Fred came aboard and showed us how to pull out the throttle for neutral, turn the key to heat the glowplug, and then start the engine. The boys cast off the mooring lines. C stayed on the stern to fend off other boats, and Fred steered us out of the crowded basin.
It's stupid, but I didn't think about locks before buying Diona. Being a broads cruiser, she needs both lock gates open and can only share a lock with shorter boats. Having two boys on board is a definite advantage for working locks.
We filled and loaded watering cans at the lock, as Fred noted he hadn't checked the oil and water before starting her as he should have done. Once below St Pancras Lock, Fred started showing us how to steer. Diona is very responsive, and can pretty much turn in her own radius. She has a lot of power though, so you want to steer small.
We progressed well toward Battlebridge Basin, but then Fred noticed the temperature was higher than usual. At first we engaged the exhaust fan, but when the temperature kept rising we pulled over.
It is best practice to check water and oil levels before you start the engine. Like many old navigators on the canals who know their boats well, Fred doesn't always follow best practice and it won't do any good to lecture him. Fred had winterised Diona by draining down the water from the cooling system, but hadn't fully topped her up again before our cruise.
After filling as much water as she would take, Fred gave me the wheel and we continued along the Regent's Canal toward the Islington Tunnel - 878 metres of dark tunnel. It is a great teaching tunnel for steering, as a miscalculation means collision with the mossy, ancient brick. The narrowness concentrates the mind wonderfully.
We had to wait at the approach for oncoming boats to clear the tunnel. We lit both our headlamps (broad beam boats must have two lights) and headed into the dark with everyone on board within the profile of the boat for safety. I was keenly aware of the arch much nearer Diona's roof either side than had been the case with my narrowboat. I made it through without scraping, and said a silent prayer of thanks.
On the far side of the tunnel we had planned to let the boys have a go at steering, but the engine was still running hot. We pulled over and Fred began examining the keel cooler hoses. He diagnosed an airlock and we spent some time trying to clear it and get more water into the system. One hose was notably warmer than the other, so the system was working, but not to Fred's standards. As he had designed and installed the cooling system, he knew exactly how it should work.
Still unhappy with it, we restarted the engine and headed back. I steered Diona through the tunnel again, this time steering small, much more confident, with less panicky heaving from side to side on the wheel.
We regained her berth at St Pancras with no further trouble except that she was still running very hot. Fred determined to have her in the drydock over the weekend to work on her. One advantage of buying a boat from a marine engineer is that there is no argument about who is responsible for maintenance or correcting any faults. Many new owners would have been unhappy with our first cruise, but I was content that Fred will tune Diona to perfection before I take her out again.
The boys and I spent the rest of the day on cleaning Diona. We left her gleaming in the afternoon sun.
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