Ouch that stung a bit !

BOAT - Bring Out Another Thousand ( or two in this case ) as they say .....

It is only when you commission third party work at home or the boat do you realise what savings you or in this case I achieve  by doing it yourself. However there comes a time due to the work type and  age sometimes in combination that passing the job to the professionals makes sense. This has been the case with our blacking and some welding. The former I can do and have done in the past  - the last three blacking we did ourselves but the last one at Stone was a challenge as Rachel was delayed so I did the first coat myself and the dock filled with fumes and I went home feeling very sick  - like I was 6 pints drunk !!

I have to reconcile myself to the thinking I paid someone to do the work on the boat but I've done just about all the conversion on the workshop at home ( bar plastering it  - I've done all the plasterboard and trims etc)  so the budget I set myself for the conversion by someone else means the savings will pay for the boat work and leave a few K's spare for holidays or motorbikes !

This is a short update as all being well we will be back aboard tomorrow bringing Percy back home unless.....!!!!

Meeting hero's and our new granddaughter

Right back we go to do a bit of catching up for my care home memories!!

So it's for now the 10 - 12th April and I'm off to meet a hero of mine I've read his books and followed him on Youtube  - Nathan Millward. He rode his 125cc Australian postie bike back from Australia then took it to the East coast of America and rode it across the States then from the west coast to Alaska.

Now he runs a taster day on smaller capacity bikes on the lanes and trails of north Devon.  Plus he organises trips to America Ireland Iceland and the UK. I rode down the day before and stayed in a B&B I've stopped in twice before at Coombe Martin. The ride down was very wet and I went on my 750cc bike for this trip.

This is a stop in Dartmoor. I don't mind riding in the wet is helps the concentration and skill levels. Over time I have acquired the right gear so don't suffer wet hands or feet or crotch !! 

Rattling across Exmoor on my bike in the rain and mist was a mind emptying experience. My bikes are my anti depressants I'm not sure what I'd do without the ability to take off and explore meet people and see places. 

The next day I was meeting up with Brian Allen Trev and his lad Jim and Nathan. We just rode bikes all day swapping between us riding one off road trail but it was sooooo wet we opted to say on the little lanes for the rest of the day. Great to have such an ambassador for small capacity bikes - they were all 350-450cc range and a personable knowledgeable fella as our guide to his back yard ( he was the editor of the Adventure bike magazine for a while iirc) Loved the day liked the Himalayan  - no surprise there and the little CCM ex forces bikes he was also selling a batch from the manufacturer as the UK forces don't use them anymore 

Some photos of blokes doing what blokes do best ....

Me and Nathan  - we are planning a dryer trip back maybe autumn time as he'll have different bikes then. 

The trip back on the Friday was chalk and cheese and I chose to ride over the Seven bridge and wend my way up through the Welsh Marches. A long but enjoyable day on the bike 

The next day on bike cleaning duties I found some metal I'd exported from Devon !! I carry a plug kit so it was a easy repair and the tyre is only about 1000 miles old I'll monitor it. 

My mum who recently turned 89 is sadly now in a care home so I visit when I can and take her out for a drive and tea and cake. I've four sisters so she gets out and about a lot still. She is from a generation of getting on with it and self reliance she lived independently until she was 88, never complains and is always smiling  - Be like Beryl !! 

Here she is at the windmill cafe near Ilkeston. Life and memories are precious

Our next event was looking after the two grandkids while son and daughter in law went off to provide another for us  - Baby Lira Ivy she's our first granddaughter and we went back a day or so later after helping out with new batteries for their new car that  thankfully  let me down on the school run not mum and new baby !!  

Don't know where that gormless smile came from - maybe a bit overwhelmed !!

More updates to come in this interlude!! 

Out we come - all very efficient

Haul out day and we were advised there was to be boat shuffles as there was a very tired looking Braidbar boat going into the paint shed. We were up at seven to start unloading and closing down the boat  - emptying cassettes etc. We got the call at 11 and very efficient Matt and his oppo got Percy onto the trailer and out of the water. 

Never a relaxing time but they were efficient and confident.

While Percy had her bottom jet washed we went for a tad expensive breakfast at the cafe - again nice people and nice service. Overwater is a nice marina like Great Haywood on steroids !

A chat with Matt about the hull... a few pits that need filling nothing bad as she'd passed her 30 year hull survey just over two years ago. We could have relaxed on the survey but while she was out it made sense to take the opportunity. I was pleased how well our DIY blacking had held up over the past two and a half years. The bigger issue was the weather, I'd not factored in they black outside so we agreed with the welding and the weather we'd not expect Percy to be back in on the Friday as originally agreed,  we settled on them to take the time needed to do it around the weather. We will adjust our plans accordingly. 

So for now I'm up to date .... while we wait out the call to come and fetch our boat I'll try and fill a few gaps... more for my record of my life in retirement but might be of interest to you who follow this blog.   

Into the marina a long day !

It was a very hot day on the Sunday  - we should have made more progress the day before but hey ho... 13 locks in full sun reminded us we aren't getting any younger ! 

I started the day with a 50 minute blast of the genny to charge the Ecoflow back up to 75%  - the house batteries are about 5 years old now and showing that age, still serviceable just but will need replacing at some point in the next 12 months. This was fortuitous as the inverter that had worked very well the day before pulling 200w off the alternator and charging the Ecoflow on the move just wanted to throw overload errors even when there was nothing connected !! That'll have to go back bugger

Everything was going one way - down only two boats all day came up the flight meaning we had to turn (fill and empty) 11 of the 13 locks for the day. Due to the direction of travel there was no water in the bywashes on most of the locks I suspect C&RT had reduced the flow to account for the lack of use of the locks due to the stoppage at Tyrley  - judging by the few boats going that was a sound decision.

Once we were in the marina it was round two for me as I unloaded the Brompton from the fore cabin and set off back to Shebdon for the car. A lovely 18 mile ride somewhat spoilt by google trying to get me onto the tow path and finally succeeding at Knighton winding hole and the tow path from there to the Shebdon winding hole isn't great for a small wheeled bike. 

Regardless I was back at the boat for about 7.30pm a quick shower and food then bed after a bit of TV. 

The Audlem flight

 We set off with a fairly unambitious target of the first set of visitor moorings on the Audlem flight basically two locks to do leaving 13 for the following day  - turned out to be a questionable decision! 

Nothing in front or behind as we set off to the lovely 5 Adderley locks. they were quickly descended with our usual swapping of duties half way through.... we still see far too many ladies on the lock while the fella stands leisurely on the tiller. Half or more than half the fun is doing the locks and chatting to other boaters. 

Then more lovely sunshine cruising to the top of the Audlem flight and a noice chat with the cake lady and cakes brought. She actually opened the top gate for us so we went straight in. I did suggest she should have emptied the lock so we'd have been on the lock landing looking at her cakes for longer !!

We dropped two locks then moored up for the rest of the day. This was Saturday so we took a walk down to the Shroppie Fly and had food there which was nice  - basic and the service was a bit erratic but friendly. They got a double tip as I paid the bill at the bar and left a tip and Rachel left one on the table. 

Back on the boat I tried a bit of fishing but was interrupted a few times so ended up magnet fishing for our friends prized windlass she dropped mid channel on her way down the flight with my help ( need to blog about that) a week or two earlier. No luck but an enjoyable two hours all the same.

The bywashes we again very active and there was a procession of boats coming up the flight heading to Tyrley to beat the stoppage. 

Beating the stoppage and a true git

We left the day after the rain on  quite a nice morning chugging off towards the  emergency stoppage at the top lock on the Meaford flight. I like this section of canal on the Shroppie Nice views westwards and within an hour and a half we were passing Goldstone Wharf - this is normally a stopping point as the pub serves value for money food. There is water here and a winding hole. The new occupant of the wharf cottage that has a mooring in the (ex) winding hole has for some reason put a rope across the winding hold and moored his/her boat in the hole which is called True Grit  - they whoever they are are W$$$ers and I still cannot understand how this cannot be a winding hole as its a wide point of the canal and no need to go onto the gits property to wind  - beggars belief. Karma is on its way to them !! 

The Ecoflow getting a charge while cruising.

More winding hole hogging  - not the best place to have been nesting

Anyhow before that we chugged thru Woodseves cutting looking ever more perilous to a full on landslip and stoppage. We had a boat follow us well behind and just as we were exiting around the last blind bend a boat with 8 souls came into view - the helms-woman panicked and had the boat sideways in short order. We were able to hold in a small hollow on the offside.... we did let them know there was another boat and maybe good to hold but they ignored us and bombed off for another sideways across the canal moment ? 

The locks at Tyrley were set up for the emergency stoppage on the Monday and we were moving Friday last week 17th May. I suspect C&RT were expecting lots of boat movements as they had a terrific flow going through the locks or rather bywashes. The bottom lock bywash was as bad as I've seen it and of course we had the added challenge of a boat following us down. The effect of this is they are adding full locks of water down the flight maxing the bywashes. Even by opening the two top paddles as we exited the lock to wash us out and try and put the bywash water thru the lock there was still a torrent hitting Percy broadside as we exited the lock. I got pushed over but not crashed into the rock wall as is the risk  - this bywash has to rate as one of the worse and therefore most dangerous on the system we have cruised to date  - quite horrible.

This is what we call Leai's bench. I've a couple of photos taken many years apart of me and Leia on this bench. We still miss her fiercely. 

Percy is due her spring polish !!

We then has a nice cruise through Market Drayton and moored short of the Adderley flight. C&RT are saving money and no doubt being environmental by not cutting the tow path even at known mooring points. as soon as we moored the boat was boarded by lots of spiders  - I set to cutting back the veg and putting a line of insect repellent on the gunwale. We went for a lovely walk and ended the evening in peace and quiet. Just under 4 hours cruising I think. 

Spider city

I wonder if this is the same Phylis May that went from Stone to Carcassonne?

 

Two grandchildren later and maggots

 Its been a while and I really should fill the gap between April 7th and now - but that's later maybe.

We've had Percy booked for blacking at overwater for many months on recommendation from Mandy our boaty neighbour. We've not been able to get to Percy due to family stuff and health stuff (us) with Rachel getting a nasty virus off one of the Grandkids on Mothers day and still struggling with it now. I'm sure it's another covid varient. A quite horrible virus.

Anyhow life goes on and  Lyra Ivy and George Eric both now safely arrived to grow our lovely family and we are so proud of our sons daughter in laws and the other grandkids. It's a worry and it'll never go away but we are blessed and life has worries but it also has joy.  

So lots happened between  the last update and now but we needed to move Percy to Overwater for the 20th. So we arrived loaded up with bikes and Ecoflows to in the pouring rain to find our farmer landlord for some reason had strimmed our little bit of grass all over the boat. if he'd strimmed the other way it would have gone onto the bank!! I was doubly annoyed as I'd brought a replacement grass box to cut the grass as I must have left the original on the mooring and I can only assume it was nicked or blown into the cut !! Grrrrrr 

So pissing down with rain grass all over the boat I set to getting the hose out to fill with water and wash the grass off then I notice maggots on the roof - bloody anglers I thought only then I see them on the non towpath side of the boat crawling up the we side ! Not being squeamish I start picking them off then notice the dead pigeon between the boat and the armoco alive with maggots !! That got persuaded out  with a stick but the maggots kept coming  - they were in the vegetation that ironically said farmer thankfully had not strimmed growing out of the armco. So then it was angry gardener time removing all that including some giant hogweed that has burn me before with the sap  -  so that was dealt with with thick gloves on.

Onto the boat and it was an oil change  - 9 litres of Morris sae 30... checked the oil pump was pumping and topped up the coolant from the last time we were on the boat  - checking the inners of the crank and oiling the bearings prior to a overdue engine start.

For the record the oil was change at 1054 hours. 

Finally got all done and onto the boat for a nice night but it was so wet we lit the fire ! 

More to come !