ions, eating irons and bronze.

I am now at the stage where I am trying to think of all the things I need to do before we set off for our seven month trip on 'Holderness'. Things will be interrupted this week as major works are going on at my Mum's so I will have to be in attendance. One thing I remembered as we were doing the weekly shop was to buy de-ionised water for the batteries. I got it from ASDA for £1-10 for 2.5ltrs which I didn't think was too bad. I assume that if  you had an air conditioning unit you could use the condensate from that as a free source, but I'm not sure. It seems the difference between distilled water and de-ionised water is that distilled water is water that is boiled and the vapour distilled so that all the contaminants are left behind and de-ionised water is passed through ion exchange equipment. I think that we see lots more de-ionised water these days as the energy required to boil and condense the water would make it expensive for day to day use, where as de-ionised water is made by forcing the 'dirty water' through a reverse osmosis membrane and the is de-ionised. It is certainly good enough for putting in batteries.

I have a few more LED bulbs to buy and then the whole boat will have the halogen lights replaced with LED's. I have three table lamps that need LED's but I am still looking for the cheapest place for them. And I hope that they wont interfere with the digital radio signal.

Helen got a good bargain from what has been a long standing , what they would now call a discount store, Boyes. It is a bit like Woolworth's used to be but cheaper and more DIY and craft stuff. She spotted a 26  piece cutlery set from Viners of Sheffield for £19-99. RRP was £65. However they seem to be on sale all over the place at that price, but some have the RRP of £85. As we have been using some old picnic implements with plastic handles they will be a welcome addition.

I have coal and logs from home to take along with all my tools that I brought home. I have been buying oil for the Beta 43 when I see it at Wilko's as I haven't seen it cheaper anywhere. I get 5ltr for £15. It went up at the back end of last year from £12-50! I'm sure some would say that it would be better to use supposed better quality oil but as it is changed after 250 hours I'm not sure that it is in the engine long enough to get the benefit from a higher quality as it will be over time that a poor quality one breaks down and becomes less efficient. I have already bought all my filters for the coming year's changes from In-Line Filters who charge a low price, are very prompt and accurate for delivery and when ever I have needed to talk to them  have been very helpful.

I do need to contact Crowthers in Oldham to have a chat about our propeller. We seem to have attracted more than our fair share of bent propeller blades that has cost us dearly. I would be interested to know if it is just bad luck or there is something we can do about it like changing it for one with a bit more metal in it, or of a different composition as it is becoming a yearly event. In fact having had a very bent blade on the Aylesbury arm last year on the way back north later on we have slightly bent a couple of blade tips again on the Macclesfield. We didn't notice anything major going through the prop but when I was checking down the weed hatch there were two bent. I was able to straighten them a bit but it isn't ideal is it.

September 2013 bent prop.

August 2014 bent prop.

I'm sure there will be lots of other things we will need but my head is too full already.