June 2026

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After the considerable effort by the crew and volunteers in preparing and sailing Kerne up and back from Anderton, I’m sure we can be forgiven for taking a little time out to spend with our long-suffering families. It is not that work comes to a halt, it is more the reality that between sailings in the summer months there isn’t the time or opportunity to undertake any work that would jeopardise our ability to light-up and make ready to sail – so it is a case of essential maintenance or repair only. Apart from the obvious work to be done after a voyage, such as ash and clinker removal from the furnaces and sweeping the boiler tubes, we review the vessels performance and note any repairs required. On this occasion, whilst the engines ran well it was apparent that there was an issue with steam passing the High-Pressure piston valve. This can make starting the engine difficult if steam passes through to the Intermediate cylinder. Once aware of this situation the watch engineer needs to quickly open the cylinder drains to release the pressure and the engine will start pretty much as normal. A similar situation occurred some years ago and it was discovered that after a period of non-running, light rusting had formed on the Lockwood and Carlisle Patent Spring Piston Rings preventing them from springing correctly within the bore of the valve casting. Sure enough, after taking off the valve cover and extracting the valve bobbin, rust was again present jamming the rings in the bobbin grooves. Once cleaned up the rings sprung correctly. We may have to consider removing the valve bobbin on each occasion that we have a lengthy lay-up. After any lengthy trip as well as removing ash and clinker and sweeping tubes, the bunkers require replenishment. As European coal is no longer available to us, we have to look to the other side of the Atlantic for our supplies – to Barranquilla Columbia to be precise. Loaded aboard ship in bulk, it lands at Londonderry NI where it is graded sealed-bagged and palletised before 12 tonnes are ferried via Belfast across to Birkenhead and delivered by lorry to Sandon. Each 20Kg bag is then slid down a plank, cut open and tipped one at a time into the bunkers. Fortunately, at some point in the process, the coal is washed, which at least keeps the dust down, but it is an awful lot of bags! Whilst it burns pretty cleanly, it does leave a lot of soot residue and a fair amount of ash and at over £425 per tonne is not cheap. So, we are bunkered up, and all being well our next trip should be up the Cumbrian coast to attend the Royal Barrow Festival of the Sea on the 8/9th August 2026.

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