Ready for the off ...

and I am melting fast.  I hope it is not this hot tomorrow although perhaps on the water there will be a little breeze?

Today having discovered that the chandlers won't post me a short 8ft pole I have had to resort to buying a pole from B&Q (I know I know not ideal but it is just to get me past the Trent lockkeepers for passing the rope up to them if necessary I assume). 

Using my grandmothers set of chisels that my dad gave me years ago I have made a pointy end, sanded it smooth so that the hook end doesn't rock and painted it in primer ready to screw the end on.  I will paint it properly next week.  I am quite pleased with myself.

I have checked out my first two stops for car parking provisions and I guess that is me pretty much sorted.


Tonight I will take the last few things down to the boat like the bike and some spare bedding (in case I have guests).

By the end of this summer I will either be ultra fit and slyph like or dead!

On that note I will say au revoir for now

Ate a proxima se deus quiser

The last items

Andy made me my back doors in his garden.  We didn't have enough of the Chesnut wood offcuts sent up by MD Woodtech to make the complete doors so we have opted for using them on the horizontal pieces and just using softwood for the vertical so we get a bit of contrast.

I picked up the upholstery for the dinette this afternoon.

Things get lost in translation.  I asked for a large bag/pillowcase type affair that we could store two pillows in and tuck them under the gunwales as a cushion in the daytime.  What I have got is an extra long pillowcase suitable for a bolster.  ????

I think I will be calling in the services of my mother again.

Tweaking

I have been busy tweaking the boat myself so that it is user friendly.

Like I have put loads of hooks everywhere including under the gunwales in the bedroom for hanging clothes on to keep them off the floor at bedtime.  Some in the bathroom for dressing gowns etc.  Towel rail in bathroom and small one in the loo along with loo roll holder and cupholder and mirror.

Hooks in the engine room below coat level for other stuff.  Strange garage type hooks under the gunwale in engine room for the extra large mooring stakes I bought (marquee ones) that just do not fit anywhere else!

Even a hook under the steps and above the swim to hold the electric cable from falling into the engine space.  Now also stopping the extra ropes from doing the same.  I might find somewhere else for them long term but just removed them quickly from the bottom drawer in the galley!

I have fitted the CO detector and the toast friendly smoke alarms.  And tested them.  They work!

Electrician still trying to find a good way of connecting aerial and satellite dish to the outside sockets.  I think he is over complicating things but he wants it to be robust as it will be removed and reattached on a regular basis.  I have asked him why my solar panels appear to be over charging my batteries.  We think perhaps the Smartgauge might be being a little sensitive as he has never heard of anyones solar panels being quite so effective.  I had to run the hoover around like mad to try and use up some battery power on Sunday.  Managed to get the batteries down to 13 from 14!

Tried to get the car fitted with a towbar today (and locking fuel cap) but the monkeys at Martins garage didn't order before my car arrived and of course parts like towbars are not just available at the drop of a hat.  Wasted morning although I did buy a griddle whilst wandering the shops.  So I have come home and ordered one from Towsure myself (cheaper that way) and once it arrives get Martin to fit it at least he is back off holiday now.  Even the locking fuel cap wasn't the right one so they have finally ordered the correct part and I can drive in on my way to work on Friday morning and Martin will fit it himself in 10 mins.  Hmmm

Have also ordered simple bike towball carrier.  The plan is to cycle back and fetch the car on a regular basis.

Really need to set off soon as my mooring permit expires in a month!  So much for my plans of exploring the Fossdyke and Witham in May it will be more like June at this rate.  Hopefully once I am moving and using the boat the battery situation will sort it self out.

Been giggling all afternoon.

At work a couple of years ago I was in charge of purchasing as Amanda was on maternity leave and decided that they were going 'green' whether they liked it or not and bought a pack of 48 'green' loo rolls.  Surprisingly they have lasted and we still have about 8 rolls left.  I digress.

They are perfect for my compost loo (and indeed any boat loo) so I asked boss if I could order some more and reimburse him.

They arrived today and when I offered to pay for them Wayne said to consider them a gift from him to me.

I duly thanked him and said that I would remember everytime I wiped my bottom on him ...

Build Blog Officially ended

The Surveyor has been and signed her off.

Anything I do to the boat now technically counts as tweaking.

The end.

Especially for Jay

Hi Jay, hope you enjoyed your trip.  Here is the picture I promised.

Been gone and back again

46 locks, 13.7 hours, approx 1.4 litres per hour.

Small ill boy helping his mum on her first proper trip out.

8 locks later we reached Turnerwood.  At this point we were met by Sarah who had got a lift off her husband Terry.  They had a look around, bought us all icecreams from the end cottage and then Sarah assisted Jaime with the rest of the 15 locks.

As you can see I was having a real hard time of it.

They did make me do the last 1 and half locks all on my own as Sarah was worried about me coming back solo.  At this point we were joined by Andy and his kids who had walked down to meet us from Kiveton Park.  Rob was also walking down to meet us but as I told him it was about 10mins walk he stopped and sat on a bench after 10 mins and read the paper until we found him.  Probably a good idea as Andy had said it actually took them half an hour!

We were following two boats up and Dream Catcher from the Marina kindly lent me their gas spanner at Turnerwood so when it started raining and we had Rob on board he immediately made us all a hot cup of tea and the boat did not explode.  Andy had brought a bit of bubbly which went down very nicely indeed.  Dream Catcher had also booked a table for 5 at the Station Inn - they do Italian night on a saturday so they squeezed Rob and I in on their table in fact there were 8 of us in the end.  Terry came and fetched Sarah back with the pickup so he took Jaime and the bike home - this was a godsend as it was pelting it down by this stage and small boy was drenched and you must remember not all that 'how' to start with.  I am very pleased indeed that he helped.

Rob and I spent the night on board and the mattress is comfortable and you can't feel the join at all.

We reversed up towards the tunnel the next morning but it started to rain and he had to go home to put his motorbike back together before he goes to France on it in a fortnight.  My solo trip started at 11.30.

First lock of course is a triple!


I did 13 all on my own and stopped just above Turnerwood at 3pm.  Felt a bit isolated as no signal, no tv, no computer, no one to talk to.  I could and did eventually do some cleaning, lit the fire and read a book.  Went to bed at 8.30 and read there before having a fantastic sleep.

Today did 10 locks ably assisted by a man who was passing just as I was setting off.  Eventually we put his bike on the front and he helped do about 6 of the locks so my solo boating today wasn't really.  I even let him steer! 

Arrived back at the Marina at 12pm.  Went to B&Q got some stuff like towel rails, looroll holder etc and fitted them myself.  Also got CO detector and Smoke Alarm.  Not sure if I need them for the Surveyors visit tomorrow but I need them anyway.

Am now officially pooped.