Its been some months since I updated this website. I did go over to Belgium to pick up my 'new' Petter engine. It had some strange modifications but the camshaft is identical to mine . There used to be a ¼" diameter pushrod through the camshaft. Mine was damaged when the shaft broke and this new engine doesn't have one. It must have been removed during the modifications. So I have to make a replacement. I have been waiting for a dimension for this pushrod for many months from various sources. Finally Jim Perkins (Ex Petters engineer) bought himself a PJ3 and measured it while dismantling. (He didn't buy this engine just to measure the pushrod for me!) I'll get around to making this rod and reassembling the engine in the new year.

In July I finally got the floor fully fitted in the back cabin of the boat. Then I fixed battens to the sides and roof and finally spray-foamed it as you can see in the photos below.

BoatmanscabinfloorboatmanscabinbattenedboatmanscabinfoamedboatfoamSM

I  have also insulated the area at the front of the boat,under the well deck and around the water tank.

I've had 9 evening classes at Reading TVU so am a little better at using a lathe now. I have got my workshop fitted out a little better now (Although its too full) and can go out of an evening and do a bit of work in it. I have also been going to the boat on a Saturday as a fairly regular thing. Its progressing - slowly but surely. I have got all the battens fitted now in the main cabin and am just waiting for some milder weather so that I can insulate it.

My brother came for a visit to the boat a while back so I put him to work loading ballast on to the boat. I obtained some sections of railway track, and some steel counter-weights for ballast. I also had a few hundred storage heater bricks that I've collected over the years. This has all gone in under the floor of the main cabin. About 6 tonnes in total! I think there is a bit too much now so I will probably have to take about a tonne  out again. Its not difficult to dispose of though.

The time between Christmas and New Year I have spent making a pigeon-box to go onto the roof above the engine. I have to get some portholes and some glass cut  for them. Then I can cut the holes in the flaps of the pigeon box.

Pigeonbox

I have also started to get the engine back together. I fitted the new camshaft  and started putting the fuel pumps, fuel lines, rockers, and rocker boxes on. I had to cut a small crescent from the crankshaft oil spray catching disk (For want of a better description!) to enable removal of the camshaft, back in June. And the next thing to do is to weld that small section back on. Then I can complete the rebuild of the engine. I have also got a local sheet metal worker to make the necessary sections for the fuel day tank. as soon as he's folded them I can make up the day tank and fit it to the bulkhead between the control rods. ITS ALL HAPPENING!!!
 
 
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