequent chemo-therapy. You and fish-finger sandwiches helped to get me through some dark times. The result is I am still here and have my own little yoghurt pot. Thank you. Thought you would like to know.

[@CruisingTheCut]

I'm glad you enjoyed the videos (and the sandwiches). Hope the cancer's gone for good and that you're having fun in the boat.

[@4sstg]

Dear oh deary me, you and your noble narrowboat have given me so many hours of blissful peace on the canals. God bless you and your boat, and the canals, and all who helped you.and repaired your boat. I pray I will live until spring and see you cruise the cut again.

[@wazza33racer]

the plate , it should never come loose. Rear main crankshaft seals do leak eventually, but that usually takes thousands of hours of operation. So I think the worn drive plate shook everything loose. But those bolts need to be torqued with loctite applied. Looks like a lot of issues got resolved in one swoop, which is a good thing.

[@RexyH267]

Is it my imagination but I think your boat sounds better.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Yes, it does

[@marianillingworth4403]

Thanks David very educational. It’s weird how often in trying to cure one problem you find or solve another. Glad you are moving again.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Great Video nothing like a New Year grope in oily cold wet bilge to remind you of joys of boating..

[@bryannamyo]

That was actually quite fascinating. I'd love to be able to repair Narrowboat engines, still time to learn I guess.

[@for.tax.reasons]

I know this cant have been the happiest thing for you to go through but there's something immensely satisfying as a viewer to see a problem arise and then be resolved 👀 I've said it before and I'll say it again this is the best show with truly complete plotlines and character arcs 😛

[@kenty2831]

Your editing skills for the titles are the best in the KZbin community! We enjoy your tours tremendously, even the technical bits, we always learn something. We hope your are not discouraged by this set back! You have persevered through pumps, cartridges, electrical, packing glands, rust, and indignant water foul. Nice detailed explanation of technical problem.

[@rgr3427]

Only shows the “Idyllic” side of narrow boating, they must have missed the paint scrapping and repairing/repainting in the engine compartment episode. Keep the episodes coming, love the countryside and history of your amazing country, thank you sir.

[@cresshead]

phew! that must have been stressful!

[@user-kb1ir7dy8j]

Thanks for sharing the dark side of boat life...bet that cost a penny or two ,😞

[@10p6]

The wonderful ups and downs of narrow boating LOL. Nice to see something a little different.

[@patchesconway5957]

You are useful information, you are someone I like watching for that

[@evildonald742]

I would wager that that had been taken apart before. The dent in the seal likely came from someone tapping it in with a hammer, the factory would have the proper press to install it. The bolts also wouldn't have come loose if they were torqued correctly. Not that it matters now, though. Good to see you back on the move.

[@anthonyrstrawbridge]

Actually, the factory service does not supply or recommend pressing this seal into the housing. The bolts have a known tendency to loosen in this installation due to the culmination of forces. I'm observing the time from properly torqued with dowels set properly to be approximately 800 hours operational time. A dirty prop or worn drivetrain component will significantly shorten this time. Interestingly, there are service bulletins relating to the dowl pins being mis - installed or missing.

[@millomweb]

"pipes, bits and bobs that get in the way of removing the gearbox" I think the word you're after is "Contranklements."

[@Goonie_Guy]

I absolutely love your videos... I'm so glad I found them. I watch something from you every day. Please keep them coming.

[@russcrawford3310]

At the beginning, the sound you heard is best described as "expensive" ... mechanics will understand ...

[@kevgermany]

And rub their hands with glee. Not in front of the customer of course. Here an air of sympathy and concern is called for while keeping the smile well hidden as the profit is mentally totted up. Not too different from undertakers really, except the aim of the mechanic is to get repeat business, but undertakers just do the one job.

[@t1n4444]

@@kevgermany Family rates?

[@wornoutwrench8128]

Well David, as a retired heavy equipment mechanic I can tell you that you got off very lucky. The damage was minimal. Other then a few parts it would have been mostly labor. Shame that who ever put it together last time missed a few steps, such as lock washers or some thread locker. But that coupling was not much longer for this world so it had to be done anyway. I live on the West Coast of Canada on the ocean. We don't have narrow boats, to bad because it looks like a nice way to cruise. Boats are not my favorite, but I will admit that yours actually looks fairly easy. I know that you don't want to talk about how much it cost you to repair but in my part of the world you would be looking at about $100/hr Canadian and that would be an independent mechanic and not a company. If you went with a boatyard the rates will go up from there. Just a little comparison for you. Looking forward to your next episode.

[@RealLuckless]

We should start a campaign to get dual purpose recreational and commercial use canals built... Can you imagine the lock stairs we could have going on here in BC?

[@wornoutwrench8128]

@@RealLuckless It would be a bit mind boggling but what an idea.

[@Chris-fo8wp]

Happy New Year!!! Cruising is always fixing the boat in exotic places :)

[@onefunnyoldman]

I suppose its inevitable for things like this to happen from time to time, how lucky to be close to a suitable mooring and to have other boaters available to help things along for you. Thank you for another brilliant vlog. Very pleased you have everything sorted and are back on your planned route. Very best wishes for 2020 David, looking forward to your next offering :)

[@anthonywstanton]

Another top notch video sir! Blessings to you!

[@Transit_Biker]

I guess it's time to clean & re-paint the engine bay again, eh? :)

[@munchkinheaven]

TransitBiker xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxzxxxz😉😌🥴🤭x😬

[@georgelewis8904]

Break down to fill vloger requests, that's commitment, thanks for the video, keep warm all the best for the new year.

[@philipwinter8729]

Glad that you got it sorted out eventually. Perhaps you'll now have that pristine clean engine bay that I know you've yearned for!

[@britainbyboat3335]

Blimey, what an ordeal! The tinkerer in me enjoyed seeing all the components in pieces but every other part of me hopes I’ll never have to do that job myself 😀 Thanks for sharing that 👍

[@ladderman6938]

Advance engineering terms “ that silver and green thing is the gear box “ lol. Great video, glad all is well with your narrow boat now.....

[@michaelpilling9659]

I bet you are much happier now that everything is fixed. Super video.

[@davidsrensen3117]

Love Old mechanic. So simple and still more advanced than People think

[@christophermusson4479]

Thank you for sharing your pain David. Your videos are always interesting, especially for a first time live aboard like me, but they do serve to give a heads up on some of the things I should consider. Thanks again.

[@DMills-un1tl]

No mention of how much a big job like that can cost. I imagine those types of expenses are why so many boats get abandoned and then auctioned off by the CRT, huh?

[@bradhellman5006]

Sorry to hear about your trouble! I'm sitting at home today, instead of being at work, because of my own catastrophic failure! Our nearest natgas pumping station had a pipe rupture two days ago. Repairs have been completed, but state law requires a safety inspection of every residence, before service can be restored. There are over one thousand customers affected. So I am sitting at home, keeping a fire going, not getting paid, waiting for my inspection/re-lighting, with no idea of when they might arrive. Will it be today...? Nobody knows... I feel your pain. My wife is in Florida for a week, mother-in-law also out of town. Neighbors work days, like me, so just sitting and waiting, lol

[@CruisingTheCut]

Blimey, that's quite the nuisance for you

[@bradhellman5006]

@@CruisingTheCut I'm 55, first gas outage ever

[@jhill4874]

Happy that the damage wasn't worse. Could have been a BIG disaster. Happy boating!

[@danielueblacker9118]

Wonderful people helping you with puppy also nice painting on the side of their boat.

[@MiguelagfTeixeira]

Glad it was "easy" to fix, back to the water!

[@EVAUnit4A]

Awwww, I'm nearing the end of my first binging of all your videos. (Well, _almost_ all of them- I skip the "where I plan to go this year" and "two hours of continuous footage" stuff.) I must say that I agree with your statement near the beginning of this one, that you do indeed show the idyllic side of narrowboating- you rarely have anything _bad_ to say (or show) about it! But I have appreciated your continuous efforts regardless. Your editing and commentaries are on-point every single time. This is a _wonderful_ vlog that calms me down and allows me to relax, and shows a different side of life that I will probably never experience for myself... but would also probably never do for myself either! Cheers from a landlubber across the pond! o/

[@CruisingTheCut]

Ah, c'mon, I showed emptying the toilet and refurbing the toilet cassette, it doesn't get much grimmer than that ;-)

[@EVAUnit4A]

@@CruisingTheCut You empty your toilet??

[@sidneybowerman558]

"Engine on blocks, like visiting a dodgy part of town", love it David. I even remember one of your videos where you had been advised not to stay over until you were clear of the town.. It's a fact of life regardless if you are on land or water.

[@peterpearce2011]

Good to see how it was repaired , sounds like it running just great but I guess it was expensive. Good to see you on your way again.

[@MarkRose1337]

Much better than having the front fall off! But hopefully that will never happen as there aren't many waves on the canals.

[@nigelmchugh5541]

Good to see it was a simple ( albeit costly) fic. By the way, those plastic shock absorbing drive flanges are known in agriculture as a "cush drive".

[@JeghedderThomas]

I suddenly understand the frustration of being tied down - when one's urge to putter about suddenly has no outlet. Nice to see everything fixed and the trip to winter moorings sorted. Hope the future will be less fidgety.

[@Hartley69]

Great update DJ look forward to the first real-time 2020 vlog

[@ianmason8713]

People who say that you only show the idyllic side of narrow boating have obviously never seen the episode when you renovated a toilet cassette :)

[@CruisingTheCut]

Hahahahaha true

[@bill45colt]

Lucky to have a failure in port instead of the open sea. Blessed to have quality mechanics available,,,mostly now all i can find are parts replacers,,,most of the true mechanics have all died off

[@kairon156]

Thanks for making this into a video. I enjoy when KZbinrs share the tougher side of what they do. Either if it's programming or boating it makes it feel more true. Oh, I really like the lady painted on the other boat. And the 2nd guy's dreadlocks were cool too.

[@raymondgoerke5519]

Love your vlog. I have a 27 foot trailer (I am Canadian) and Vandemonium and The Cut series have given me some great ideas for solar on my unit. Thanks.

[@gabehartman6832]

Outstanding channel I have been binge watching SUBBED!

[@phoenixrising4573]

Just picked up and started watching a week ago or so, and have kind of been binge watching! It's been quite enjoyable watching you progress and go. These boats are beautiful, and it all reminds me so much of central Louisiana, and the houseboat culture that makes up a big hunk of traditional life in that part of the country(they're not canals, but often involve tidal bayou and swamp/marsh. Some of those little boats would be right at home, yours is just a tad longer than could maneuver!) I've been curious since you got this boat about the oil leaks you talked about in the bilge, and if it might be a sign of a main issue, or a gasket on the oil pan. I was hoping when they had her out they'd have noticed a pan issue.... honestly the way this failed is a blessing and a curse, you had to fork for the repairs, but at least it didn't damage a crank or something mid-lock transit!

[@lyndarichardson4744]

Oh no David , I'm sorry , it must have been very expensive and stressful 😟 glad everything's alright now & I guess you must be on your winter moorings .

[@andreafirminger9319]

Thanks for all your videos. I’ve had a evening catching up on the last 10 vlogs and it was so relaxing. Now for a catch up of Vandemonium!

[@jonleonard538]

Twiddling is a good thing. Have you had the opportunity to try twiddling thumbs in opposite directions?

[@ournomadslife]

You look very calm throughout but that must have been very stressful 👍🏻

[@CruisingTheCut]

It was a bit, yes

[@jdhinckley1954]

WHat a bummer! Thanks for sharing what must have been a stressful experience with us.

[@willsgetoff1157]

Fortunate that you were so near the mariner. Glad you got it sorted and looking forward to a bit more cruising before you moor up for the winter.

[@hannahwells9930]

You will be delighted to know this nail biting episode vastly speeded my slurping of tea and munching of Jaffa cakes so nearly a full pot and packet was consumed by the end... Apparently this is the answer... you have to break something on the boat weekly to assist viewers ! all essential elements were involved cool doggies .. much better than Horseys and cows.. and your usual ratio of cruising .. about 2% with most time spent in a marina... a resoundingly successful vlog 10/10 :-)

[@CruisingTheCut]

Haha thank you

[@Bicyclehub]

Jaffa cakes are no problem. They are mostly orange and oranges are fruit. Fruit is good for you. Eat as much as you can.

[@rodnelson2651]

Really useful to see what to do when you break down. I've had a boat for almost 4 years and not yet had a major problem. But it's only a matter of time!

[@t1n4444]

True, but, by the looks of it that issue was caused by another's duff work. Some folks never have any issues.

[@deano1959]

Much better video, like these much better than watching the canal throughout the video. Thanks for taking the viewers comments on board :)

[@CruisingTheCut]

I hate to disappoint you but I hardly ever do stuff because a viewer's requested it. Over winter, I don't cruise so you get non-cruising videos, that's all!!

[@contrafax]

Thank goodness you got that sorted.