Dartagnan

All you need now is a decent engine in there and you’re sorted! ? On a more serious note - very nice and also looks good.

I will be back on the boat later this week and will take a photo

There is a chap near to where we live who breeds rare breed pigs for the table. He generally has Gloucester Old Spot for chops and roasts etc and Tamworth for bacon. He keeps them in a small wood where they forage with chickens etc. Unfortunately it is eye wateringly expensive and whilst he breeds a good animal his butchery skills leave a lot to be desired. The fat content is superb (loads of) and I swear you can taste Apple in the Gloucester Old Spot chops. I absolutely love belly of pork but as I am the only one who does I don’t get to eat it much. If it’s on a menu it’s my go to choice. Thank you very much for the link. Looks superb. I think I will have a drive up there this week before we head back to NI

I may be a little dense or not thinking it through properly but where would you put the recess if using for a side hatch? ?

Thank you very much. I will definitely try to visit.

There is a bar with a restaurant called The Sir Loin just outside Smithfield meat market in London which is or was open at strange times to serve the staff at the market. They were famous for their breakfasts and it was quite an extensive menu. At the end of the menu there was a section headed with the word ‘Vegetarian’ beneath this title was the line “What vegetarian options do you offer” underneath which was the line ”Please remember where you are”. There was nothing listed. ?. It was a brilliant place for breakfast just a little expensive. May I ask is The Pig Place it’s true name or is it just referred to as that? I absolutely love pork but these days it is rubbish unless it is either rare breed or outdoor reared by true pig lovers.

I was hoping to have a back to bare metal paint job on our 70ft NB next year. However having just laid out a load of spondoolies on having the hull and base plate shot blasted and 2 pack epoxy it’s going to have to wait. That’s not a problem as apart from a few very small rust spots the overall paint work is in good condition. However I would like to deal with the rust to prevent it getting worse so I intend removing most of the rust and treating it with vactan then a primer followed by paint. The main area of rust is along the joint where the hole was cut to enable the Gardner engine to be inserted into its engine room. The boat had a full repaint 10 years ago and whatever was done around this area clearly wasn’t sufficient to prevent rust appearing now. I am presuming the seal is beneath the cabin top because all I can see is the joint which has a slight indentation and no visible fixing between the oblong plate and the cabin top. As this is the weak point with regard to painting and subsequent rust I was considering putting some type of sealant or something to which the paint will adhere. Would I be right to do so or is this a total no no or even required. I intend hiring a small scrabler or such like to prepare this area. I would be grateful for your suggestions and advice

I said he’s a wuss not a heathen. ? Anything he can chew. Particularly fond of my wife’s shoes, her brand new fit flops and the chair leg. ?

Apologies for the very late reply. A medical emergency, thankfully not mine this time, kind of took over for a while. I am very grateful to everyone for taking the time to respond and pass on their experiences and knowledge. I will do as suggested as there are some very good suggestions above. Sadly some of his traits are not typically Labrador which would have made life easier. ? He is not really motivated by food or treats and this astounded us having had one previously who was a glutton and would have done anything for it. Would you believe he doesn’t even care for water! We couldn’t keep our last one out of the water and if she could find a ditch full of mud and water it was like she had won the lottery. This ones pedigree is from field and gun dog champions so we were really surprised. Just goes to show. ?

In December After a great deal of research we finally bought a beautiful boat and were all set to explore the waterways and all they have to offer. The boat is perfect in every way for us and suits our needs for long term cruising in comfort. There is just one problem which all the research in the world couldn’t have identified. At the same time as we got the boat we got a black Labrador pup. Whilst he is absolutely fantastic it turns out he is a wuss. Lots of things scare him but sadly the most important one is the boat. He is fine when we are just in the marina but as soon as the Gardner starts up he is terrified and shakes like a leaf and tries to get off the boat and if he can’t he tries to hide. Clearly this isn’t sustainable both for him and for us as my wife needs to be with him if we are on the move leaving me to single hand if I don’t have anyone to help which I am reluctant to do. We have tried calmers from the vets, diffusers including the collar. Our next port of call is a so called thundercoat. Other boaters must have had a similar situation and I’m looking for ideas and inspiration. Clearly the dogs welfare and well being is the most important thing in this matter so we are desperate to resolve the issue.

Good to see that they aren’t inconveniencing the free loaders. ?

That’s perturbing. I will spend the rest of my boating life with my wife going on and on “this isn’t as nice as” etc etc ? On a more serious note thank you very much and according to the weather forecast we get to see it whilst the weather remains good.

Thank you all very much for the information as it’s extremely useful. That’s us sorted for a few days. Now looking forward to it. ?

On Monday we collect our boat from P&S Marine at Croxley Green where we have had the hull blasted and epoxied. I was considering heading north a little and chill axing for a few days before we do an about turn and take a leisurely cruise in the direction of the Thames. Casiobury Park and The Grove (Grand Union) appear to be green areas which would suit me so I could walk our black lab pup. Never having been there in my life are they in fact reasonable ares for the above purposes. Suggestions gratefully received.

Purely for information. I read recently where bicarbonate of Soda is used as the medium for shot blasting. Apparently it is a less aggressive product and leaves a better finish on the steel. Obviously not a DIY job but there are mobile operators.

I had considered a van conversion for the winter months travelling around southern Spain. Some motorhomers cross to Morocco for the winter but that sounds like a recipe for disaster. Gave that idea up as having a NB and a mh was just too expensive Hope you have a great time with the new adventure and that the road is kind to you. Best wishes. ?

That looks beautiful. Nature in all its glory. I have just got a book about Darwin and I am looking forward to reading it.

May I just add a comment in mitigation. I am not stupid but after some medical issues I do now have some cognitive deficiencies and sometimes I do not express myself clearly. I often think that what I have said or written is clear but obviously that is not the case and I miss material facts out. This also leads to poor decision making and costly mistakes. ?

Oops! the rust spots are not on the hull but on the bow and stern decks. As I am having the hull blasted and epoxied upto the gunnels it is only the superstructure that I am concerned with. I could of course ignore them as I will probably get her repainted in a couple of years but I would like to maintain her the best I can. ?