Cooker gas supply, maintenance and upgrade.

The rubber hose connecting the Campingaz cylinder had to be replaced because it was a few months from being time expired and when I last changed the cylinder the end was not looking to be in good condition. This was rather earlier than it should have been, it was replaced after I bought the boat it having been picked up on the survey as time expired, then I found that the new hose was already almost 2 years old so now it was almost out of life.

The gas regulator was also looking ropey and when I checked up it has a 6 year replacement life (5 years is more common). I couldn't see a date on it but as I have had the boat for 8 years it was clearly time to replace it, also the previous hose had been over ten years old when replaced and I would have thought you wouldn’t install a new premium regulator without replacing a cheap piece of rubber hose.

As both were in need of replacement I decided I might as well do the job properly and fit both an automatic shut off valve that closes if the gas flow it too high or pressure is low indicating a leak in the system plus a remote gas valve close to the cylinder, both are in the vented gas locker so that when the cooker is not in use all of the pipe work inside of the boat and the cooker is isolated at the press of a button. 

The remote gas valve is only open when power is applied so turning off the domestic power will isolate the gas when leaving the boat even if the local "gas on" switch is left on. That switch is illuminated when on as a reminder to turn it off when not using the cooker. It also saves bending down to reach the manual gas cock. 

I also have a hand held detector for tracking down suspected leaks
and false alarms from other sources. All should have one!

Fitting the rather large Cleese valve in the locker was tricky as there is not a lot of room and it must be clear of the cylinder so that the knob can easily rotate to shut off the gas, but it just fits providing the cylinder is properly located in its holder. Also the hose needs a smooth curve off of the long hose tails to prevent kinking.

The Viton / Shako solenoid valve is available in two versions, one with a short pair of leads, one with a DIN connector, the latter is likely to be preferred as it avoids an additional cable join and it is more robust. There are three connections, the lower is marked earth but is not used in a DC installation, above that the left connection is positive and the right negative, neither are marked but see How To Wire A Shako PU220AR-02 Solenoid Valve – dropController. 

Press the red button to turn the gas on and off at the gas locker.

Pictures of the gas locker to follow as I forgot to take any.

The dreaded diesel bug. Part 2 - The fix (I hope)

I'm feeling rather please with the decision I made to replace the bladder tank, which would probably not have been cleanable and would certainly have been very hard to do if it was. Also of how I fitted the replacement, I feared a very difficult job in cleaning the tank because I was not sure the access would be good enough and particularly getting the inspection hatch off with the pick up tube being quite long, it came with the pick up tube installed and I was not sure if it could easily be removed with the cover in place. Moving the tank is possible but a major job, even with over 30 Kg of fuel in it pumped out. 

The fuel tank on installation, the priming bulb didn't work and was
removed - the low pressure fuel pump not being strong enough to
open the non return valve. Note how close the top of the tank is to
the cockpit seat, the fuel pick up mounted on the inspection hatch
extends to within a few mm of the tank bottom.

I need not have worried, with the breather and fuel return pipe removed and after a struggle to slacken the fore and aft restraining strap the cover came off easily and I didn't even have to disconnect the fuel line which later saved a lot of pumping to get air out of the system.

When opened I could see the bottom of the tank on the outboard side and it looked pretty clean but when I took some pictures of the inboard side, that wasn't - it was awkward pressing the icon to take the shot whilst holding the phone and lamp, these are the best pics I could manage:

Dead diesel bug on the inboard side looking
forward. The fuel was largely white diesel with
some red and a small dash of green which made
looking through it much easier than if it had been
all red. A minor contamination compared to many
but still needing to be sorted.

And looking aft.

The bug had generally been broken down but not into small enough pieces, there was a couple of clumps an inch or so across and a few small strings (bottom right in the picture immediately above and on the next).

I pumped out the first 20 litres or so, filtering it into clean cans, and being careful not to disturb the debris. I then used the pump to suck up much of the gunk with the remainder of the fuel into a separate sacrificial spare can. This got rid of the majority of the rubbish but left some:

After pumping.

The rest of the fuel and dead bug were then mopped up with kitchen roll.

Almost done.

Finished, unfortunately the pic showing the cleaned
area around the fuel sensor was too blurred to be meaningful.

I then refilled the tank, gave it another "shock" dose of Fuelset and the engine started immediately running for close to an hour without needing to bleed the system, I'll be sure to run it for a bit longer next time I am down to the boat to make sure it is not going to conk out as I leave the marina and will change the filters after a few more hours running to give any remaining particles time to get to the filters.

Fortunately the marina said they would take the contaminated diesel into their hazardous waste facility, some don't, along with the oil from my last oil changes.

Job done. I hope.

The dreaded diesel bug.

"Diesel bug, also known as fuel bug, is a term for microbial contamination of diesel fuel, primarily caused by the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other micro organisms in the presence of water. This contamination can lead to blocked filters, corroded fuel lines, and even engine failure."

Google AI description.

The bug is becoming more prevalent as it loves bio-diesel and is a particular problem in boats due to condensation and, for many, low usage both in the boat and at some marina facilities. If the strands, alive or dead, get sucked into the pick up pipe they will quickly block the filters and stop the engine and that most often happens in rough seas when you least want it.

Fuel Treatments:

Have two purposes, to kill the bug and to disperse it into very fine particles that will pass through the filters and injectors to be burnt in the engine. Good ones will also reduce water in the fuel that the bugs need. Most treatments do both and if used in a high “shock" dose will kill most, but not all, quickly. The treatment I use is one of the best all rounders although it doesn't kill quite as quickly as some. I chose it largely because it is the go-to treatment for the fishermen of Newlyn. To be on the safe side I always use the "shock / killer” dose as soon as the fuel goes into the can and often before, as in the great scheme of things, its not that expensive and you can't overdose.

Coming round from Fishguard to Dale I got it. My Facebook post: 

Diesel Bug! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 [] I decanted some diesel into the tank and in the can were the remains of diesel bug. Hopefully dead as I always put a double dose of Fuelset in with it. I haven’t had any red diesel in it since Kirkwall and only once before at Howth outbound, so unless it has been lurking there since and I have not seen it then it has come from a roadside fuel station. 

It’s a yellow plastic can [that was new this year] and the crud was easily visible so I don’t think it’s been there that long.

I have put a precautionary massive dose of Fuelset into the tank (you can’t overdose) but I am going to have to get 40+ litres of fuel out of the tank, open it up and clean the whole system which will be a big and very awkward job but at least it is possible with the new stainless tank, unlike the previous bladder tank, and I’m close to base and not 500 miles away.

Whilst anchored at Dale waiting to go into the marina I first checked a second can that was filled at the same time, it was clean. It is a bit of a mystery because the infected can has never been empty for long and it has been cycled fairly frequently and has always had a big dose of treatment, so I don't know why it grew in the can and I would have thought supplying fuel pumps would filter out at least the large particles. 

I decided it would be a good idea to change the preliminary filter. Facebook post:

I didn’t want to risk the engine conking out going back to the marina so I changed the preliminary filter, not my favourite job as the seal on the Delhi filter is not easy to get in place and it needs a lot of pumping to bleed the system.

Previously I have always thought I had wasted my time [and money] as the filters were always clean. Not this time. The filter was replaced before this cruise so I’m in for some work cleaning the whole system:

The filter opened up, I have never before seen anything other
than the odd spot. This is presumably dead diesel bug that has
been dispersed but not well enough to go through the filter and
engine. The filter was replaced before this years cruise.

And in the water trap, previously that has always been clean.

This would suggest that some seriously contaminated fuel was introduced earlier this year, the prime suspects would be red diesel from Howth or Kirkwall where turnover would be less than the service stations I have used this year (Milford Haven, Tobermory, Stromness, Stornoway, Tobermory a second time and Ardglass).

The next steps will be to open up the tank to test the fuel to make sure it is all dead, do a visual inspection and then almost certainly get the fuel out to clean the tank, which is going to be a sod of a job.

Continued.

My review of anchorages and marinas around UK has been updated.

Anchorages and Marinas, pontoons etc. covered as at 26th June 2025.

Be sure to check out Reeds and / or the appropriate pilots for more detailed information and alternates, this is just an overview of likely candidates, but I have been to all of them over the last few years. Some notes on passage making using some of these can be found here:  "Planning a round GB trip" , a list of charts and Pilots I have used round GB can be found here: "Charts and Guides for a round GB trip".

As of  the 29th June 2025 I had visited 189 different locations in Sancerre, some many times. Almost all have at least some comments. 

There are links to the 16 pages of information below the update history and at the end of each page.

Update History:

26th June 2025:

• The east coast of Ireland Split into two at the boarder.
• Mull of Galloway to Ardnamuchan split in two just south of Crinan.
• Ardnamurchan Point to Rubha Reidh (west of Loch Ewe) split into two at Skye Bridge.
• Orkney and  Shetland now have a separate page.
• Table of contents added to longer pages, I may do the rest at some point.

Feb 2025: 

• It is now possible to download a .GPX file with all of the covered locations identified (as per above) plus a long list of places I have checked out on paper and may visit.  This can be imported into Memory-Map and other charting software, Details below.
• A few boundaries have been rationalised to run between headlands rather than anchorages to remove confusion and avoid further changes when I add new locations, descriptions on some older links may not be updated but they will still work.
• The Isles of Scilly split from SE Ireland to make more room, there are now 12 pages. 
• Now having a 5G phone, 2025 notes will include O2 5G coverage although I suspect very few will appear, Milford Haven despite being a reasonably sized town is not currently covered.

Sancerre in the anchorage at The Holy Island of
Lindisfarne, 2021, the Farne Islands and Bamburgh
Castle in the distance.  A trip line is required in
this anchorage, to see why click here.

Nov 2024:

I now include:

• Harbours and Marinas.
• Some info on fuel & gas availability but I would not have checked at many locations. 
• Cell coverage, Vodafone and O2, for those I have visited recently.
• Videos of anchorages when weather, daylight and time permit.

Winter 2023/24: Further updated during a boring winter 2023/4 to include some information on access to and from marinas. Some done from notes but largely from memory but fortunately that is good for this sort of thing, I just wish that I always knew why I went into a room or opened a browser page 😕. See my page Marina & mooring notes (opens in a new window) for some general tips, definitions for the novice and the context (handling of my boat) in which I comment.

Village Bay Anchorage, St Kilda 2023.

Hunda Sound anchorage looking towards Scapa Flow, Orkney at 03:30.

Note that these "Pages" do not show up under "Post Labels" (right). There will normally be more photos of each anchorage on the linked post and sometimes subsequent ones (I normally only "tag" the first post in a sequence) the associated slide show, or by clicking on the Post Label right:

• The Solent.
• The Needles to Rame Hd (Plymouth).
• Rame Head to Lands End.
• The Isles of Scilly. 
• Lands End to The Mull of Galloway excluding Ireland.
• The East Coast of Ireland from Carnsore Pt to Carlingford.
• N. Ireland
• Ireland clockwise from Carnsore Point.
• Mull of Galloway to South of Crinan.
• Crinan to Ardnamurchan Point.
• Ardnamurchan Point to Skye Bridge.
• Skye Bridge to Rubha Reidh (west of Loch Ewe).
• The Western Isles.
• Rubha Reidh to Duncansby Head.
• Orkney and Shetland.
• Duncansby Head to the Solent. 

GPX download of locations.

A small chart section showing places I have visited (Red and Blue)
and those I would go to in the right conditions.

I have the all of the marks for anchorages and the charts on my iPads, iPhone and laptops so if I need to choose a destination or make a diversion I don't necessarily have to do further wide ranging research, just check tides, the pilot and charts for the detail.

At the time of writing there are 102 possible locations not yet visited mainly from Scilly, Ireland and Lands end to Shetland via Cape Wrath, in addition to the c 189 places I have been to at least once in the last few years.

Download files last updated Feb 2025.

The chart at the top of the page is a snap shot of some of the places I have visited, they are marks / way points in "Memory Map", I have exported these for back up and so that I can share them to my other devices (I don't wish to use the replication feature as I create a lot of marks and routes on the fly and for modelling and with such large numbers of marks I find this method easier to manage, also I sometimes use other software), I have now made them available so that others can down load them for reference.

They are stored in a .GPX file which most charting packages can access, the categorisation may or may not make sense in other software but the marks should appear. If in doubt, back up what is already in your package so that if you can't manage the two or three hundred marks you can bulk delete then restore.

An example of a single mark exported from "Memory-Map for All"
to a .GPX file and imported into my Seapro 3000 navigation software
as a waypoint. Category and symbol information were ignored although
 the name and position did come over. Care must be taken using these
as an actual waypoint - as noted below positions are only indicative.

For software geeks this is how a single point is described coming out of Memory-Map.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<gpx version="1.1"

creator="Memory-Map for All 1.3.1 https://memory-map.com"

 xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

 xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1"

 xmlns:xstyle="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2"

 xmlns:xgarmin="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3"

 xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2/gpx_style.xsd http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3 https://www8.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensionsv3.xsd">

<wpt lat="51.7073036414" lon="-5.1566832963">

<time>2025-02-10T12:51:51Z</time>

<name>Milford, Dale Shelf, Free Pontoon</name>

<src>mmid:F2364F57A0B3A561</src>

<sym>Anchor</sym>

<type>Anchorages and Marinas:Scilly to Mull of Galloway</type>

<extensions>

<xstyle:fill>

<xstyle:color>00ff00</xstyle:color>

</xstyle:fill>

</extensions>

</wpt>

</gpx>

Overlay list in "Memory-Map for All", items
ticked and those below will be displayed. 

Despite referencing a Garmin schema importing this into Garmin "Active Captain" has the same result as into SeaPro except that the name is truncated further.

Note positions are indicative and do not necessarily mean that you can anchor in the exact location, I sometimes place them close to an anchorage so that the icon does not obscure charted information. E & OE! - check out charts, in particular the Antares charts for West Scotland, Pilots etc. Naming conventions are not altogether consistent as things have changed with time and software upgrades and as selection is graphic from a chart ninety-nine times out of a hundred I am not spending time to improve it further.

I will probably update the files at some point in the future, it is not practical to just issue changes as the the .GPS file does not manage changes or deletions so if you plan to take updates put your own marks under a different category so that mine can be mass deleted and reloaded. The overlay list shows routes, these will not be made available as these may not be up to date or validated, my masters are in SeaPro and exported to the plotter and/or MemoryMap if and when required. Also I am not taking responsibility for your navigation!

Some places have a combination of a marina and moorings (e.g Tobermory which also has some possibility of anchoring), Moorings and mid river pontoons (e.g. Fowey), etc.. I flag them by the type I have used most or the most prolific (e.g. Fowey is shown as moorings although there are a number of mid stream pontoons) but occasionally when there are two significant facilities (e.g. Tobermory marina and moorings or Plockton with significant moorings and anchorage) I put in a mark for both.

The sub category expanded to show the
anchorages, right click + view takes you directly
to the point and an appropriate chart, doing the same
on a category or sub-category shows all selected.

In "Memory-Map for All" they will be shown as overlays under different categories and sub categories so they can be hidden as required, and will be locked in position (but can be unlocked), other software may not support this. I have done basic testing on an iPad and another PC, both using "Memory-Map for all". The older versions of Memory Map did not support sub-categories and I guess they would be turned into categories, early issues with "Memory-Map for All" have been resolved and as the basic software (not the charts which are still remarkably cheap) is free I see no reason not to move to the latest version.

Places I have been to, and therefore have notes on the web site for, are grouped together under "anchorages and marinas" with sub-categories roughly equating to my regional categories above. Anchor Icons ⚓  are coloured to differentiate anchorages (Red) from marinas, moorings and pontoons (without walk on access) that usually have to be paid for (Blue). None of the anchorages I have flagged have to be paid for (unlike Salcombe, Falmouth and Kinsale) but there may be a charge to use landing facilities, usually with an honesty box or on line payment e.g. Plockton (where you can land on the beach for free and it is a shorter walk).

Link to download visited anchorages etc. as a .GPX file to import into Memory-Map (or other mapping software with care).

There are two other categories; in a second downloadable file:

• Possible Anchorages - places I have done at least some research on and so for instance know there is normally sufficient water for Sancerre to stay afloat as low tide and I would, in the right conditions, anchor there overnight. Clearly there are lots more! They will show Green if displayed. They are not categorised further due to the work that would be required.
• Possible marinas - as above, show in purple
• Link to download possible anchorages and marinas. 

There are few possible anchorages on the south coast as I have been to most of the more important anchorages and none on the east coast as I have not done any research on them since 2020 and although I have some noted in excel spread sheets I would have to sift through them and manually enter them, as I don't plan to go that route again I'm not going to put the work in. 

Ireland is a different matter, a round Ireland trip has been on the bucket list for a while and I planned some routes out in detail a couple of years ago, as they are in the system I have put the end points of each planned leg into a third  down loadable file under the category "IRE" that covers Cape Clear west about to Loch Foyle, the coast from Cape Clear east about to Fair Head is covered in the other two files.

The anchorage at Canna, the Small Isles, on route from
Tobermory to S. Uist, 2022. The Isle of Rum in the distance.

2025 June 21st, Day 84. To Dale.

My Facebook post says why:

Another change of plan. I thought it might happen when I saw the models last evening but was tired so left it till this morning to run the numbers.

The ecmwf and ukmo agree that the only days in the next week without 15 knots or more of SW winds are today (before evening) and probably Wednesday with a gale Thursday/ Friday.

That would be at best uncomfortable getting south so I am heading for Milford today and will sort out the marina issue later, possibly going into Nayland for the gale, sounds daft but cheaper than loosing my discount.

Ramsey Sound this morning then either outside Skomer or wait till this evening to go through Jack Sound this evening, probably the former as F5 is forecast this evening or overnight. The bad news is mist or fog ahead [and rain], but that should clear before it’s a problem, also there will probably be some rain c mid day.

Going round in 15 + knots of wind would also take 2 - 3 times as long due to "stopping" seas, having to take a longer route as short cuts would likely be dangerous and not being able to get round in one tide.

I was away at 07:20 having checked the tides etc. There was a bit of mist, no wind, calm sea and the prospect of rain but with the following tide I made very quick progress past Strumble Head.

Unusually Strumble Head light flashes all day.

Ramsey Sound needs care but is not difficult even at half tide when it is strongest - providing it is with you! One day after neaps I had time to take some videos whilst the autopilot and plotter did the hard work using my pre-planned route from the last time I went through.

St Davids Head and the entrance to the Sound.

Entering The Sound, "The Bitches" reef ahead.

Ramsey Sound, with the neap tide there was only 
1-2 knots of tide most of the way through and
only briefly 3 - 4 knots near "the Bitches".

It had started to rain as I exited the sound and the new oilskins and boots got a test, they kept me completely dry. The rain was patchy until Skomer then it was a straight forward sail down Broad Sound and although I missed the tide at St Ann's Head the adverse tide was only a little over a knot so no big deal in the calm water. This time there were no pot buoys to contend with so I was able to go close in and anchored at 14:00.

28 miles in six and a half hours.

Well I guess that is the official end of the years first cruise, back where I left from at the end of March, 1,602.1 nautical miles over the ground. And 8 years to the day since I launched Sancerre the day after assuming ownership.

And as a birthday present I just found Diesel bug in a fuel can, my Facebook Post:

Diesel Bug! Earlier I decanted some diesel into the tank and in the can were the remains of diesel bug. Hopefully dead as I always put a double dose of Fuelset in with it. I haven’t had any red diesel in it since Kirkwall and only once before this year at Howth outbound, so unless it has been lurking there since and I have not seen it, then it has come from a roadside fuel station.

It’s in a new yellow plastic can and the crud was easily visible so I don’t think it’s been there long.

I have put a precautionary massive dose of Fuelset into the tank (you can’t overdose) but I am going to have to get 40+ litres of fuel out of the tank, open it up and clean the whole system which will be a big and very awkward job but at least it is possible with the new stainless tank, unlike the previous bladder tank, and I’m close to base and not 500 miles away.

Again

I suspect there will be a post or two about that after I have frittered away the time before going on to my berth. 

This Cruise:

• 1,602.1 nautical miles over the ground (1,843.7 statute).
• 43 stops.
• 26 locations visited for the first time.
• 44 days sailing out of 84.
• 28 days weather bound.
• 38 days in a marina or on a buoy.

Poor weather and generally strong winds meant there was little incentive for local cruising and I stayed where I was except for an excursion up the Haven to Hobbs Point for shopping. 

I went onto my berth as planned during free flow on the 1st and got a train at 11:00, like the last trip home there was significant disruption to rail services, this time knock-ons from points problems near Reading but by changing trains 5 times rather than three and going via Bristol Parkway, Swindon and Didcot rather than Reading I ended up at Oxford earlier than planned only to find the next 2 trains to Bicester cancelled because of problems at High Wycombe!

Just as I was contemplating getting a bus they announced a "special train" had been put on that would get me home and the masses of people waiting on the platform who were presumably heading for London Marylebone headed off to Reading and Paddington so I was able to get on the short train and was home by six thirty.

Click  here is the first post of two on the fuel bug.

2025 June 20th, Day 83. To Fishguard.

For once my start time was not of major importance, particularly if I was to be motoring most of the way as the north and south tides cancel out so I did not set the alarm but I was awake early the eye mask having come off in the night (the boat does not have curtains over the windows) so I was away at 05:25 in a dead calm which lasted till lunch time.

The 06:00 forecasts were not hopeful:

Met Éirenn Forecast for Irish coastal waters from Belfast Lough to Roche's Point to Erris Head and for the Irish Sea

Wind: Southerly or variable force 2 to 4.

Weather: Mainly fair, with isolated thunderstorms. Patchy mist and fog.

Visibility: Reducing moderate or poor in any precipitation, mist and fog. Otherwise good.

UKMO St Davids Head to Great Orme Head, including St Georges Channel

24 hour forecast: Southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. Smooth or slight. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near Anglesey. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later. Showers, fog patches at first. Good, occasionally very poor at first.

The UKMO inshore forecast was for SE F3 - 5 and the morning download still showing this at the upper end of the range closer to England. 

Leaving Wicklow early doors.

Wiklow Head.

The tides pretty nearly balanced out with it
running strongly SW close to Fishguard.

But I struck lucky, the wind when it did arrive a little before noon, was from the NE and although tentative at first it freshened into a nice sailing breeze between NE and ENE 9 - 12 knots with the odd patch above and I was making from 4.5 to 5.5 knots under sail, with the wind a few degrees further north I could have put up the cruising chute and shot along but I was well pleased with what I got, especially given the forecast.

This lasted until 16:40 when the wind quickly veered to the SE, dead on the nose, and increased to F5 with the odd gust just touching F6. On went the engine 13 miles from Fishguard where I intended to spend a few days before hopefully returning to Milford with an intermediate stop or two to fill out some time.

The going now was uncomfortable with a short sea keeping progress to about 5 knots and often less. The nav software had done a good job and I had been steering 143 degrees since clearing the Arcklow bank and was very close to projected track, but I was concerned that neither it nor I knew how far out the very early inshore turn of the tide extends, the diamond is only a few cables offshore and the next off shore is a very long way away. 

Not wanting to be caught down tide I headed a bit further to the north when ten miles out - I would rather be a mile up-tide heading down at 7 knots than down-tide heading up at 3. In the end I over did it by about half a mile but with the sea calming as I got very close to land and the tide under me in no time at all it was corrected as I approached the anchorage.

For once the 20 knot wind eased a few minutes before I dropped the anchor rather than 10 minutes after. I was at anchor before 8 o'clock and for the first time this cruise I was able to eat dinner in the cockpit, just ham sandwiches on this occasion as I could not be bothered to heat up the curry left overs and do the rice. And I got to use the medium weight sleeping bag rather than the winter one or both.

The weather forecast for the next week had worsened and I suspected I'd have to change the plan but being tired I decided to leave thinking about that until the morning and the next post. 

No pics of the anchorage due to the conditions and an earlier than planned departure.

75 miles in fourteen and a half hours.

Click here for Dale.