The Builders

The Builders.  A great episode in a great comedy series.  It will probably need very little introduction.

Why is this relevant to my boat.  Well, Gannet was built by the English but as it was a boat for CIL (Commissioner of Irish Lights) but all the subsequent work (maintenance and conversion) was done by the Irish.

It turns out it was actually undertaken by this guy

Mr O'Reilly.

I have been cable pulling for a long long time now and today it came to various cables that went through the external walls to feed the external lights and floodlights.  I had checked all the fuses and the fuses for all but internal lighting and a few sockets were removed (better safe than sorry).

Rather than risk taking the cables out (they are sealed where they pass through the wall) I decided to cut them about 6 inches from the wall leaving the seal (for now) in place.  All was going well until I came to the rear door.

As I cut, there was a flash and a puff off smoke!  Luckily proving that a combination of my boots, insulated cutters, fuses and RCDs etc all combined to make sure I did not end up with an Einstein type hair do.

I quickly got to the bottom of what had happened and can imagine the conversation

Mr O'Reilly.  "Well Shamus, we have to fit dis new flood loight, should we fit it to the roight fuse box, t one on dat wall, or should we fit it over dare"

Shamus.  "Oy have no idea Mr O'Reilly, its shorter to dat box on dat wall so lets do dat den"

Mr O'Reilly.  "Good oydea.  But won't dat mean that the cable carries more of dose amp tings?"

Shamus. "To be sure, to be sure"

Mr O'Reilly.  "Not t worry, well just double up on cable toies"

The stupid bas***ds connected the flood light to ...... drum roll

Yes, you've guessed it, the 6 amp fuse marked for the mess TV socket and mess lights.  Nice.  Just where you would expect it.  The fuse does actually feed the TV socket and mess lights.  But they thought it a good idea to slip and extra wire onto the fuse to feed a floodlight, rather than wiring it into the floodlight fuses in the other fuse boxes.

Apart from that, it was a good day and a lot more cabling has now been removed.

What next I here you say!

Well, for now, I'm off to see Mr O'Reilly dear!