Customer service at its best

Having turned the boat upside down and realising that I couldn't find the receipt for the inverter I decided to drop it off with Midland Chandlers anyway and try and blag the lack of proof of purchase. What a nice bunch of people they are!

Not only were they happy to help but one of their directors said he was driving past the manufacturer later in the day and would drop it off personally!

Now I just have to wait and see what they say about repair or replacement.

Shouldn't be too long.

S.

How much?

It has boggled my mind to realise how much poo 7 people can generate in 4 days!

Having said that, we have proved that 7 people can live on Relativity and not kill each other - even if only for a short time. Ok, the inverter blew up, we lost the chimney, David broke his arm, Eddi fell in to the Thames many times, Josh fell in slightly fewer times, Zach got stung by wasps 3 times, Charli played SIMS endlessly (that music will drive anyone mad), Jill snored and Stuart just didn't stop!

On the other hand, everyone had a lot of fun, we built a huge bonfire and almost set light to half of Oxfordshire (yay), we ate endless cakes (thank you Jill) and the kids washed up (thank you all).

Happiness is a half term holiday that everyone enjoyed... and I am happy.

S.

Kitchen utensils

There comes a point in a man's life when he realises that hacking the top off a can of tuna or soup with a pair of wire cutters or a hack saw isn't really quite what polite society is expecting. The end result is exactly what you'd expect... a can that looks like it has lost a fight with a hack saw and plenty of added metal filings in your soup :-)

Suffice to say that I stood in the utensils aisle at Tesco and wished for less choice. I just want a can opener. I'd like to be able to introduce the can and the opener and, once the initial introductions are done, have the top come off the can. How hard can it be? But ah, the ingenuity of mankind has produced 20 different kinds of can opener, each one promising to solve problems I'd never imagined existed let alone come across. Tesco, in their infinite wisdom have seen fit to offer this bewildering array of choice on the assumption that I actually care what colour the thing is or whether I need a little magnet so that the top of the can is held by the opener until I'm ready to drop it in the bin. Hang on... many cans are aluminium so that isn't going to be much use is it?

Finally, the choice was made. A white can opener that cuts the top off without leaving sharp bits at the lower end of the price range. Common sense and decency prevail again.

And then I realise that I've been ranting on about nothing more important than a can opener. Oh no, does that mean I'm turning into a gumpy old man?

Bah humbug.

S.

Warmth in the morning

I woke up this morning, pushed the button, rolled over and went back to sleep for half an hour. When I woke up, guess what? Yep, toasty home.

Now all I need to do is get the timer working and I can wake up warm whenever I want :-)

Thanks dad.

S.

Working central heating

So there it is... a working central heating boiler on a boat. The radiators are all toasty and warm which is slightly ironic as it is a lovely sunny day but at least it proves that the theory works.

Now we have to finish off the diesel supply to the boiler because at the moment it is running on a plastic pipe from a bottle full of diesel. By the end of the weekend it should be running on a nice fireproof copper tube from the heating diesel tank in the bow.

This is so exciting for so many reasons. Well done to Ian for his efforts in working out how it should all go together.

For those of you with a short memory... Relativity now has a wood burning stove in the saloon which is very romantic and kicks out a huge amount of heat but it is relatively confined to the saloon/kitchen area. She also has 4 radiators connected to the engine to provide heat whilst we're chugging and also connected to the boiler to provide heat whilst we're not chugging. Now I can be warm in front of the fire in the evening and wake up to a reasonably toasty bedroom in the morning.

Hmmmmm.

Ian and I will be connecting up a hot water tank as well but for the moment the gas boiler will have to do.

S.

How not to do it

Now here is a challenge for you... drilling a hole in the side of the boat without either sinking the boat or electrocuting yourself! Drill it from the inside and you risk getting it too low. Drill it from the outside and you're messing with mains electricity far too close to a big pile of metal sitting in a very large puddle!

I ended up sitting in the kayak jammed between Relativity our next door neighbour Onion with the power cable trailing out of the bathroom window. There are plenty of electrical safety devices on-board Relativity but just in case of accident Ian had his finger on the "off" switch.

"Why are you drilling holes in the side of a boat?" I hear you ask. Exhaust pipe for the central heating and to tidy up the plumbing in the bathroom. Both the shower and the sink drained through the same hole and that tended to mean that the sink filled up via the plug hole (yuk) when the shower was being used. Now they are separated that won't happen (yay).

More tomorrow.

S.

Succumbing to the dark side

For six months I've lived without TV but the time has finally come and I could put the evil off no longer! I have installed FreeSat so now have 150 channels of rubbish to choose from to help relieve the long winter evening boredom.

Having said that it is surprising how much I had missed the BBC weather forecast!
And Torchwood.
And Dr. Who.
And Top Gear.

The boys will be delighted because they'll be able to be telly addicts whether they are at the house or at the boat now. I shall be rationing them hugely and access to the remote control will only be granted after the chores are done!

Setting up FreeSat isn't as hard as one might think - once you've learned a couple of tricks. My neighbour Pete and I spent two hours getting my dish aligned properly. His took less than 20 minutes. The key sequence seems to be to start with the dish pointing too far East and slowly bring it West until you get a signal from the satellites. Then stop and get the elevation right (pointing up and down). Now you can continue to get the azimuth right (East and West) and then a little fine tweaking of the elevation. This sequence was so much faster than any other sequence.

Next week will be the final (I hope) installment in the central heating saga :-)

S.

Central heating!

Yes, it is finally here! Relativity has central heating. Three radiators, one in the spare bedroom, one in the saloon and one in my bedroom. There will be a fourth in the bathroom but not until the boiler is installed and the shower re-built.

At present the radiators are heated by waste heat from the engine so in order to have heat I have to run the engine but that will change as soon as we get the boiler installed which can now be done because of all the hard work that Ian and I have done this weekend getting the electrical supply sorted out for it. In the end, hooking up the radiators to the engine was almost an anti-climax. It just worked!

I also put up a cupboard in the bathroom so that the collection of potions etc. can be tidied away. It is a nice little pine cupboard with a mirror on it so people can brush their hair and powder their noses :-)

Bernie popped over for tea tonight and we had a nice boys' night in. Good food and conversation.

That's all for now. What a weekend!

A long summer

Dear blog reader,

I've had a couple of really nice holidays and a week of excruciating pain over the summer. The "good/bad" balance of the universe has been maintained :-)

There hasn't been that much progress on Relativity because I've been away so much but this weekend Ian and I have taken the back bedroom apart completely and re-built the bunks in a much more useful configuration. We've also re-wired the 12v circuits from the stern to the bathroom so that the various pumps in there have a more reliable and higher current supply. The difference is obvious already. The real reason for doing this is so that we can install the central heating boiler in there soon (like before it gets too much colder at night ;-) ). It needs a good 12v supply for the fuel pump, the glow plug and the water pump.

Unfortunately the Travelpower blew up on Friday and I have no idea why so that is going to take some investigation :-(

Thanks to Jill I also have a drawer on wheels under my bed so that makes storing things there much easier!

Plans for the next couple of weeks include the possible addition of a 12v FreeSat TV system. I know... you thought I was being soooo alternative and living without TV but I'm finding that there are various things I do miss - quite apart from the boys complaining that there is no TV here. Grrrrr.

S.

A little sunshine

As some of you already know I've spent much of the last few days in rather a lot of pain with kidney stones. They're still here and still hurting so to distract myself from the pain until I can pop some more of the wonderful pain killers that the hospital gave me I thought I'd post a quick picture that someone else took of Relativity and me.

The nice doctor said that the stone was small enough to come out on its own and that it should happen in the next day or so. It's now three days later and still no sign! I wonder if she'd factored in that boys have longer tubes in that particular respect?

Ah well, back to whimpering in the corner. At least it is sunny :-)

S.

Give me more power!

Ok, ok, I know you've had nothing to look at but the loo for a while but I have been busy. For a start I have stripped my bedroom out and built myself a new bed. It is fabulous and I'll write more about it when it is completely finished. Suffice to say it is very comfy and the boys and I have watched movies all tucked up nice and warm.

The other major piece of progress has been a lovely set of coincidences. One of the issues on Relativity is that the alternator isn't really up to charging the batteries if we're out of the marina for any length of time, especially if we're having hot weather and the fridge is working hard to keep all the chocolate from melting. To solve this there are two solutions but my favourite was to get a Travel Power unit and fit it. These things are basically a mains generator that you bolt to the side of the engine and some electronics to plumb it in to the rest of the boat. There is one problem. They're expensive! Very expensive and cash is tight at the moment.

It turns out that one of my neighbours had one that he wasn't using so we did some haggling and moved it over to Relativity. The amazing thing was that he had the same make of engine so most of the mounting brackets were the same. Ian has been a major help and got the final bracket custom made so that it would fit my engine. He then came and spent the last couple of days unbolting stuff from one boat and moving it onto Relativity. This afternoon came the moment of truth! There was a slight hiccup when it looked like a rather large pully we needed would be hard to find but Reading Marine found one at the back of a cupboard on a dusty shelf. They even delivered it to the marina with one of their staff who lives here. Fabulous.

And yes, just to make all the true boaty types out there really sick, I can now run the full sized washing machine on a hot wash whilst chugging along. Yeee ha.

More soon.
S.

VacuFlush 5000 (part 2)

At the risk of disclosing "too much information" I can let you all know that at some point in the last 3 days the loo has been properly tested and it performed perfectly.

VacuFlush 5000

Oh yes! The king of loos is now installed and what a wonder it is. Press the pedal and whoosh, all the poo vanishes. Amazing. Well at least that is the theory. Nobody has actually "tested" it yet. I'll let you know ;-)

More signwriting

The helpful people at FastSigns in Reading made us some graphics for the stern panels yesterday. This morning Zach helped me put them on. It looks fabulous. I'm really pleased. We'll do the other side this afternoon which will be a little more complex as there is a porthole in the way!

Now to save up for the rest of the stuff I have planned :-)

Running out of fuel!

Ok, I admit it. After a fabulous weekend in Oxford with much partying and silliness, Relativity and I are heading home but I've run out of diesel twice in the last few days. It is so embarrassing when I hear her engine cough and then die. I've then got to find a way of steering 23 tonnes of truculent boat to the side of the Thames and make it look like I was intending to moor at a jaunty angle on a blind bend ;-)

The running out of fuel isn't the problem. I have loads of fuel in the heating tank so it is just a case of syphoning off a few litres and moving them the length of the boat. The real problem is that once she's run out of fuel it takes half an hour with spanners in the engine hole getting covered in diesel and water and usually collecting more cuts and bruises to flush the air locks out of the fuel lines and get the engine running again.

Note to self: Don't run out of fuel again!

Home by mid afternoon.

Thanks to everyone that came at the weekend. We had a blast.

Speed queen

It turns out that Relativity is actually pretty fast when compared to other narrow boats! Today we've been chugging up the Thames with my mum and her boat Silver Lining. At the same engine speed Relativity is about 20% faster with much less froth and churn behind as well.

So she's very sweet in a straight line - shame she doesn't steer so well.

My trusty hat blew off this evening but I managed to navigate back to it and hook it out of the river before it sank too far. Relativity protested quite a lot when I slammed her into reverse to try and stop and go back for the hat. I don't think she was impressed.

Tomorrow Abingdon and then Oxford.

More messing about

Mark Laynesmith will claim that he paddled and got exercise today. This photo proves otherwise :-)

It was a fun day though. We nearly lost a 3 year old into the Thames on several occasions but he wasn't successful on any of them despite significant displays of determination on his part.

More chugging

Had several friends round today. Did some chugging up and down the Thames including a lovely one at sunset. The water looks so different in the different light. Fabulous.

Knackered now so off to bed.

Who's a clever girl then?

She did it! This morning Relativity passed her boat safety examination. We're very proud of her. She has a nice certificate to say that all her gas, diesel and electrical systems meet the very latest safety standards and that there are enough ventilation holes to make sure that Stuart is properly chilly all through the winter.

Once that was issued I whipped round to the nice people at the Environment Agency with the necessary paperwork and they issued Relativity's Thames license in under 3 hours. Not bad seeing as they say you should allow 10 days!

This really is a pretty big deal as, until the Boat Safety Scheme certificate is issued the insurance company have even more get-out clauses!

I also found that the table screwed to the wall kept coming off. I told David to stop putting his elbows on the table ;-) so I went out and found a nice free standing table that will do the job nicely and seat 6 so now I can have people round for dinner in relative comfort. Next I need to find a good home for the rather too large sofa bed in the saloon and replace it with a nicer, smaller one but that might have to wait until I have a new job!

So, with a bank holiday ahead I hope the weather is nice so that I can chug up and down the river with my friends. Have you booked your slot yet?

Boat Safety Scheme test

Relativity had her boat safety examination today. We knew she was going to fail but we decided to go ahead anyway to see what needed doing. The things we were worried about (gas pipes) were all fine and Ian managed to rectify a couple of other minor things whilst the examiner was still here which just leaves a leaking diesel hose which we hope to replace tomorrow. Dad is going to catch the bus to High Wycombe to a company that will make hoses on the spot and see if they can replace it. Once that is done she can pass her exam and get her full Thames license. Yeee ha.

A swan for dinner

There we were, eating our dinner with the side hatch open and a swan stuck his head in to see if there was anything spare.

I heard my first cuckoo this morning too.

A mammoth journey

Well folks, I've had a chance to rest and reflect on the events of the last couple of weeks. It has been an amazing one both physically, emotionally and spiritually.

We have:

• covered 146.28 miles, 137 locks and 26 moveable bridges
• re-wired the engine and 12v circuits completely
• replaced almost all of the diesel fuel feed piping
  
• heavily modified the 240v circuits and installed a new inverter and battery charging system
• brought the gas piping up to the necessary standard
• removed 2 stoves and installed a new one
• moved all the batteries into the engine bay and out of one of the bedrooms
• constructed 2 pieces of Ikea furniture
• screwed the table back on to the wall a couple of times
• bandaged innumerable bumps, cuts, bruises, and burns
• so many things that I can't remember right now.
  

but I should point out that my dad has done an awful lot of the work whilst Relativity has been under way. We have managed not to drop a single spanner or screwdriver in to a canal however we did lose a length of gas pipe at one point.

During the journey we have been looking after my mum's dog whilst she was on holiday. He has run along the tow path almost all the way. As I type he is lying asleep under my feet. A well earned rest for a very fit dog!

Life is a journey. Our family and friends join us for various bits of life's journey and some of it we must travel on our own. The last couple of weeks have been just like that. There are times where I have stood on my own in the rain whilst steering Relativity through the canal network. There have been times where friends and family have come and stood by me in both wind, rain and sunshine. we have laughed and cried together (especially when things have broken) and we have struggled with, and overcome, all sorts of challenges. I have been immensely heartened by the love, care and interest shown by the loads of you who have been following this blog and especially by those who have been able to find the time to come and visit or even just phone or email encouragement. Those who have turned up with food parcels have been particularly welcome ;-)

One of the big changes in my life is the recovery of hospitality. I love having visitors and I hope that those who have come and visited have found the atmosphere on board Relativity to be a welcoming and friendly one.

So what happens next? Well, now that I'm back in Reading I need to get on with the business of finding paid employment, working out how to live alone, and working out how to be an effective father to my children whilst not living in the same home as them most of the time. This blog will now become a record of that journey rather than the physical journey of a boat.

She is, however, a wonderful boat and I'll still be posting pictures and stories of her progress and restoration.

This really is the end of the first chapter in my new life and the new life of Relativity. I hope that you will enjoy the following chapters and, in whatever way makes sense, play your part in the story.

Home at last

We're here! Finally, but also a day ahead of schedule. Ian and I are exhausted but happy and the weather is fantastic.

Our first guest has arrived already. No hanging about there then. Do come and visit soon.

A longer entry for today will be done tonight. For the moment I'm just enjoying the rest.

Reading at last

Just a quick post to say that we have arrived in Reading. We've just moored up next to Caversham Bridge to pick up our lunch guests.

More later.

Home today

Just a quick note to say that I expect to be arriving in Reading sometime between 3 & 4 this afternoon. Do come down to the river and say hi. Call to let me know you're coming and we'll plan a place to meet.

This picture was the Thames at about 9:30 last night. a 2 second exposure and everything is peaceful and calm. Wonderful.

The final stretch

Wow! What a day.

We set off in cold mist and finished off the Oxford Canal. The last bit is one of my least favourite stretches of canals. It is lined by bad tempered people who complain every time a boat goes past - ok, not all of them are bad tempered.

And then we got on to the Thames. The sun came out, the river opened up and it was wonderful. I love the Thames when she's like this, gently flowing, clear and lazy. This is the first moment of Relativity making waves on the Thames

We've made amazing progress and are in danger of getting to Reading tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon instead of Wednesday! We managed 26 miles, 12 locks and 6 swing bridges today.

We've entertained a couple of guests today, one stayed for lunch in Oxford (how civilised) and the other came for tea in Shillingford. I love the idea that Relativity is beginning to relax into her new life - hospitality - if you come to visit at a meal time, expect to be fed. Not necessarily very well, I'm still learning not to include tomato ketchup with everything ;-) but the kitchen is slowly becoming better stocked. We even have salt and pepper now!

A name on her bow

I've had a fabulous weekend away and came back to find that dad and more visitors had moved Relativity a few more miles towards home. We're now in Thrupp, just north of Oxford.

Also, in the post, arrived the wherewithal to put her name on her bow. It looks amazing in mirror finish chrome. The photos just don't do it justice. You'll have to come and see her for yourself.
Tomorrow Oxford and the Thames. Should be home by Wednesday afternoon. I am so excited.

Dad has made such progress on the various non-sexy things like gas lines and such that are necessary for the Boat Safety Scheme certificate. Thanks pops.

A short day

I knew today was going to be minimal miles and all we managed to do was from Somerton to Heyford Wharf - a grand total of 3.3 miles, 1 swing bridge and 2 locks!

I decided to try and have a bit of a sleep in after getting to bed at 5am (sorry dad, tried not to wake you) but woke at 7:30 and couldn't get back to sleep!

Anyway, I'm now away for the weekend having a very restful time at Emmaus House in Bristol so this will be the last blog entry until Sunday evening.

Real progress

Today we entertained another guest and all three boys so a significant party of crew (not a lot of help though)

The engine repairs worked perfectly and we've had no problems at all today. Phew.

This part of the Oxford canal actually goes through the Oxfordshire countryside and it is beautiful. We've seen lots of wildlife and rolling hills etc.

Banbury has a wonderful approach to the canal in the centre of town, they encourage boats to moor and there is quite a community unlike the Oracle in Reading where the canal is there to be seen but not interacted with and boats cannot moor which is a real shame.

We travelled through Somerton Deep Lock a few minutes ago which has a drop of 12 feet. You get a real feeling of it from this picture.
Tomorrow the boys and I are going to go and do "holiday" type things so there won't be any miles chugged.

Today we managed 16 miles, 13 locks and 14 swing bridges (although most of the swing bridges were open so didn't really take any time).

'Till Friday.

On the move again!

The boys and I pulled Relativity for half a mile which was incredibly tough. Oh for a good strong Shire horse. Then a lovely couple took pity on us and towed us to the boat yard a mile further down the canal. There the experts at "Taylor's of Fenny" (01295 770934) were able to fix the problem of £4 of parts which was massively less than we had feared.

I took the opportunity to do some shopping which is good because now we won't starve but we are a bit further behind schedule. I doubt we'll make Reading until the middle of next week now.

Not a great day

Well, the weather was lovely but the engine died three times and is
now completely dead. We think that the fuel injector pump has died. At
least tomorrow isn't a bank holiday so the boat yard that is a mile
and a half down the canal should be open. Pray that they have the
parts we need and an engineer that knows how to fit them!

We did manage to chug 10 miles and do 9 locks today whilst
entertaining more guests and two of my boys. We had a wonderfully
sociable time whist drifting helplessly across the canal and causing
all sorts of traffic chaos.

And finally, whilst I was riding to get the car so that I could drive
my guests back to their car, I got a puncture and had to walk for
miles. My broken toe hurts like mad now :-(

There may be more tomorrow if the batteries hold out but until we can
get the engine running we've no more power!

That's all for now.

Out into the countryside

Today was gentler. After a decent sleep with nothing but the owls for
company we headed out into the Warwickshire countryside. It makes such
a difference gliding past trees and fields instead of derelict
warehouses!

More visitors today who brought with them food treats - they can come
again ;-) The only down side of having guests is that we tend to cover
less ground when entertaining but that is a small price to pay for the
joy of watching small children ride their first lock - actually the
real fun comes from watching their parents' faces as they run down the
roof and almost forget to stop at the end. Falling in the Grand Union
Canal is not to be recommended judging by the number of dead fish,
birds and even sheep we've seen floating by.

Today we have covered 9 miles and 22 locks. In total we've done 58
miles and 83 locks. That's a about 45% of the total trip.

Tomorrow will be a very slow day as I have to drive to Reading and
pick up two of my sons who are coming to stay for the rest of the
week. I'm so looking forward to having them with us. The third will
arrive on Wednesday after he gets back from a few days at Spring
Harvest.

So much better weather

Today, as I said this morning, was going to be a bit of a marathon. We have completed almost 16 miles and 23 locks. The Hatton flight is a bit of a monster but we managed it in 3 hours and 40 minutes including stopping for soup part of the way down. Well, it was lunch time and we were hungry. Oh, and we were catching up on the people in front of us who had loads of help but were still horribly slow!

But before Hatton was Shrewley Tunnel. 396m of dark, wetness. Ian managed to get the tunnel light working a few minutes before we arrived and we didn't meet any hire boats coming the other way so we got through without any damage :-)

Also, during the less manic bits of the day we managed (ok, mainly Ian managed) to get the stove finally fitted and screwed to the floor so it can't fall over spilling hot coals everywhere. This evening we lit it for the first time. It is soooooooo nice to have warmth and flickering flames in the corner of the room.

As usual I'm having trouble uploading pictures to the blog in the evening but for some reason they've gone up to my Facebook album without any problem so have a look here and here if you can't wait until the morning.

Tomorrow we're heading for Napton-on-the-hill.

A decent night's sleep

Last night we moored next to the "Heron's Nest" pub just south of Knowle on the A4141 and entertained our first guests! The presence of the pub meant that we sat in front of the open fire in the pub and drank our drinks rather than shivering on Relativity ;-)

Out in the countryside with no traffic or loud music we slept very well. The weather was kinder as well without the high winds and rain of previous nights. We're hoping for some sunshine today.

The aim for today is to get to Warwick and Leamington Spa. This means going down the Hatton Lock Flight which is 21 locks in quick succession. We're not going to be covering many miles today!

Day 2 of the journey home

The rain was worse than yesterday. The cold was worse than yesterday.

But we made it through Birmingham and are now moored next to a nice pub just south of Knowle. Time for a couple of drinks in front of an open fire I think :-)

I forgot to say that yesterday we also had to change the fan belt. That means that the batteries are charging much better. Today's little setbacks included having to stop 3 times to untangle plastic bags and other detritus from the propeller and the rudder coming out of its skeg cup (don't ask me). Fortunately the rudder is easily fixed (if a little heavy) and wasn't a big problem. The plastic bags wrap around the prop and become very difficult to cope with because the make the steering all funny and the engine labours trying to push us forward whilst shredding plastic into little bits!

On the plus side we have the fridge working and lots of tidying up done so one can actually move around without falling over stuff! Oh, and somehow we've managed to eat three cooked meals on both days

For the incurable romantics amongst you who have travelled up the M6 and, whilst passing through Spaghetti Junction, thought "I wonder what this looks like from below?" here is your answer:
The totals for today were: 19 miles and 29 locks which gives makes total progress so far about 23%

Time for the pub.

'till tomorrow.

How far?

Ah yes, forgot to say...

Today we travelled a grand total of 15 miles and 9 locks.

It was this big

Somewhat tired

After chugging through some fabulous British bank holiday weather we've made it to Perry Bar which is exactly where I was aiming for on day one. We've had to contend with huge pieces of plastic wrapped around the prop which really don't help with things at all. It took me 45 minutes to get this thing untangled with my arms in freezing cold canal water up to my shoulders. I really couldn't feel my fingers by the time I'd finished!

A little while further on, whilst trying to leave a lock, I suddenly realised that Relativity would only go backwards! The gear change cable had broken so we had to pull over and make repairs. Another 90 minutes by the canal side and we now have a very fetching looking broom handle to change gear with. Try that by the side of the M4!

Off to bed now. Will add photos in the morning.

On our way!

Relativity and I have left the boat yard. We're on our way!

...

and it is raining - hard. I'm cold and wet. :-(

The satellite tracking is working. Click here: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0OrGPp5u03rC8gG30kqL5qF6reS4UDl8p
book mark it for easy reference.

More later

Finally ready to leave

Here's a picture of me actually doing some work just so you all realise that I'm not just swanning about taking photos of stuff ;-) The bit of wire I'm working on is very important because it controls the gadget that separates the engine starter battery from the domestic batteries that the engine is running properly and it can start charging all of them. If you don't do this you can end up flattening all the batteries and not being able to start the engine in the morning!
So yesterday took a lot longer than planned but everything is now ready and a couple of things that I wasn't sure how to finish got finished. The main one that would have taken ages was that Neil (one of the wonderful craftsmen at Norton Canes Boatbuilders) spent 4 hours cutting and welding a new stove pipe for the stove. It looks fabulous as you can see:
We also fitted the Button Fender on the bow so that we don't scratch the paintwork when bumping in to things like locks!
Judicious use of the kayak meant it didn't get lost at the bottom of the canal ;-)

At almost eleven last night we finished that most essential of things... the Ikea chest of drawers. For those of you who know me well, you'll understand what a big issue actually having somewhere I can put my clothes and know where they are is for me. Having lived out of a suitcase for 2 months it was wonderful this morning to open a drawer and get clean underwear out without having to delve under jeans and shirts too!
Today we really start chugging south.

'till tomorrow....

A big step forward

Just a quick note to say that the engine started first time!

Yay!

Almost ready to leave.

Windy nights

After a very windy night that has seen two other boats loose their moorings and drift across the canal we woke to bright sunshine - ok, I was awake for 2 hours in the night and so feel very much like going back to bed but never mind.

Here is a nice little picture of reflections in the paint. I still can't stop stroking it.We're still securely moored so no embarrassing walk of shame for us!

I've posted a few more photos of yesterday's activities here so you can take a look.

More in the morning. Orange mobile internet is so much happier at this time of day!

Pain and rain

So, after a restful night on board we got on with the electrics - ok, we had a nice cooked breakfast first just to get in the mood.

We found several places where cables had not been connected properly and were in danger of burning through! How there hasn't been a fire on this boat I have no idea.

We've now moved all of the batteries out of the back bedroom (insane place for them to be) and put them into the engine hold where there is lots of space to lay them out safely. Most of the cabling is re-done, we just need to connect up the starter motor for the engine and the battery isolation switch (you really wanted to know all the detail didn't you?)

The best bit of today happened in the last half hour which was that we were finally brave enough to turn on the inverter - this is a huge piece of electronics that turns 12v DC from a car battery into 240v AC to run interesting things like computers and fridges. There were no alarming bangs and very little smoke so I think we're ok :-)

Most of my electronics is done with piddling little cables and a few milliamps. Today we've been joining cables as thick as my thumb carrying 200 amps. No fine tipped soldering iron here. This is electronics with a blow torch!

In the middle of the day I left dad to it and went to Ikea to buy a chest of drawers. After 2 months of living out of a suitcase I need somewhere to put my smalls. After that it was a quick trip up the M6 to pick up the new toilet. Soon we can poo in comfort :-)

So, to finish, a final couple of things: First, there are no pictures in this post because Orange won't let me upload pictures at the moment. I'll try again in the morning. The net seems to work better in the mornings so perhaps I'll update the blog in the morning from now on. The second thing is the plan for tomorrow... Well, we need to get the wiring finished. It has taken longer than we'd hoped but we're not too far behind schedule. Then we hope that Graham and the guys will help us weld the new flue onto the new stove so that we can have heat. Graham fashioned a wonderful hearth for it out of a big bit of scrap steel that he had propping up the side of his workshop. Such a kind chap.

Why "pain and rain"? Because Ian kept banging his head on a bit of metal in the engine bay until I pointed out that I could lift it out of the way - doh - and, it being April, we kept getting drenched with showers. Not a lot of fun when you're trying to do wiring!

Night all,

S.

First sight of the new paint

Here it is! The first picture of Relativity's new paint. Doesn't she look fabulous?

Ian and I are working on things pretty much as planned. An unexpected bonus was being offered cash for the two old stoves that I really didn't like or want (one was diesel burning heater with a back boiler that wasn't plumbed in to anything and so was likely to break). So we used the fork lift truck at the boat yard to lift them off.

Tomorrow we get the electricity sorted out - my batteries are almost flat so this'll be it for tonight!

S.

The great trip south

So, here is the plan and the invitation...

On Monday and Tuesday my dad and I will be working on the electricity supply and the new toilet whilst in the boat yard at Norton Canes.

On Wednesday we will set off south. From Wednesday until Easter Monday you are all welcome to come and crew for a day (or more, we can sleep 6 comfortably if you bring a sleeping bag).

From Easter Monday to Thursday the 16th my boys are staying with me for some serious father and sons time :-) guests are still welcome but things will be significantly more crowded and chaotic. Only come if you can cope ;-)

From Friday the 17th until finally arriving in Reading it will be just a skeleton crew so guest crew are more than welcome.

Call or email me for exact location details. I'll have the satellite tracking on line by Wednesday and I'll post a link here and on Facebook.

Please do come and join in the journey, even if only for a few hours. Don't leave it until I get back to Reading, things will get crowded ;-)

S.

Great news

Well folks, I've just had a phone call from Graham at Norton Canes. They'll have finished the painting by Friday night which means that it can harden over the weekend and I can move on to Relativity on Monday morning.

This is fabulous news. I am so excited.

Encouraging progress

Here she is in the paint shop with lots of bare metal.
The bow and stern have got undercoats and primer on them and look so different! All neat and tidy. The guys have used 17 gallons of industrial pain stripper. Not the most environmentally friendly of processes I've ever seen.
Unfortunately, taking the paint off has revealed a few horror stories where hatches have been cut out and then later filled in so the roof looks a bit like a patchwork quilt. The bodywork man has done his best but in the end we've decided that a high gloss finish on the roof was just going to look terrible because it would have ripples all over the place so non-slip paint will be the order of the day. This is probably a good choice anyway because it is rather easy to slip on wet, smooth surfaces.

The sides are less of a problem but have still required some good old filler to hide previous shoddy workmanship.

There have also been a couple of really nice surprises. There is a hatch in the side of the kids' bedroom that we thought was welded shut but it now opens perfectly and will be lots of fun in the summer months.

On my way to the boat yard I called in at Midland Chandlers and picked up the new inverter, hot water tank, wood burning stove and various other bits which are all now on-board ready to be fitted over the Easter holiday. I also met up with my sister who delivered the new fenders. Very smart.

And finally for today... Timescales. Graham didn't want to be pushed but he knew that I was going to ask so after a little tap dancing he's promised to be done in 2 weeks. Slightly longer than hoped for but not massively. Once the painting is done she needs to stay in the heated paint shop for a few days to get the paint to harden properly but during that time my dad, Josh and I will be able to stay on board and start work on the electrics and other things that need to be done for the boat safety certificate.

More soon.

An excuse to visit

Next Tuesday (the 24th) I'm going up to Norton Canes to have the final discussion on paint and finishing touches. They guys have got Relativity ready for the undercoats of paint and should have some of the top coat layers on by then. I can't wait to see her!

If you can't wait either then I shall be leaving Reading at about midday to head up there. Let me know soon and book your place in the car ;-)

Of toilets and central heating

Whilst the boys in the paintshop are busy with their brushes I've been researching toilets. I never knew how fascinating sanitation could be! After a lot of thinking I've decided to go for a vacuum system (a bit like on aircraft) which gets rid of smells very effectively and does away with the need for noxious chemicals. It is more expensive than others but it will make for a nicer environment for you all when you come to visit :-) Midland Chandlers have been very helpful especially as they have a 15% discount scheme if you're buying a pile of stuff. That has saved almost £500 so far!


We've come up with a really nifty way of doing the central heating and the shiny new boiler is currently sitting in a box at the foot of my bed courtesy of Ebay. Huge thanks are due to my dad for working out how we can use waste heat from the engine to heat the radiators and hot water instead of using the boiler if we're chugging along. Combined Power & Heat - how eco-friendly is that!


Of course there is a wood burning stove for those long winter nights and to add a homely touch. It can also be plummed in to the central heating and hot water so if I can find enough dead wood by the side of the canal I can have a hot shower for free ;-)

Electrics are also nearly designed. Dad has been collecting bits together so that we can move the batteries from the boys' bedroom into the engine bay. This really is where they should be and will make the bedroom usefully larger.

All we have to do now is fit everything and then we'll be warm on cold nights and have cool beer in the fridge!

Thank you to everyone who has been sending messages of encouragement and especially to my mum, sister and dad who have been helping so much.

Back in the water

Relativity went back into the water yesterday (after the blacking had set properly) and she didn't sink :-) Now she is in the paint shop (floating and heated - very impressive). All of her windows have been taken out and are being repaired - which was a non-trivial task as the bolts were all lumps of rust and had to be drilled out. The industrial paint stripper has done its job on her sides and she is all shiny metal. The roof will be stripped tomorrow followed by a little cosmetic welding surgery.

I'm hoping to have some pictures at the weekend.

A little progress

I spoke to the boat yard last night and they've got the new anodes on and the "blacking" applied to her bottom. That will take a couple of days to dry and then she can go back in to the water on Monday or Tuesday.

After that we're just waiting for the paint shop to become free which should be any day now and then it is out with the industrial paint stripper! Environmentally friendly this process isn't!

Slow news day

Well, there isn't much to say about progress on Relativity so I thought I'd post a picture of my boys getting used to their new bedroom...



;-)

Amazing news

Well, yesterday was the first time I'd seen Relativity out of the water and she's huge! The guy on the crane thought she weighed about 23 tonnes. I'm not sure I should be posting pictures of a 17 year old without her clothes on but here goes...
and yes, the brown stuff on her bottom is rust. At the bow:

and stern:

there are things called "sacrificial anodes" (see this link for more on how they work). By some strange alchemy they stop the steel rusting. The problem is that these are too old and have stopped working. They're also too far apart so they aren't protecting the middle section and so she is suffering from pitting in the middle :-(

The real worry was what the bottom plate would be like! This is a single sheet of steel 68 feet long and almost 7 feet wide.

So Steven Hands and his lovely assistant (no photos to protect the innocent) from Hands On Marine came to give their professional verdict. They spent several hours measuring the thickness of the metal all over with a nifty little ultrasound machine and finally pronounced their verdict...

Despite some nasty 2mm deep pits on the sides and base her hull is in pretty good shape for a boat of her age and she doesn't need any overplating or other remedial work. Phew.

She does need to have 4 sacrificial anodes down each side and a very thorough "blacking" every 2 years if I am to stop the damage from continuing. Eventually the pits will become too deep, turn into holes and she'll sink so it is important to have had this survey done. Now we know what needs to be done and where to keep an eye on. The boat yard boys at Norton Canes are going to get started on that immediately.

Her propeller and rudder aren't the right size or in quite the right place but the cost of fixing the problem is disproportionate to the improvement in handling. "She's a 23 tonne, 68 foot, cow. She's never going to steer like a Ferrari." A fair point well made I thought.

So all of that was a very long way of saying that I haven't got a lemon. She is a good solid boat and is worthy of some TLC.

But...

The day was not all good news.

The work that does need doing - especially a complete re-paint which is definitely required to stop the superstructure rusting away, and taking out and re-fitting all the windows and portholes to stop them leaking - is going to take longer than I'd hoped. In a way that is the problem with going to a proper boatyard that won't do a bad job. They're craftsmen and they won't be rushed. It could be as much as 6 weeks. I had hoped for 3 and resigned myself to 4 or 5.

This is going to be a long, long lent.

A little more settled

I went to the marina near Reading today and chose my mooring spot. Not a big thing but nice to have it sorted and booked for when we finally get Relativity home. :-)

A little set back

The good news is that we made it and Graham and the guys at Norton Canes are having their first look at Relativity. The bad news is that their last job is overrunning a little so they won't be able to start until Thursday. Not a disaster.

More then I guess.

Day 2 - made it

So, after a mammoth 2 days of chugging we've nursed this wonderful craft to the boat doctor. We pulled in to Norton Canes Boatbuilders at 18:30, an hour after sunset - it was nearly dark and very cold! We're moored next to a stunningly painted boat called Resolute. If Relativity's paint looks anything like that good when they're finished we're all in for a treat! I suspect the mirror finish on Resolute might be a bit beyond my budget though :-) Here is a picture...
I even managed to get to Ikea and get some basic cutlery, crockery and some nice bedding - I am going to sleep soooooo well tonight (no pictures though - you'll have to use your imagination).

One of the less fun bits of chugging through canals in built up areas is the amount of rubbish in the canal. We've had to stop 3 times today to pull shredded carrier bags, bits of string and even weeds from the propeller - you have to put your whole arm in the water through a thing called the weed hatch (nothing to do with growing pot - honest) - it is b****y cold!
Here is a picture of my mum guiding the rather grubby looking Relativity into a lock - sometimes we even manage it without bumping the sides. Boodle (the dog) managed to fall into the canal today whilst chasing a moorhen - his favourite passtime - he forgot that he can't fly.

One of the really nice bits of narrowboating is the collection of fabulous pubs along the canalside. The Manor Arms in Walsall is no exception - it has been there since the 12th century! Some of the regulars have been there ever since. Roast lamb for lunch hmmmmm.

There maybe some more tomorrow but I have a monster day ahead of me with meeting the boatyard guys at 8am to discuss the work to be done on Relativity and then leaving here by 10 in order to be at a meeting in Reading by 12:30 - a sad meeting to put part of the company I've spent the last 4 years building into liquidation.

Day 1

Day 1 of what I hear you ask? Day 1 of actually owning a boat and trying to live on it! 3 people - 1 mission - can we get an completely untried boat through 30 miles and 34 locks in time to deliver it to the boat yard on Monday morning without breaking down and without sinking? My motley crew? My mum, dad and me.

So, this morning dawned bright and sunny and we were on the road early. Meeting up with Jason & Andrea and the boys to do the deal...

Thanks guys It is at this point that their boat called Journeyman became my boat called Relativity. What's in a name you ask? Today, everything.

And the deal done, we were on our way
That's my mum behind me wondering why I'm pulling on a rope that I'm supposed to be trying to untie - best not to ask ;-)

So, today we have covered 14 miles and 24 locks. Tomorrow we have 15 miles and 9 locks to cover so it should be a slightly easier day - locks are hard work! Miles just take time.

Some of it was idyllic:

and some of it not (didn't take pictures of that).
Sometimes I even let my mum drive - really! Honest!

And now it is time to sleep.

A wonderful morning

We woke up this morning to this:

and this:

Shame it is the last day of our holiday ;-)

Must remember to go to the bank and sort out payment for Relativity for tomorrow is the day. I can hardly wait!

Rocking horse manure

There are few things quite as rare as rocking horse manure - safe, secure places to moor a 68 foot long narrow boat and live on it are definitely in that category. In fact, anywhere near Reading there is only one suitable marina and they're well known for being somewhat busy.

I've been resigned to the idea of chugging up and down the Thames finding a different place to moor every few days until a vacancy came up. Yesterday I phoned the marina and... YES they do have a long enough vacancy at the moment! "Put my name on it please" I said.



So, another piece of the jigsaw slots into place, Relativity has a place she can call home - that is, of course, if everything goes ok with the purchase at the weekend, the repairs over the next couple of weeks and the mammoth journey South after that.

Waiting :-(

So, now that the deal is agreed there is nothing that can be done until Saturday morning. I've had more conversations with the boat yard to discuss what can be done in what timescale and cost but until I've got Relativity up there and they've lifted her out of the water there isn't anything more we can do in preparation.

Of course I could wax lyrical about the advantages of composting toilets but I suspect, dear reader, that you don't really want to know ;-)

So here is the picture I promised yesterday...

Of course the bedding belongs to her current owners, not quite my style ;-) The black tube on the left is from a stove so the room can be kept nice and toasty. The picture was taken standing in the bow doors looking aft. I'd like to turn the room around so that the bed head is up against the doors - then I can lie in bed and gaze at the stars. It also means that I can have the bed longer and wider - important when you're as tall as me :-)

So, today, the boys, grandma and I are going to chug her boat up the Grand Union Canal a little bit to meet up with my sister and her family.

More later.

The plan unfolds

So, there I was pondering the important things that need to be sorted out before Relativity can truly be called home. Everything from toilets to bedding is on the list! The reality is that, apart from a really decent Spring clean, she is reasonably functional - but "functional" seems to be rather missing the point. She will, after all, be my home and a bear likes to know that his honey is properly and safely stored.

To this end the yard are going to get her out of the water and pressure wash all of the gunk (and there will be lots of gunk) off her bottom to check that she isn't about to spring a leak anywhere and sink. That will be part of a complete survey to make sure I know exactly what has to be done, what needs to be done and what can wait.

I've had lots of requests for more pictures of Relativity so here is one of the galley. I might post one of the "master bedroom" tomorrow but only if you promise to keep calm ;-)


Just to add to the fun, today I'm going away for a few days with my boys. We're going to stay with my mum on her boat (Silver Lining) and will almost certainly be messing about on the water with my sister and her kids on their boat (Imagine).

I'm sure there'll be more to post whilst we're away so check back soon or subscribe to the RSS feed and have it pop up automatically.

A slightly wonderful morning

As I said yesterday, one of the challenges is to find a boat yard with time to do the necessary work! After loads of research into yards that I can actually get Relativity to in a reasonable time I'd narrowed the list down to 8.

A friend of my mum's has been a boater for 17 years and really knows his stuff. He recommended a yard near Walsall (2 days' chugging away) called Norton Canes Boatbuilders (http://www.nortoncanesboatbuilders.co.uk/) so this morning I phoned them. Lovely helpful people.

And here's the weird bit... anyone even half way decent is usually booked up months in advance - except that I happen to know that this morning they had a cancellation (fabulous thing the towpath telegraph) so we're booked in with them on Monday morning!

The weekend looks a bit manic :-)