| This Month's Totals and Average | |||
| 6.07 miles | 0 locks | 2.65 hrs | 2.29 lmph |
Awaiting info from Ashby Canal Centre on state of play re parts and work.
Up early for coming off the slip. Heavy mist hanging over the cut. Packed the car ready for departure. Off the slip before 09:00 and put on layby berth.
Had a visit from Ali ("Caretta") and we had a catchup. Left the Centre 10:30 and headed for Hinckley, collecting spare engineoil for the journey north, and attended an audiology appointment. I'm officially not deaf !
After the appointment, headed north in increasing sunshine. A late arrival at the house, very tired.
Quiet Saturday, fuelled the car and did a small amount of necessary shopping. Spent a lovely hour listening to bell-practice - they were very good, with some complex changes.
Got all my bag-packing done ready for travel home. Late afternoon Sunday, drove up to Doncaster for the 'licensing' service of Stephen and Jacquie at St Laurence's church, Adwick. Found oil-leak on car.
Tim arrived just after 09:00 and started on the shaft. We found the same difficulties as last time, but it did actually come out a lot easier than I thought it would. Once the hole had been tidied up, a plug of waterproof grease was put in and a latex glove cable-tied outside. All ready, by lunchtime, to go back in the water on Monday for lay-up.
Up very promptly. As soon as breakfast was over, disconnected and let go, heading for Ashby Canal Centre . Left the marina, turning right, and headed southwards past the Battlefield Moorings at Shenton Aqueduct (very busy today), Sutton Wharf and Dadlington to the outskirts of Stoke Golding. Beautiful cloudfree day, with the birds singing in the trees and hedgerows - great to be out and on the move again. Moored outside the Canal Centre until Andy was ready for "Paws" to go up the slip.
Andy came round just before 15:00 and I took "Paws" into the entrance, where the 'lads' took control using lines and manoeuvred her into line and winched her up the slip - a very quick job in comparison to a 'docking'. Due to the delay with the previous boat, they decided not to start until tomorrow morning. I got an electric hook-up, then did a wander round the hull. Very little weed, and the coating was in good condition. I reckon she can go until winter 2023/24 before requiring attention.
Quiet remainder to the afternoon, with the sun still warm until dinnertime. Unfortunately, no phone signal up the slip, although it looks like I've got TV.
| 6.07 miles | 0 locks | 2.65 hrs | 2.29 lmph |
 marmalade.toolkit.riverboat |
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Generally pottering, waiting till I can take "Paws" down to Stoke Golding. Paul on "Moose" (next door) has volunteered to do the car-shuffle with me to save a taxi.
Completed hiding the cabling for the "Pi Entertainment Centre", and carried out other small jobs, in between 'housekeeping' and shopping.
Looks like spring has finally arrived, with sunny days and reduced wind. Still a little cool, but the amount of heating required is well reduced. It also means that the bikers with a death-wish are out again - several ill-advised manoeuvres noted whilst out over the weekend, and rather noisy due to the straight piece of road next to the marina. Daffodils are now in full bloom along the roadsides up at "The Park".
Took a drive to Whilton on Monday to discuss LED lighting with Bedazzled .
Car-shuffle carried out as planned on Wednesday morning, and preparations made for moving "Paws" tomorrow - water topped up, loo cleared, rubbish and ash dumped.
Andy from Ashby Canal Centre visited "Paws" and we discussed the job, but he had to leave for other work before I could print the TidesMarine paperwork. It sounded hopeful, though. The rain arrived just after he left.
Completed the printing and had a quick lunch, then drove to Stoke Golding to deliver the paperwork. Andy had good news, that he had received a cancellation at the end of next week so the plan is :-
Another good day. Rang round local marinas - Springwood Haven had no spaces until autumn, Trinity don't have docking facility, but Ashby Canal Centre said they could get me in for an initial shaft removal and plug on 4th April, then order the parts, followed by a second slipping to fit (around 28th April. Andy said he could drop in tomorrow to look at the job (not having any experience of the TidesMarine seal). Hopefully that will be OK. (I have Boot Wharf and Rose Narrowboats to fall back on if Andy says no)
Lovely sunny morning, no wind - a chance to get some outside jobs done. Decided that since the bilge pump worked on manual, I'd change the seal on the dripping stern-tube first. Stripped out the old one and inserted a new one (a job I've done before). Instead of stopping the drip, the water flow increased! Assuming it was either a defective seal (or I had made a mistake), I stripped that one out and put the second spare on - it didn't improve.
OK, I need a docking. But at the rate the water was coming in, I couldn't rely on manual switching of the pump, I had to get that changed. Whilst getting everything ready for that job, I realised that the water pipe fitting was a different size to the new one. Realising I couldn't leave the pump and couldn't fix it with bits I had, I reluctantly called RCR. Whilst on the phone, the pump ran dry and seized. Now an emergency!
RCR don't deal with sternseals, but they said they could bring and fit a new pump. The engineer turned up an hour later and fitted a replacement, offering to do a part-exchange since I effectively had a brand-new pump that wouldn't fit.
When he left, I went round to the marina office for their suggestion of a dock, but by that time it was too late to start contacting yards.
MoT for car on Wednesday - remedial work required, booked back in for Thursday.
Work done, and car back on the road again (3 hours sitting in waiting room ). RCR renewed in case "Paws" breaks down. Whole afternoon spent trying to determine what DPD provide/require for collection at a PickUp point, against what Herbalife pass along. Not sure if I got a definitive answer, but we'll try out what we've got.
A quick drive to the sawmill for more kindling, before the rain came on heavy. Car road tax renewed online.
Rain and wind back again so no outside work. Continued with the IT jobs. Insurance renewed, so "Paws" legal again for another year. By Sunday, the showers had ceased, but there was till a brisk cold wind. Awaiting parts for jobs; they arrived Tuesday so hopefully those can be progressed.
Put in request for repeat meds, but it took some time to get a postal delivery point - Newbold Verdon refused to handle 'poste restante', but I can get it at Ibstock. Dropped in at the (revived) virtual coffee at All Saints Church, meeting up for a chat with Liz and Margaret from the church, and John & Jane and John & Jan from BCF, Rachel (whom we'd originally met at the coffees, then live at IWA Worcester), and Pat (at home). Topped up on shopping so that I'm not losing time on that once the weather permits work on the outside of "Paws". Hopefully that won't be too long in coming.
