Wide boat man

One of the old lorry drivers I worked with used to work with horses on Preston Dock. The docks worked 24/7 and if the night horse was off colour he would take a day horse out, the poor beast would work a double shift and his driver would wonder why it was so slow.

I secured my deck plates with a long rod through the bulkhead and through drop down handles U bolt style.

Stop off at Torksey insted of panicking to get to Cromwell.

Some years ago with our first boat a Chrighton narrow 32ft cruiser we exited onto the Trent from Keadby taking it steady as it was our first time on the Trent a Gin palace shot past us digging a big hole in the water and causing us to bob and sway about violently depite turning accross their wake. Not very impressed we arrived at Torksey just in time to see him go through the lock. on our way to Lincon we saw them havinf a BBQ at Saxilby going past at low revs I made a loud remark about hurry up merchants causing fear and inconvieiance to other craft on the river. Some time later I had a nice letter from him saying he was very sorry and as a member of the Stawbury island boat club they tried to be considerate of other boaters.

I always looked around for a small thin livaboard to hire.

I had an earie experiance in foulridge tunnel. it was a dank day but the sun was shining as we entered the tunnel the sun lit up a reflection of the enterence to form a circle as the water calmed down. a light mist formed and half way through I looked back to see a tunnel light behind appearing to gain on us I called down for a torch as at the time we didnt have a light in the rear. and was concerned that the following boat would run us down. as we exited the tunnel the light disapeared. I came to the conclusion that the sunlight, mist and reflection had chased me through the tunnel.

Charts are only available in Hull as the channels move all the time so marinas and chandlerys do not stock charts. When we visited 20 years ago the channel had swung south of Read's Island and they where dredging 24/7 I would only go out on a neap tide and be aware of fresh flooding conditions (rain). try to get hold of a copy of the Ripon Motor Boat club chart book of the trent and ouse. Just looked and the http://www.humber.com/Estuary_Information/Marine_Information/Chart_Catalogue/Current_Humber_Charts/ The charts are on line.

My Perkings 4107 had raw water cooling and a bowman heat exchanger. raw canal water filtered pumped through the heat exchanger and out the exhaust the heat exchanger held the cooling water in an enclosed system and pressure cap and was toped up like a radiator so you could use antfreeze. wet exhaust used a belows type pipe very quiet and if the inlet blocked with weed or mud you could hear the water stop. What cooling system have you got?

yachts use a plug to lay the fibrglass on top of gel coat the plug (mold ) gives a smooth surface Commecial van and trailer builders could supply the sandwich boards.

where is the boat now? If you leave the Thames at Brentford although still in the tidal flow it is quieter . Research the tide times and go in a small tide (neap) up the Grand Union to Bulls bridge turn right onto the Grand Union Paddington arm. follow through onto the Reagents canal, going through Camden Hang a left at Old Ford onto the Hertford union canal. then onto the Lee and Stort. A gold licence covers the Canal and River trust and the River Thames the Lee and Stort is a Canal and River Trust waterway so you need their licence. you can buy day licence for the Thames usualy a threee day licence will cover your trip in the river.

we diid the weaver and then the ship canal in a large organised convoy with a boat club some years ago best way to go as we filled the locks and had a rally at salford quays

make sure your fuel tank is clean suck out any crud from the bottom carry spare fuel filters.

Batteries creat hydrogen gass when used hevily I manages to blow on up catching a spanner on the hull to make a circuit luckily I had the cover between my face and the exploding battery

Earth the taps to the boat hull.