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.