No Direction

No Direction is our 70ft Narrowboat which is now home to my wife Jayne and myself, it was launched on 4th February 2008.

We spend the Winters in a Marina and cruise in the warmer weather.

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Hard Work.

Sat/Sun/Mon, 9/10/11, October, 2010
Braunston to Rugby/Brinklow.
12 Miles 3 Locks 1 Tunnel.

Saturday.    I walked up to the Marina earlier today which gave me time to stop at the Gongoozlers Rest for breakfast, it's on a boat just outside Braunston Marina. Everyone else arrived at the Dry Dock and work on Raymond carried on at a feverish pace, my arms feel like they are ready to drop off with all the hammering that was needed when replacing the Oakum sealing (see previous blog), work carried on until around 6 o'clock, we had hung one of the collection boxes and a information sheet on the walkway which passes the Dry Dock explaining what was going on and were pleased to see people dropping money in as they past.

The Dry Dock stop planks holding back the water, the normal level is at the bottom of the white line,
which is about 5 feet from the base, the top plank is held by wooded wedges which have been hammered in.

Sunday.   I had a rest from hammering today and helped with the sealing, the Marina was very busy with people looking at boats for sale or just on a day out no doubt helped by the sunny weather.

Raymond in the Dock, the Oakum (in between the planks) has been hammered in.

We also carried out a temporary repair to Nutfields cabin, it needs replacing but will have to wait until the charity have the funds.

Nutfields wooden back cabin rotting at the base, the section with the side door is the engine room which is metal.

I Finished at 4.30 today as Jayne and I planned to go over to the Boathouse to eat at 6 o,clock and I needed plenty of time to get the sealer off my hands, I started today off wearing gloves but still managed to coat my hands and arms.

Monday.   Today we were heading back to Kings Bromley Marina, the first stop was at the service facilities about 200 yards from where we had been moored to fill with water, empty cassettes and dump the rubbish, all this took about an hour so it was 10.30 before we got under way.
We caught up with Towcester, the Diesel and Coal boat after 4 miles, Julia Cook who runs it was filling a boat with Diesel and we stopped along side and bought 2 bags of Stove Glow Smokeless Fuel.
Next it was the 3 Hillmorton Locks where we a Lady boater said she had seen No Direction in the Castle Marinas Brochure.  We stopped for shopping in Rugby before finding a mooring for the night between Rugby and Brinklow, bit to close to the mainline rail track for Jayne's liking though !! 

No comments: