A tale of two services

After an early bedtime and a solid night's sleep, we had two things we wanted to achieve today. We needed a pump out, and had an arrangement to meet with Sam Matts of Foxton Boat Services sometime in the later part of the morning.

We weren't sure when Debdale Wharf would be opening, so set off around half seven, with about 90 minutes boating to do. We got there at 8.45, tied on the service wharf outside for the time being, and I had a prowl around to see if I could find anybody. There was nobody about, and nothing on the door to Reception to indicate when there might be.

We made a couple of cups of coffee and settled down to wait. Nine o'clock came and went with no action, so I had a look on their website to see if that would tell us when we could expect some. There was nothing there, either, so I called the phone number given, on the off chance. This worked; I got through, and was told that they open from ten till four on a Saturday. Accordingly, we moved the boat into the marina, so that the pump out point would be accessible. Sanity Again ended up bridging a slipway, but we knew (we thought) from John Campbell that that would be OK.

More time went quietly by, and at ten, sure enough the office was open. In I went and explained my need to the guy inside. We had a brief, odd and uncomfortable conversation, slightly at cross purposes, about where the boat was, but he said that he'd be along on a minute. A good few minutes later, he turned up.

"You'll have to pull it back a bit, I'm not working over the water" he said (the pump out point was indeed opposite the slip). We hauled her back, though this meant that the side of the boat ended up bridging a corner, so that the pump out point was still not against the side.

This was all right, seemingly, and the pump out commenced. The rinse out point wasn't accessible, so the rinse out consisted of a bit of water from a hose sloshed down the pump out point. Operation complete, I went up to the office to pay my tenner. A full invoice had to be generated, with boat name, my name and post code. I was complimented on having a famous name, but then upbraided because I know it as the name of one famous mathematician, and several generals. Apparently, I should have only been concerned with my engineering forebears.

We were left feeling despised and unwanted, rather than valued and treated with courtesy, and won't be going back if we can possibly help it.

It was a very different story at Foxton. Sam rang when he was finished with his previous job, came over to where we were moored, and was remarkably patient with the fact that the alternator declined to make the worrying noise (of course). By running some load on the batteries to discharge them, it finally obliged, and Sam diagnosed a dodgy overrun pulley. (If anyone wants to know more about this, do post a comment!)

It took him about an hour all told to take down the alternator, replace the pulley and refit the beast. Naturally, the replacement pulley was a shade different, and the set up had to be realigned, but at last it was all done.

Sam took the relevant details for Beta and went on his way; Beta have accepted the charge under their warranty. This is the second time we've called on Sam's services, and would unhesitatingly recommend him, particularly for anything to do with a Beta Marine engine.

We've spent the rest of the day pottering, dumping rubbish and recycling (all the usual stuff except cardboard), buying me a new mug from the shop, and ambling up and down the flight, gongoozling for once.

Tonight we'll have a drink in the Bridge 61 for old times sake, and make a start on boat cleaning in the morning. It's just two weeks to the Crick Show now, so we need to start getting Sanity Again into show condition.