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...



;-)