For those interested in facts, Angela Dawn is 49′ long 13’9″ wide and weighs 26 tons empty. She holds 1200lts of fuel used for propulsion, hot water and central heating. There’s a separate tank to the diesel stove heater. 1500 ltr fresh water tank and 1000 lts Black (Loo) Water tank. Grey water (Shower,washing up) is pumped overboard. I have no idea how long these will last before they need attention but the gauges indicate I’m good for a while yet. The fuel I’ll keep topped up to avoid condensation. 

The engine room is big enough to sit in, around 3′ tall and sits under the rear deck accessed under one of the wheelhouse bench seats. Left to right storage, Red box is the heating, water boiler and calorifier. white box is the generator, essential when Kirsty uses the hair drier. Green Beta Marine 105bhp engine. Under the stairs at the back is the engine cooling tank, in front the hydraulics for the steering, bow and stern thrusters. The battery bank is in the grey box behind and right. The turquoise/white boxes are the electric management system.

The wheelhouse controls are top left, bilge pump, AC electric switches, Simrad plotter. On the plotter I can put Radar, chart, basic navigation including radar position indicator (very useful) heading, speed over the ground and depth below the hull (again very useful) As you may see the radar and chart are not aligned yet, need to speak to Simrad about that. The options on this plotter are endless and will keep me busy for hours.

Below the grey switches are the VHF radio, I’ve had AIS receiver fitted so I can see who’s mowing me down when I go to sea!! Car radio next to that.

Bottom row is the holding tank pump, engine gauges then the thruster controls.

On the roof there’s the Simrad 4G radar, an amazing piece of kit. Totally over the top for the thames but will come into its own on the estuary or sea.  I tracked a swan going right past me today, great toy.

On the mast I have 2 WiFi booster, VHF and GPS aerials. Also on the mast anchor light on the top. navigation, steaming light and horn below.The satellite dish lays flat on the roof, you press a button up it comes and automatically finds the Astra 2  satellite, hey presto TV, magic.

Well done if you’ve got this far and are still awake. I’ve a massive box of instructions to work though yet. Cheers Dean x