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saltysplash

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  1. saltysplash

    The Specials

    By saltysplash,

    Day 11
     
    We had cast off by about eleven and chugged through the lovely winding countryside hoping to arrive at Banbury in order to stock up at the supermarket.
    The sun was out but a bit of a breeze kept the heat down as we passed through familiar places to me from 15 yrs ago.
     
    Laura decided there was no way she was going to steer in Somerton Deep Lock so that honour was left to me. Its still a great feeling going into that narrow chasm and seeing that huge slab of wood close behind you.
     

     
    Aynho, where we moored and fitted out our old Harbourgh boat had seen quite a few changes. There were now moorings both sides of the canal and not just the offside where we were. Those offside moorings had also seen big improvemnets, In our day the path was an over grown muddly affair but was now neat and gravelled.
     
    Aynho wharf itself seemed a little sad from the days of it being an Anglo Welsh base with al the usual activities but a sign in the window of the Wharf building stated it was under new management so maybe it is up for a revamp.....it looks like boats are still either built or fittedout in the yard so its good to see its still a going concern.
     
    My timings of canal travel never seem to work out properly and it wasn't till half six that we exited Banbury lock into what I can only describe as a GHOST TOWN.
    All the shops were shut up, Plenty of boats yes but where was everybody?
     
    We tied up just under the main road bridge and set off armed with our Tesco bags to find Morrisons.
    This was my first visit to Banbury since it had all been done up and I didnt recognise the place. We wended our way through narrow allys past shops all shuttered up for the night and pubs with lights on but no noise from within, not even the customery smoker outside. It was as if the towns folk had all hidden themselves away after 6 lest the dreaded Banbury Boggart should take them unawares.
     
    The Boggart had also stolen or demolished Morrisons and with nobody around to ask for directions, after half an hour we hotfooted it back to the boat and cast off towards cropredy.
     
    Again, timings and memory failed miserably...I didnt recall it being that far.....we eventually exited Slat Mill Lock at 9pm. The pubs would no longer be cooking and yet again I had managed to avoid buying Laura an evening meal.
     
    We found a mooring, set up the Sat Dish ready for Deadliest Catch and settled down for a Fry Bentos steak pudding each......smashing
     
    Only one pic on this post because we are in slow speed reception and ive just waited 40mins for 1 pic to upload....tut
  2. saltysplash

    Make and Model

    By saltysplash,

    Day 10
     
    I was up and about by 8am and following the first brew of the day, left Nora sleeping and I set off down the Botley Road to find Halfords armed with my electrical componant complete with box and Lucas part number.
    I passed a cycle shop on the way and looked longingly at a smashing little folding pushbike in the window but payday is still to far away for toys like that plus the car needs MOT'ing when we get home.
     
    Found Halfords and presented me at the parts desk. I showed them my item and enquired if they had any in stock..." what make and model is it from?" they asked, "erm...its not, its from a boat" says I. A long sucking in of breath through teeth and shaking of heads brought the response,"We can only search our records if we have a make and model"
    "what about the part number? are you not able to look through the store room to see if you have one?"
    " Not without a make and model of car Im afraid"
     
    Thankfully they did suggest a local Motor Factors which was another 20 mins walk further along the road....(oh for a folding push bike) so I plodded off and found the place in a little industrial estate. I showed the chap my Item and within 2 mins he was back with a replacement. smashing.
     
    Arriving back at LE, Nora was up and about and not fancying any further exploration of Oxford we cleared the roof of all protrusions above pideon box height in readyness for navigating under Osney Bridge.
     
    Following comments from Trevor, Lady Elgars original owner I decided to hold fire fitting the new part and waiting till we return to Iver to speak with Steve at the yard who has already mentioned his thoughts for the starter problem.
     
    Thanks Trevor, will check out your suggestions.
     
    We Cast off and fought against the current towards Osney Bridge. We passed under with reasonable headroom although I did have to crouch down. Once through the bridge and the narrow sections we increased speed on the wider sections towards Godstow Lock
     

     
    At The lock, The Lockkeeper said he'd remembered our engine from a few days earlier. It appears he likes to have a decko in the engine room doors of passing craft and state he had already seen a 2 cylinder Gardner, an old Lister and now a 3 Cylinder Perkins....It seems he does different locks on a daily basis.
     

     
    Finally through Kings lock and the sharp right turn towards the Dukes Cut, and then back on to the calm waters of the Oxford Canal.
     
    Nora, having been spoilt by Thames Locks had a momentary lapse of lock working memory and walked upto the top gates of a full lock intending to wind the paddles to empty the lock. I promised her I wouldnt mention it.
     
    Bridge 228 managed to do what Osney Bridge couldnt, All looked good on the approach but as we went under I noticed a nast sagging bit in the centre. This managed to topple the coolie hat of the stove chimney which luckily plonked itself down onto the roof without going overboard but then the sag collected the exhaust pipe.....just on the top leading edge and brickdust and soot and a slightly bent pipe where the remains of the contact....Think I will use Trevors 'Titch Pipe' for the next day.
     
    At Thrupp we took on water and emptied the lav.
     
    We finally tied up just before Northbrook Lock by about 7pm and as the evening was so lovely, the BBQ was fired up and burnt items of meat where offered to the Gods.
     
    a few more pics
     

     

     

     

     

  3. saltysplash

    Slug speed

    By saltysplash,

    What is the differece between slug speed and snail speed? Are slugs faster because they dont carry a shell on their backs?
     
     
    Today saw us awake at just before midday thanks to our evening with Kath and Neil in Goring......mmmmmmm sleeeeep. So when Nora got up amnd asked the time and she said quarter to 12. I said...."no its not" she said " yes it is" I said "no its not" and so we continued for a couple of mins but yes it was indeed nearly midday and we had 8 hours cruising ahead of us if we were to meet Bones and Maffi at Abingdon for our BBQ.
     
    within 20 mins we were ready to cast off but i needee my morning movement before all could take place, just as I entered the Big Boys Room, Nora informed me that she had flushed a Wasp down into the cassette.......Great thinks I, Im gonna sit on the throne and suddenly feel a stinging sensation in regions best left to the imagination. As it happens all was well and not trace of a pooh wasp.
     
     
     
    Again the flow of the river was decidedly strong causing us, at times to struggle to maintain 2mph on the narrow bits. We were also delayed at one lock thanks to two narroboats tying up opposite each other instead of idian file thereby filling the lock with their presence, Admitadly I thought the lockie would sheperded them better but he didnt, so, so be it.....that lock took 50 mins by the time we exited.......Time on boats is only ever important if your running to meet a deadline.....the knock on effect of that lock however, was that we arrived at the next lock 2 mins after the lockie had knocked off for the day. So, anyone who has ever worked a Thames lock on their own without any Power assistance will know that by you have have turned the Wheel 3 million times to raise the paddles, then another 3 million to open the gate and another 3 milion the close the paddles ect ect ect, its no longer fun...so that lock took us half an hour.
     
    We finally arrived alongside the infamous 'Milli M' at 8pm. Maffi had already let us know that the barbi was lit. I find it quite bizarre that folk who have never met before and only seen each others writen words can sit down together and enjoy an evening as if they had been chums for years.
     
     
    We have both enjoyed our evening with Bones and Maffi very much and I thank them for providing us with an excellent meal in the excellent surroundings of abingdon.
     
    To Bones and Maffi I say you have converted us to Waitrose Burgers, and I just wish our time to get to know each other had been longer.
     
     
    I know Im still on slow speed with the connection but im going to post some pics anyway while I finish my bacardi and coke and a lst ciggie before bed
     

     

     
    Lady Elgar and Milli M
     

     

     

  4. saltysplash

    A Slopey Start

    By saltysplash,

    Day Five
     
     
    We were up by half eight for an early start to give us a full day in Windsor stocking up the larder and visiting the Castle.
    We were at an alarming angle despite leaving slack ropes and it appears we had settled on some mud. No real problem coz when I pushed at the bank, both the stern and bow began to slip away from the edge.
     
    Following the first coffee and cough and a drag of the day I did the usual engine checks and prep ready for the off.
     
    With some trepidation I turned the key and .....'click'....I attached the wire and ....'click'......I bumped the power by connecting the Domestic Batts and .....'click'.....I started the gennie and at 14v's ......'click'.....Nothing.....I spent half an hour faffing and messing and changing the starter battery for one i had with more cranking power and still nothing.
     
    I returned to the galley for another brew and to get ready to call RCR.
     
    Not being happy with giving in, I returned to the engine room again and remembered that Trevor had mentioned that he had replaced the .....its either a relay or a solenoid. I found the old item and took off the current one and replaced it with the old one.......'click'.......I attached the wire and this time the starter turned and we were off.......I must try and get hold of a new thingy asap.
     
    The plod to Windsor was still slow due to the flow of the river but the sun kept popping out and making it a very pleasent morning cruise....We arrived and moored at the Island just past the railway bridge by about 1pm. We locked up and walked over to Waitrose to stock up on essential fluids.....its also Fajitas for tonight.
     
    One the stocks were back on board we then headed off to the castle.
     
    Now back on board and a quick twiddle of the Sky Dish sees us ready to settle down later and watch the final of the Apprentice....Hoping the river flow decreases tomorrow to aid our passage but there are rain clouds gathering......wonder if I should water the plants?
     
     
    Some pics of the day
     

     

     

     

     

     

  5. saltysplash
    Day four
     
     
     
    Our evening with Phil alongside Hampton Court turned into a very early morning. I think we eventually retired about 5am.
     
    By the time we woke up and set off it was 1pm. Phill decamped at Moseley lock for his return home.
     
    We have still been having trouble with the starter and having to resort to the magic wire which engages the solenoid prior to turning the starter. Our progress was very slow as there is still a tremendous amount of water coming down the river, Mostly just managing to make 2.5mph and in some narrow sections even down to 1.9mph for the same revs.
     
    We got to Penton Hook Lock and duly switched off. Once ready I returned to the engine room and turned the key and got the usual 'click'....I attatched the wire and this time still got a 'click', I engaged the switch for the domestic batts for a bit of extra power and still 'click'....nothing would induce the starter to turn.
     
    We hauled lady Elgar out of the lock and were passed by 'Magnetman' on his way through into the lock......A nice old boat he has there and his Dog standing on the top Boards enjoying the view.
     
    Once clear of the lock I hummed and arred for a while and tweeked wires and tightend conections but still no movement from the starter motor. I was about to resort to calling RCR but then for some reason I turned on the gennie. As the 240v kicked in, the Inverter/charger bumped up the power to the batts from 12.5v to 14v, I quickly conected the wire, turned the key and starter turned as it should and the Perkins kicked into life.....Gennie off and we were on our way again. By the time we got to Bell Weir Lock the lockies had gone home so we didnt need to switch off.
     
    It was slow progress all the way and our goal of Windsor for the night wouldve taken at least another 3 hours at those speeds, so, as we approached Magna Carta Island I remembered a mooring I had used previously, It is a fiver a night but a nice spot. It was clear of boats and we tied up and shut down by 8.40pm. Laura had by now recovered from her hangover and we settled down to watch deadliest Catch and a Fray bentos steak pie each......mmmmmmm Fray Bentos. We were fast asleep by midnight.
     

     

  6. saltysplash
    Day three.
     
    Teddington took most of our day. I went over to the lock at 10am and enquired about the state of the river prior to handing over my £115 for the 15 day visitor license. They expected to be on yellow boards by some time in the after noon.
     
    We also where holding position as we were waiting for our friend and guest Phil, bless he had finished nights this morning and was obviously sleeping, so we tootled around the boat, reading, relaxing and Nora nursing her sunburn.....I also managed a couple of cross words. The day was again perfect.
     
     
     

     
     
     
    Sometime in the afternoon most of the narrowboats that had been at tedders moved off en masse and headed upstream. By about 5pm, we wandered down to teddington station and met phil after his journey from Plumstead via waterloo.
     
    We set off and hit the flow which was still very fast, I kept the revs to give us 3mph, as I felt anymore would just be a waste of fuel. As we rounded Ravens Ait we slowed down by .5 mph. Phil came to the rear and took over the tiller. We chatted as you do, the time being now about 6pm. I suddenly heard a slap of water behind us and I turned just intime to see a Long Oar right by the rudder and before i could call out, the oar and skull collieded with our rear counter. The rower suddenly called out to the next rower behind him.....turn turn turn. and he set off again as if nothing had happend. We were already very close to the bank as the flow of the water was at its least there.
     
    Blow me, if we were then approached again very close o the stern by another rower, this time being coached by a rupert in a launch with a megaphone.........he was calling out orders which i couldnt understand......what I DID UNDERSTAND WAS THE WORDS....SKIPPER WATCH YOUR COURSE......feckin cheek........As far as im concerned, even though the skull was under oars, they were the overtaking vessel and as such had a duty to keep clear of us.......bloody cheek and after we'd paid £115 squid for the privelage.
     
    I made sure Phil was reminded that our only collision so far has been while he had the con.
     
     
     
    We arrived at Hampton court and ive never seen those moorings so quiet. So came alongside, BBQ out and lit and enjoyed a very pleasant evening in lovely sunshine chatting and supping.
     
    Windsor tomorrow....after Phill and Nora have wandered around Hampton Court.
     
     

     
     

  7. saltysplash

    Ignoramuses

    By saltysplash,

    Day one of our Grand June Cruise.
     
    Cast off from Iver just before midday having spent the last couple of days revising and reviewing routes due to the Thames being on Red Boards for the last week, But after a drive down to Chertsy last night to view the river conditions I decided we would have a slow run to Brentford and hit the Thames sunday eve rather than today to give the river further opotunity to calm itself.
     
    Glourious sunshine was the order of the day and a Big thanks to Kath and Neil of Herbie fame who came down last night to ease our departure from the moorings. Herbie is Moored outside of us which involves some manouverings to allow us to slip the moorings but they had some measuring and faffing to do so they came down and moved Herbie under her own steam which meant we could slipout in one go rather than moving boats back and forth. They also get a good three weeks now alongside the bank which is usefull for doing odd jobs on the outside without dangling over the water. Thanks again folks, always a pleasure to see you.
     
    So, 15 mins into the trip and Nora suddenly appears at the stern and demands to steer!!!!!!! Righto says I. She took control at tickover and after a few moments of getting used used to correcting the swing she was asking for more revs
     
    She did her best yet, Steered through all three aquaducts and bridgeholes with no problem at all. Passed the con back to yours truly for the junction but then on the main line was pushing me out of the way to take command again, only reliquishing the task in order to dash forward armed with bread for the waterfowl lining our path.
     
    We fully intended to stop at Norwood Top Lock for the day but upon our arrival, It wasnt as I remembered it and the Youths on mopeds with no helmets by the houses alongside made our minds up to plod on to a location by a field I had used before.
     
    While entering the Top Lock Nora was asked by a lady and her 3 sprogs " Do you give trips?" Nora replied "no, sorry, were on holiday" the lady then said to the children " do you want to go and have a look at the kitchen!!!!!" Nora, taken by surprise said, " its the second hatch along if you want to look" The lady said, " Yes, we know, we saw it as you passed"
     
    The next pound we picked up something on the prop which was obviously large and poohy as i lost forward drive. A few kicks in reverse gave me back some forward thrust but I could feel the stern 'bouncing' as we inched forward.
     
    Once through the 2nd lock we came alongside the field I remembered and tied up. Time was 3.45pm and once all was shut down and secured I delved into the Weed Hatch which is quite awkward as you have to reach deep, under the counter from the BMC to access it. Once open, the water was lovely and clear and i could see at least 3 different colours of plastic and masses and masses of weed. In fact, it was weed of Biblical proportions. Must remember in the morning to give the stern a good push out before engaging gear to try and avoid the weed.
     
    All in all a good afternoon cruise and both our faces are now glowing thanks to the sun and breeze.
     
    I was just settling down for my first bacardi and coke when Nora said......."Is that a winding hole?".......yep, sure enough, our back end is well into the arc of the winding hole....tut....so please, Any one reading this who needed to use the Hole I can only only appologise for the Ignorant crew of Lady Elgar who have failed on their canal etiquette on their very first day.
     
     
    Pics of our spot for tonight in Hanwell:-
     

     

     

  8. saltysplash

    Weather

    By saltysplash,

    Its currently 4.30am and its been lashing it down since i retired to my berth at 1am
     
    Not looking good for the Thames circle if this rain continues. We have the option of turning left at The junction and heading north on the Grand Onion and then making a descision to do the circle when we get to braunston, The down side to that is, if we do head down to oxford and the rain returns we will be hard pushed to get back to base using the long route.
     
    There are other circles such as the leicester ring but again the river Soar could be in flood.
     
     
    Am I just paniking for no reason.....still 6 days before we cast off!!
     
     
    managed to get a new TV from Comet yesterday so that was one job off the list, however, I also went armed with my battery for my video camera and upon showing it to each shop assistant it was met with a sucking of teeth and a definate NO, not one that old.......The camera was bought in 2003!!!!!!
     
    They did at least suggest I try maplins or Jessups so they are on the list tomorrow......when i eventually get up that is if I manage to get any sleep!
     
     
    Please stop raining.......Nora wants to visit Hampton Court
  9. saltysplash
    Only six days to go before we cast off and head down to Brentford for our grand cruise of the thames ring.
     
    We finished work saturday morning and that was my last day at work till 3rd July...yipeee, Unless of course you count my long service ceremony next friday. (its only a year late)
     
    I wasnt initially going to bother going but then i read the small print and noticed that it was treated as a 'tour of duty' so I emailed em and let em know Salty, Nora and mumsie would be attending and to make sure there were sufficient supplies of sandwiches and cups of tea to mark our attendance.
     
    So I have the best part of a week to get lady Elgar ready for the cruise. The outside is ready for a good wash again following all the rain and wind weve had however the Brasses are still shiney thanks to the laquer i sprayed them with a couple of weeks previously.
     
    One thing that is still of concern is the starter motor problem which trevor mentioned previously. Steve at Iver asked me the other week if the starter still gave problems and he suggested maybe it was a power problem? so ill pop over to the office on tuesday and discuss getting a heftier cranking battery to see if that makes a difference, A couple of times last week even the magic wire didnt work and seeing how your required to switch off in every lock id like to know at least shes going to turn over even with using the magic wire.
     
    We took LE out for an overnighter last week upto harefield and had a very enjoyable BBQ moored on the offside by one of the large mere's along there. On the return We filled up the fuel tank ready for our holiday. 50 odd litres at 86ppl......dont think it will be long before it reaches the £pl mark I added a quantity of fuel additive but had to guess the tank volume as i have no idea what her capacity is. Hopefully it will ease some of the some smoke from the exhaust which has got a bit better since cleaning the air filter and changing the fuel filters but maybe the dear Perkins is ready for the injectors being looked at.
     
    So, Ive dug out the Video camera and will pop into town tomorrow and get a small tripod so we can shoot while cruising hands free, Also on the list is a visit to currys or comet. Our TV decided it was going to give up the ghost this week and Nora wont survive without it......well, only for a few of her programs
     
    The good news is for the last couple of years ive been saving £2 coins in a 'Piggy' so we counted em last night and have just over 400 squid which will buy the new tv and pay for our intended fuel use on the grand cruise with some pennies left over to treat Nora to a chippy supper one night
  10. saltysplash
    had originally planned to go cruising over the BHW but my plans of heading towards Camden Market were scuppered by the news of the Canal cavalcade and thinking moorings may be a bit tight I thought better of it.
     
    So a few days of maintainence were the the order of the weekend. The Gearbox Oil was ready for changing so i bought a small brass handpump and inserting this down the dipstick hole was far preferable than trying blindly to locate the sump drain plug and trying to catch the litre and half of draining oil.
     
    Another two jobs awaiting attention were the gas locker and coal locker. Both had been highlighted in the survey that they were in need of de-rusting and recoating in the not too distant future.
     
    The Coal locker was in the worse state of the two with huge chunks of rust flaking off the sides and the base. I found a bottle of Fertan in the engine room and spent a morning scraping rust, which came off in wafer thin sheets, some as large as A4 size. I then Vac'd out the locker of all dust and rust and went to work with the fertan.
     
    Hiding in the shed i had a small electric paint sprayer which i had bought last year while in dry dock with Emblem and never used. It made a hell of a racket but had a handy multidirectional spray nozzle and i zipped through spraying the stuff in the locker......for some reason the stuff smells like licourice and the fumes were quite powerful.
     
    My next plan was to build a wooden box to sit in the coal locker instead of having the coal directly on the steel. so off to B&Q where i purchased the wood and also ended up coming away with a new lawn mower and Black and Decker workbench.
     
    Sunday saw me constructing the box and treating the wood. It sits nicely in the 3' opening and can be moved left or right so that further stores can be hidden in the locker. The fertan had done its job and dried and the locker was looking pretty good. The fumes however were still mighty strong.
     
     

     

     
    The New lawn mower made short work of the weeds and brambles covering our section of garden and for the first time since we moved in i wasnt put to full shame by Lydias lovely garden next door
     

     
     
    I think just about everything is now ready for our Grand cruise on 7th June
     

     
     
     
     
     

  11. saltysplash
    Finally got round to doing the fuel filters this weekend and one or two other bits.
     
    Saturdays forecast was acurate so it was up early and my first visit of the day was to the garden centre. Id found three long plant pots in the shed so i picked up some compost and bedding plants so Nora could amuse herself doing them while i made a mess in the engine room.
     
    Armed with words of encouragement from Cath and Neil off Herbie next door, I made a start by about 10.30am and armed with the Engine's book of words I placed numerous Nappies in the bilge and directly under the filter housing as there was no room at all to get a suitable container under the filter to catch the diesel which will spill forth as soon as i crack the seal.
     
    Fuel taps off
     
    The good book states that first one must loosen the banjo nut on top of the housing and then drain the fuel from the bowl by undoing the drain plug on its bottom. This proved impossible to undo either by hand or by gentle pursuasion with a pr of pliers which i didnt really want to use with too much vigour for fear of snapping the plug. So I undid the holding bolt for the base and off it dropped along with its contents of fuel.
     
    Filter came off next without too much grief and then i mopped up those bits that spilt and cleaned the filter bowl. New filter was presented to the housing and the bowl underneath it and then tighten up the fixing bolt. So far so good.
     
    Now the part i dreaded...bleeding.
     
    On my previous boat i used to turn of the fuel tap. Change the filter and then turn back on the tap and then prime the filter using the 2 fuel lift pumps and away she went.
     
    So now i thought we might get away with it again, so I turned the fuel tap back on, and started pumping the lift pump watching for fuel from the banjo nut. Nothing, and the pump to me didnt feel to have very much resistance.
    so i pumped and pumped and pumped and still nothing. Pants thought I, however a small voice in my head said, " why not start her up anyway and see if it has worked" fool that i am I started up the engine which ran for appx 3 seconds then died...bugger :\
     
    So, I undid the Banjo nut again plus this time the 2 bleed screws on the injector thingy and began to pump away on the lift pump hoping to see the bubbles then lovely flowing fuel.....nope....nothing.....
     
    I then feared that the lift pump wasnt working or that there was a blockage in the fuel pipe to or from the pump so i then started removing pipes and more pumping in an attempt to solve this matter. Still no fuel and no blockage found.
     
    I had now been at this for 2 hours so it was time for a ciggie
     
    I took the bible with me again just in case i had missed something and after about the third drag.......PING!.....the good book states......'if the Cam is in the top position the lift pump will not work and the engine will need to be turned a couple of times'
     
    I gave her a 3 quick blasts of starter and then tried the pump again.....this time there was real pressure against the handle and straight away bubbles came from the bleed nipples and banjo nut...yipeee.......nuts retightend in the correct order then a quick bleed of the injector nuts and she fired up first time.
     
    Came on deck for a cellebratory cough and a drag and there was Cath. She said Neil gave a cheer as the old girl started lol and he wouldve helped but he'd been bailing water out of their bilge for the last hour or so. He'd soaked up several buckets so far and Cath was on the stern to drain as much as possible to the access hole. They had come over to spring clean and do some bits and bobs so was good to make this find and get the water out.
     
    Meanwhile Nora had risen form the grave and made a start on the plant boxes while i progressed onto hatch repair....the side hatch cover was looking tired with flaked paint and split wood, so it was wood treatment and filler time and a splash of paint
     

     

     
    The boxes were eventually finished and given a dosing of miracle grow......grow flowers grow
     

     
    We then deposited them on the roof but i think the look a bit sparce at the mo...maybe better once they fill out
     

     
     
    As Evening approached we decided on a BBQ and Neil and Cath kindy joined us following their hard graft on Herbie
     

     
    We had a really smashing evening chatting away on the bank and much ale was despatched. We all failed to notice the passing of midnight and to be honest, I dont really remember going to bed
    Neil sorry we didnt get to say tara Sunday
     
    Next on the list of do jobs is change the gearbox oil...bet that can go wrong
  12. saltysplash

    time

    By saltysplash,

    How come there is never enough time to do what needs to be done
     
    On our last set of days off was determined to change the fuel filters on the engine and the genny seeing as the previous days were taken up with my birthday, visiting grandaughter and visiting me old matey in wales. However those days off were taken up by the inlaws visiting.
     
    So I had set myself 5 days off to have a good faff with the filters and what happens, We are expecting visitors again tomorrow. Not that i mind crusing upto the Swan and Bottle at the best of times but it seems the only work on board i have done over the past 3 weeks is polishing up the brass rings on the chimneys and blacking the fenders.
     
    We spent a small fortune at the garden centre the other week coz Swmbo wants to attack our small piece of land and since then its rained almost every day tut!
     
    Well. I have a plan. Its now 4 pm and ive been up exactly 24hrs having finished my 12 hr shift at 7am this morning.....my plan is to survive as long as possible and then hit the sack and wake nice and early tomorrow to gove me ample time to do stuff and things in the engine room while Swmbo is in the land of nod.
     
    Who am i kidding. our guest arrives at 1pm and the most ill probably do is the washing up
  13. saltysplash

    ramblings

    By saltysplash,

    Its saturday morning and we've been home from work for the last 4 hours.
     
    have already tried sleeping but over the last couple of weeks i've developed a shoulder that just wants to ache and pain its way through the day and night regardless of its owners comfort. So, Its now just turned midday and i cant sleep due the pain and ive got to set off to work in another 5.3 hrs for another 12 hr night shift. ok ok i can hear you shout...get to the doctors,, but so far ive not had chance to register at the local quacks and ive always tended to leave ailments to the bitter end before presenting myself infront of them.
     
    Whats more important is, we have had our leave granted for 3 an a bit weeks in june and we ( me ) have decided to tackle the Thames Circle.
     
    Ive printed off the times and distance table from canal planner and worked out the tides and openings for Thames lock at Brentford.
     
    What i aint done yet is changed the fuel filter on the ole perkins and i really dont know why.....for some reason i am in fear of her never starting again.
    I used to change the filter on the old tub with no problem at all, Just shut off the fuel cock, replace the filter, turn on the fuel cock, hand pump the primers and away she went...so why should my lovely Perkins be any harder than a 1940's Gardner??? What a fag
     
    Swmbo.....Nora to the initiated is not happy with my itinery for the forthcoming holiday......for one, it dont involve getting on a plane and flying to the caribbean, and two, she's not happy with having to rouse herself in order to get the 6 hours cruising per day id like to accomplish, and three.......she wants to pack.......despite the fact we are taking our home with us....she insists on packing at least one bag just to get into the swing of things....tut!
     
     
    If i acomplish 1 thing this trip it will be to get her to steer this vessel for more than 3 mins.
     
    I have tempted her with vists to hampton court and windsor castle and oxford Gaol.......thats a joke.....we only live 30 mins from hampton and 10 mins from windsor......we could do them anytime we wished from the comfort of our moorings.
     
    secretly i think she is looking forward to it, so im not really going to make any firm plans, just let her enjoy the thames and narrow canals and all they have to offer.
     
    If you see us, please say HI....an if the exhaust is still a bit smokey, then you know i still aint done the fuel filter
  14. saltysplash

    Its daylight

    By saltysplash,

    Working shifts makes us live a kind of strange nocturnal existance, Finish night duty monday morning, have a couple of sherberts then bed and eventually wake up anytime between 6pm and 8pm and thats rest day No1 out of the way, By the time your ready for bed again its 3 or 4am and the cycle continues so this morning one has made a special effort and got up at 7.30am in the hope that i can actually get on with some jobs in the daylight rather than in the middle of the night and annoy the neighbours.
     
    The shed is one big job thats been waiting since November and has gradually been filling up with stuff and things so that now, the door opens and things start to fall out. There are at least 3 sacks of stuff from Emblem that need sorting out into 'whats going to the tip' pile and 'whats....er..also going to the tip' pile
     
    Meanwhile Nora is sleeping soundly in the next cabin.
     
    Also playing the waiting game with the mobile phone as i wait for the Nod from my daughter that the baby has decided its time to make its way out into this harsh world of ours, and then it will be into the car and off to Ramsgate, book into a Travel lodge and then try and find the hospital.
     
    Meanwhile Nora is sleeping soundly in the next cabin.
     
    As i look around me ive just noticed another job which has been put off for some time, Computer wires all over the place. sigh
     
    Seeing as its pay day, I recon first on the list will be the shed, Then a trip up the North Circular to Ikea and the search for a suitable bed settee, Have also been contemplating building one but the upholstering thing is putting me off, Im ok with the frame but knowing my level of diy skills it would look crap and be very uncomfortable, so a ready made one is probably best.
     
    Meanwhile Nora is sleeping soundly in the next cabin.
     
     
    Wonder how long i can put off going to the shed?
  15. saltysplash

    Single Boat owner

    By saltysplash,

    She has finally gone. Am sitting here with a bankers draft in me pocket about to set off for the bank to pay it in.
     
    Spent all of yesterday showing Ludwig all of Emblems systems, seacocks and going through the engine starting routine. He was very busy with his notepad and doing lots of little diagrams.
     
    So thats another chapter of ones life closed.
  16. saltysplash

    Emblem

    By saltysplash,

    Did indeed meet up with Ludwig and Tamara for sunday lunch and a discussion over the old tub.
     
    As mentioned previously the survey was carried out some weeks ago so has been quite a while before they finally go back to me.
     
    Anyway, Lunch was at the Black Horse Iver Heath and went down rather well and didnt have to pay a thing as Ludwig insisted on it being his treat. Mind you, i have to admit that all through the meal i was wishing we could get down to the nitty gritty. Not very gracious of me
     
    So, pudding arrives and Ludwig announces he will go for a walk while we talk about Emblem, 'ello' finks i, 'sounds like he dont wanna hear whats coming'
     
    Sure enough, the survey, while explaining what a classic heavily framed and wonderful example of the scottish fishing boat she is, mentioned how sound she was below the water line and above, as far as the frame heads on the starboard side behind the water tank....they aint rotten, they aint damp, but they could do with some new fixings to prevent deck leaks. her deck has leaked at various points for the 10 years ive known her.
     
    So the long and short of it was, we negotiated a price to take into account any work they would have to do the starboard frame heads. shook hands and went outside to find Ludwig.
     
    We then spent the next hour looking at his photo albums of his trip to Australia and back in 1950 in a 1930's London Taxi. He really does have a fantastic story to tell. Really hope someday he manages to put it into writing.
     
    So I then had a mad dash to Sutton to meet Nora as we were due at the Spread Eagle in Croydon to meet up with some ex-work chums for the evening...What a great feeling, Copious amounts of Fullers London pride and the warm knowledge that the old girl had finally sold.
     
    Going down to Chatham on Tuesday to remove the last of me bits then its hand over day on Wednesday not sure if im glad or not really She has been such a major part ofmy life for 10 years along with all the fantastic folk who ive crew'd with and then have been my crew.
     
    Think ill sort out a few Sherberts in the King George V tuesday night to send the old girl off.
     
    Oh well. time for bed. 1 more night to go before days off
  17. saltysplash

    wot! no swmbo

    By saltysplash,

    Its been a quiet kinda few days. Nora is at her mums looking after Harry and ive been here trying to fit too many jobs in at one go not not really getting any of them done except the huge bed.
     
    Today was back to work day after 6 days off...mmmm nice init, but what of those six days?
     
    I started the conversion on the bed the previous week and thought id done a damn'd ggod job till it came to folding it all away and found id made it far too heavy. Im not the best wood worker and i still fear to place any pics of the work as my efforts are nothing compared to trevors work. So, the pull out section i had devised with supports and legs was just so heavy to slide back into place while trying to hold aloft an also heavy mattress that i had to devise plan B. Plan B was to fit hinges to the slide out panel which would then be secured vertical with the matresses and bedding behind it. Swmbo not at all happy with this arrangement as she was looking forward to a sofa style area to slouch on during the day. so plan B soon became plan C and with the addition of a lifting handle and drop down legs, the panel now folds flat, back on its self and is much more user frendly and swmbo still gets her lounging/reading position. Plus, the panel and mattress doesn't press up against the radiator so am more than happy with it, apart from the amature way it looks.
     
    ps we now have some fantastic huge storage under the bed which we didnt have before
     
    so that was six days. No change of the oil and filters, no change of the fuel filters and no washing of the port side which has been waiting since we moved aboard.....starboard side done within the first few days.
     
    I did however manage to have a go at the classic range in the boatmans cabin. Chimney swept and stove hoovered out. Trevor had warned me that the stove is kinda tempremental when trying to light so i used my tried and trusted method of lighting the squirrel and put some kindling in, a few coals on top then a firelighter in the ashpan and awayit went.
     
    A few puffs of smoke esacaped from the top plates (its a top loader) and eventually with some opening and shutting of stern doors and flue vents i kinda got a reasonable balance. Was fully expecting the new CO alarm i put in the BMC to start singing away at me but it remained at zero, and once the coal was well and truly working i was able to shut the rear doors and the place was an oven.
     
    Next day i re blacked the stove pipe and rusty bits to see how it spruced up and it looks bloody good. Will reblack the complete sh'bang next oppotunity.
     
    Just had a text off me mate in wales, turns out he's just bought a 10th of a share in an old clinker boat....no further dets so will have to arrange with swmbo to let me do a visit to gods own country to view this said 10th of whatever it is he has purchased. mmmmm hot tub and ale
  18. saltysplash
    Its half ten Sunday morning and im sitting in front of this machine instead of doing stuff and fings.
     
    Am Currently round at Swmbo's mothers as she (swmbo) is cat sitting for a couple of weeks and i was dragged round yesterday to put up a new garden shed however, its raining, and its that fine rain, you know, the stuff that gets you wet through.
     
    Its all a bit annoying as there is plenty of stuff to be getting on with on Lady Elgar such as oil change, fuel filter change, re black the stoves, try and fix the leaking Paloma.
    Actually coming over here suited us last night as i have just finished converting the 2 single berths into a cross double. A huge cross double and yesterday afternoon was spent staining the new wood to blend in with the old so an overnight drying was certainly needed. So the new bed is now 6'2"x 6' we'll have to pop over to Ikea for those extra huge quilts that they do.
    The only downside of the new bed is, in its folded down ready to snooze position there is no way through to the rear of the boat which will block the access to the heads for any guest staying in the BMC over night but i figured it will be mainly ourselves on board so thats a minor factor really and nothing which cant be sorted with a suitable bucket
     
    Oh dear, Blue sky over yonder roof tops, looks like shed building may be upon me soon.
     
    I finally got round to sweeping the flue of the classic stove in the BMC and have had her fired up on a couple of occaisions.
    It seems to enjoy puffing smoke out of its top plates for the first few minutes resulting in the back doors needing to be opened but then it settles down once the pipe warms up and the updarft is better. It does warm the BMC and engine room up nicely and so far not even registered on the CO detector i fitted which is good news indeed.
     
    Yep, deffo stopped raining. time to get the drill out.
     
    Swmbo is still knocking out the Zeds in bed which is a bit cheeky considering it was her idea to build the new shed for mumsie tut. Back to work again tuesday so that only leaves me with monday to faff with the engine, and also Iron me shirts for work. Bugger! also remembered i need to buy an ironing board. See, there just isnt enough hours in the day and days off work just fly by while work days just drag by
  19. saltysplash

    safely home

    By saltysplash,

    And so we arrived back at Iver yesterday afternoon after 9 days cruising up to the Wendover Arm and back.
     
    Came across a couple of Forum members on the trip, Magnetman at Lady Capels lock and Chris JW up on the tring summit. Pity we didnt have time to stop proper to say hello but was very nice putting faces and boats to members names.
     
    Nora soon got into working the locks with gusto and with very few errors, except one or two that i should really mention. I always have a little smile as i see her approach the lock and mentally run through the procedure in her head, even to looking ahead if the lock is against us to see if any boats are approaching. One of my favourite moments was when we heading back down towards Hemel, she jumped off and went to the lock which was set against us, with one of the bottom gates open. She duly closed the gate and then to my surprise began to open the bottom paddle!! After a couple of seconds the light bulb above her head suddenly came on and she dropped the bottom paddle and returned to the top gates to do commence filling. As i chugged into the lock her cheeky grin showed she knew what i was going to say and she said " i was just testing to make sure the paddle worked"
     
    She did sometimes take saftey to the extreme such as when filling an empty lock she still waited before the lock was half full before opening the gate paddles
     
    I was no better on occaisions, Normally when working the locks i tend to put the nose in and Nora decamps off the bow. i then float around mid channel till the lock is ready. Saves holding her into the bank and faffing with ropes. Made a complete pigs ear of it at winkwell lock though going up towards the swing bridge. Nora off the bow as usual and me concentrating more on rolling an oily rag and not noticing drifting forward towards the bywash and emptying lock. Bywash catches the bow and Lady Elgar is off on a dance of her own swinging happily towards the moored boats with me making embarrassing reverse and forward manouvers with the engine in an attempt to control the swing, avaid boats and get myself lined up again...and light the fag.
     
    All part of growing up and being British.
     
    The weather those last 9 days has been absolutly lovely and it was quite a surprise that there was so little traffic around. Not 1 lock did we have the pleasure of sharing till we approached cowroast then shared with a very nice couple who had been down to the smoke and enjoyed a bit of police action around camden lock area when they swooped en masse on a gathering of youths.
     
    At the last lock we shared with them they let us go first as they were going to stop and do some more cleaning. There was a boat waiting to come down. Nora had already established that they wanted both gates left open as they didnt wish to scratch their paintwork so it was quite a surprise that as exited the steerer decided she was going to go into the lock before our 2nd boat had exited.. how strange.
     
    Once at Cowroast we topped up with water and deposited our elsen and then paid quick visit to the marina chandlery. Needed some stove paint to cover the fire cementing i had done earlier, some more elsen blue and Nora wanted a longer shafted windlass with rotating handle as by now her fairy liquid hands were beguining to suffer.
     
    We then plodded on towards bulbourne intending either (depending on the time) to tie up at bulbourne and visit the Junction arms or turn left on to the Wendover Arm. I favoured the latter as the last time i had done this arm was in a small Microplus 2 berth GRP boat with a 6hp 2 stroke evinrude way back in the early 80's.
     
    It was just as narrow as i recall but what a lovely little waterway it is. Nora was very concerned that we would get to the end and have to pull LE all the way back but i kept maintaining..."the book says it can be done" not really knowing if i trusted the book or not. Finally chugged past Tringford pumping station and onto the newly restored section round to little tring farm where we turned in the full length windly windly hole and moored up for the night and BBQ.
     
    BTW after all the debate as to winding holes being pronounced one way or another i have decided to call them 'Windly (as in weather) Windly (as in clocks) Holes.
     

     

     

     
    The Lovely Wendover Arm
     
    Anyone remember the days of having to push the heavy Winkwell swing bridge open by hand and then having to turn that wheel a thousand times to close it? Well since mechanisation the Bridge was again suffering electrical problems and the Waterways had restricted its use to certain times so monday saw us arrive at the Bridge at 11am and wait till Midday for the Waterways chaps to come along and do the buisiness.
     

     
    No problems getting through as the BWB chaps arrived well on time and worked the bridge for us. A lady and a young girl in life jackets then came running up the towpath towards the bridge. Apparantly they were the advance party of a boat that had got delayed and werehopingto pursuade the BWB chaps to keep the bridge working pending their boats arrival otherwise the next working woulnt be till 4 oclock.
     
    All in all an excellent first trip for us both. Nora had acouple of attempts at steering but she isnt too happy and maybe a few more go's will give her a little more confidence
    We ate well in the Coy Carp at Coppermill lock and also at The Swan and Bottle just below Uxbridge Lock. The boat performed very well as did the engine although i will be changing the oil and filters now we are back. Filled up with fuel at Harefield and found we had only used 43 litres in 8 days. Not bad at all.
    The Paloma is still dripping so thats my first job today when Nora finally gets up...Bit of a late session last night.
     
    Other jobs now we are safely back are to clean and reseal the Classic stove in the BMC and then attenpt to light it...Am told they are not as easy as the Morso.
    Sort out the Sky dish on a suitable pole and properly secure the telly on the shelf.
    Make further attempts to clean the roof and cleanout the coal locker and vactan the rust as recommended in the survey....think also the gas locker is in need of that as well.
     
    some pics of the journey
     

     

     

     

     

  20. saltysplash

    Finally onboard

    By saltysplash,

    Finally picked up the keys thursday afternoon and plonked ourselves on board although didnt unpack anything as the cleaning needs to be attacked first.
    Not knowing the condition the batteries would be in i switched on the Heart interface charger and left em to it for a few hours. As suspected they were shot at. The charger was so busy trying to charge them that they started to boil. so it was switches off and a trip around Berkshire on saturday trying to find 4 110 lesuire batts. Much harder job then you'd think.
     
    500 quid later and we now have decent batts and the interface is doing a proper job of looking after them.
     
    Inbetween battery hunting we have been busy cleaning inside and out. So far the roof is being the problem, Cant seem to shift the grime without mega amounts of scrubbing with hard brush, so first trip out this morning will be to try and find some kind of cleaner which will make life slightly easier. Was considering cillit bang but not sure if i might end up damaging the paintwork? Might be ok if i rinse off straight away but not overly happing with it draining into the canal. maybe i'll read the bottle and see what it says.
     
    Not even tried to sort the stove out yet. Managing to heat the cabin with a couple of oil radiators during the evenings. The stove door is really difficult to closed which in turn i think has cracked the glass in the door. I think ill be digging out all the old fire rope and replacing. Also the stove itsself is full and i mean full of ash and half burnt fuel. I guess the previous owner mustve left in a hurry.
     
    So, still hope to set sail tuesday all being well. Jobs for today. shopping. more roof cleaning. stove. and then play with the engine.
     
    Every one at Iver very freindly.
  21. saltysplash

    2AM

    By saltysplash,

    Its 2am and im sitting here waiting for high tide. Why? i hear you ask....do i hear?....nope...oh bugger im on me own
     
    Because, Tomorrow/today we will be picking up keys for Lady Elgar yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
     
    so i have spent most of the day disconecting and packing stuff and things from Emblem and trundling the trolly up and down the pontoon to the car. However, the reason im waiting for the tide is, at the end of the pontoon there is a ramp which obviously rises and falls with the tide and after pushing and struggling all day with the bloody trolly up the ramp, im waiting for it to be almost levelso i can do the last 2 trips with almost no effort as the ramp should be level.
     
    Items left to go to the car....
     
    all the contents of my wardrobe and drawers, 4 ropes to replace the old greenified ropes currently on board and tv/satelite dish and cables plus 2 folding camp chairs for our evening BBQ's planned during our inaugral trip...so yep i recon 2 trips with the trolly will do it.
     
    Its not easy planning your daylight life around your finishing nights life but i think we'll get by
     
     
    So...Its all sorted... John currer will be doing the handover on friday morning and then its all hands to the pumps to bring Lady Elgar back upto scratch to be a home and boat both Nora and self are proud of...Actually im already proud of her.....is that Nora or Lady Elgar?......not saying cause i know swmbo is watching
  22. saltysplash

    exiting Otterham creek

    By saltysplash,

    Well to say the exit was interesting is probably the understatement of the month.
     
    Me old mukka steve took her into the dry dock on wednesday. That trip alone was enough to get the pulse racing. I had to work early turn and couldnt do it so enlisted steve to skipper the old tub to otterham and in turn he enlisted alex and neil to crew(hold the fenders) Apparantly all went rather well for the first half hour despite the force 5 gusting 6 northerlies. Just as they approached Hoo island, The old gardner seemed to slow down and then suddenly just stop. Now on an incoming spring tide running at just under 2 knots this aint good in a narrow channel with mooring trots either side. As quick as a quick thing with a really quick job to do steve bounds to the bow and manhandles the anchor over the side along with 15 mts of chain. No easy feat considering we normally have to use the winch and derrick to drop anchor. Just at that moment a work boat is chugging up river and the skipper says to his deckhand 'theres a nice looking old MFV ...bugger me!!! theyre dropping the hook in mid channel!!'
     
    They cam alongside and the chap comes aboard and asks if he can be of any help, do they require a tow? It also happens that he is a Gardner expert:)
    He and steve descend into the engine room, check all the usual fings, oil/ water/ fuel. nothing obvious...so they turn her over and she starts up as lovely as ever chugging away to herself. They both look at each other and say at the same time 'summat round the prop'
     
    Steve engages forward gear and all runs fine. engages reverse and all runs fine....how queer. So they raise the hook and continue on. Arrive at otterham and the wind is directly on the stern with white hrses even on this narrow stretch. has a devil of a job slowing down due to both wind and tide and cant get below 4 knts, They just manage to throw a rope and catch hold of a dutch barge moored befoe the dock in order to stem the approach prior to the dock being ready. But upon being waved in by Rod the yard owner they are off again at speed toward the dry dock. Steve manages to get her through the gate and somehow alex and neil manage to catch the guilding lines but in trying to stem the speed by going into reverse the stern kicked round to port and the starboard lower rubbing band scratches down to the wood on the dock support but they are in and secure.
     
    As the tide ebbed thin marks could be seen around the swim where whatever it was that stopped the prop had been. No other trace of anything.
     
    Oh well i thought, one scratch on the paintwork wont affect the survey too much, its purely cosmetic. Then steve pointed out to me the rubbing band on the port side which is an iron strip which had pulled out its fixing obviously due to impacting with the dock support on the port side
     
    Oh well, again, nothing too serious, thats what the rubbing band is for after all.
     
    So, She gets surveyed the following day and i stay on board that night to do the trip home friday afternoon with alex and neil as crew as i changed over from earlys to nights that day. I then get a call from the prospective purchaser Ludwig asking if he can come for the return trip as well...sure no probs, just dont look at the damage What a fantastic character he is.
     
    He is in his eighties and is an Austrian. He came to England at the start of the war on the last boat out of Holland. His family ended up in camps in poland after being captured fighting for Tito in yugoslavia.
    He served in the navy during the war and afterwards made a living designing hospital machinery and equipment. in 1949 he bought a 1929 London Taxi and he and his wife drove from London to Sydney to see his family who had settled there after the war. They then Drove back again. I asked him if he had published his story and he said "very nearly, but i had a row with the publishers because they didnt like the first chapter and i insisted on keeping it in so it never went to print" I told him if he still had the manuscript then send it off again....stories like that shouldnt be lost.
     
    anyway, i digress. Friday decided that not only would it continue to blow the wind down but it would add that other element RAIN. High tide was about 2.30pm but knowing they were high springs i was hoping to get out maybe an hour earlier. Id already spoken with Rod and we agreed that being towed out past the dutch barge would probably be the best idea. Dont think he was too keen on have 40 ton of Emblem being blown onto the yatchts.
     
    Meanwhile Ludwig had been rummaging around the old girl and he reappeared in the wheel house and announced to me that the deck was dripping into the saloon why now emblem? why now when the buyer is here are you showing all your foibles?
     
    The tide came in. the rain came down. the wind blew and then blew some more. Suddenly at just after 1 we were afloat. The wind was throwing the tide up the creek faster than a rat out of an aquaduct.
     
    We secured the stern to Rods tug and slowly we inched out to avaoid anymore scrapes on the paintwork. Rod manovered us skilfully through the narrow bit next to the dutch barge and and a bit further past into a wide section. which actually looks very wide but is narrow due to shallows on oneside and an old concrete wharf on the other. We couldnt go any further otherwise Rod wouldve been aground himself so we released the tow and i gave it full right hand down and some wellie on the throttle to try and get the nose round to startboard knowing that when i put her in reverse the stern kicks to port.........allegedly.....all that happend was, due to the lack of sea room i just ended up going backwards and forwards because there was no way on gods clean earth was i going to get Emblems high bow past that wind. It just kept us straight and all the time, wind and tide is now sending us sideways back into the narrow creek...my mouth was now very very dry and in a croaking, almost quivering voice, i shouted out to Alex who was dripping wet on the bow to signal to rod to take a bowline and pull us through the wind.
     
    Rod steams towards us to take the line.......What line!!!! bugger bugger BOLLOCKS BUGGER BOLLOCKS!!!!! we had no line ready. Neil eventually manages to bring a warp form the stern while im still going backwards and forwards and rod is trying to hold on station. We are now getting close to the dutch barge. Alex throws the line to Rod. Shes not given herself enough slack an it falls short. she tries again. misses again....AGHHHHHHHHH "As quick as you like" shouts i in my trying to appear calm yet athoritative...Third attempt.
    Its a .......MISS!!!!!!!
     
    Last option open to me before we become jammed in a 30' gap with a 50' MFV beam on. I shout ( I have to shout over the noise of the wind and engine) to neil and Ludwig.....yes, hes still there on deck watching all this going on probably thinking what the hell are these fools doing.....i shout to them to get the large ball fenders and my last and only option while alex is still trying to lassoo Rod is to put the nose into the old concrete wharf hoping that Neil and Ludwig could do the biz with the fenders and the tide and wind would then push the stern while i held the stem onto the wharf. Well it worked and gave alex enough time to make her final throw and connect with rod and the stern swung over to port which was fendered off nicely by neil, But being an old no longer used wharf having seen better days it managed to scrape a 2' scratch on the port bow. not even the rubbing band but the bloody planks.
     
    Once the nose was through the wind it was plain sailing , we waved a very greatfull farewell to Rod and set revs to 600 giving me 5 knts over the ground to navigate the shallows of otterham creek. The Crew and Ludwig came inside the wheelhouse, all rather soggy for some reason and i said " well, that was different" A pen bounced off me nut
     
    On the way back to Chatham, Ludwig came back up from below and cheerfully announced that the deck was no longer leaking......Well, of course it wasnt.......if id thought about it, It always leaks when in dry dock cause shes sitting on her keel and all the planks and seems are out of shape. You cant even close the internal doors due to the way the wood settles. It not till she refloats that everything fits back into place tut!!!!
     
    So, I managed to show my prospective buyer how not to leave drydock in heavy weather. How to forget something as basic as having a bow line ready. and how to scratch the paint work in one easy move. He aint gonna by this:(
     
    As I was re-connecting the electric back at the pontoon, Ludwig sidled up to me and said, "well done on coming in here, we never even felt like we touched. i think she handles lovely" I guess and old sea dog has seen many things and knows when someone is trying to impress him but making a right pigs ear of it, but when not trying to impress just does things as they should be done.
     
    I WANT TO GET BACK ON THE CANALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  23. saltysplash

    still waiting

    By saltysplash,

    So its been over a week since everything was in place and were still waiting. Last minute forgotten bits of paper to sign and this that an the other.
    We had been hoping to get in with the early discount for the licence which is up in october but that aint gonna happen now. Never mind, were expecting completion by monday at the latest famous last words.
     
    In the meantime, Things have finally been going forward with Emblem. I am currently sitting in drydock at Otterham Quay waiting for the tide so we can head back to Chatham. She was surveyed yesterday for the prospective purchaser. The down side is im nights tonight so not going to have much chance to get any sleep beforehand. Its gonna be an interesting exit. Winds are gusting 25kts and its a narrow channel to reverse along before it opens out, also the old girl likes to pull to port when in reverse due to the prop swing so you have to keep kicking forward to try and kep er right. and in this wind anything could happen. Im gonna ask Rod to see if he can tow me out i think.
     
    So heres a few pics of the old girl sitting high an dry. I had a mooch underneath her earlier and all is well below the waterline, Not overly impressed with my 2 coats of antifoul applied in april, More barnacles than last year. maybe because we havent done much cruising this year due to the sale.
    Oh yes, another downside to drydock is you cant use the sea toilet
     

     

     

     

     

     

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