Bartimaeus

Our longest break away from the boat has continued to extend in to May.  We are in occasional contact with Ortomarine to hear what is happening.  It seems they were overwhelmed during the early part of the year, but now seem to be finding the time to make progress on Bartimaeus.

Recent updates show the work continuing.  The heat pump skin tank is complete and plumbed in.  It still needs some insulation on top, and probably some ballast added in the adjacent void.  Once the plywood floor has been reinstated, the floor tiles can be clicked back in to place pretty quickly.  The heat pump is already installed and plumbed in near the back door.

Meanwhile, preparations continue in the engine bay.  A large amount of pipe-work and cabling has been installed.  New mounting points have been welded in place, ready to take the electric motor, and the generator in its pod.

I have studied a number of photographs of the pipework, but failed to make much sense of what I am seeing.  The cooling circuit for the generator is going to be linked to the circuit for the heat pump, and to the coils inside the hot water tank.  The existing diesel heater is also in the circuit - though we hope we won't need to use that in future.

To my inexpert eye, it looks like fitting the motor and generator in to place and connecting them up ought to be on the agenda very soon.  We still don't have a promise of a completion date, and there is also the small matter of transporting the boat back to the water somewhere.

Meanwhile, I have been cycling to keep myself entertained.  We have had occasional warm and sunny days, but many more cold and showery ones - it feels more like April than May.

For over a month now I have cycled at least 25 miles every day.  On some of those days I have spotted a gap in the showery weather and picked a dash accordingly.  Depending on the wind direction and the breaks in the clouds I have usually chosen Polmont, North Berwick or East Linton as one end of the ride, using the train in the other direction.

As well as some longer days with my regular cycling buddies, a new development has been cycling with Nye.  He joined Clare and I on a sunny trip at the beginning of last week, and has been out with me twice since.  I'm pleased to see him enjoying cycling again, and each trip he has gone a little further and a little faster.