About Me

My photo
After thirty years of hiring, I finally bought my own 50ft boat in 2005, which was built in 2001 by Andicraft at Debdale Wharf. I mostly cruise single handed and have no problem with that, although it does take a little longer than with a crew. My mooring is on the Wey Navigation, so I have a choice of routes on the Wey or the Thames.

Sunday 12 May 2019

Freedom of the Cut 2019.2


Problems, Problems!

Monday 6th May

Another chilly and cloudy day, although somewhat warmer than yesterday. I borrowed a bicycle pump from the waterways chaplain, despite the lack of bike on board his boat. I pumped up the air reservoir, which smoothes out the water pump pulsing and increased the pressure switch on the end of the pump, which seemed to improve things somewhat. I was also aware that too much water pressure would open the hot water tank pressure release valve into the engine ‘ole, which in turn would start the automatic bilge pump. To stop that possibility I had to remember to turn off the water pump when I left the boat, just in case it happened again.

After some breakfast, I had a walk along to the Paddington Arm to see who was moored there and also to warm up. I had allowed the fire to go out this morning, thinking that it was a warmer day – perhaps not! When I returned to Stronghold, many boats had left the South towpath moorings already until there were only three of us left on the end – Helen Dobbie, Phil Bassett and me. At the same time Mark Saxon was phoning me to ask me to move off the mooring, so it was time to go. With the wind blowing from my left it was impossible to turn into it, until I could get alongside the towpath, after which it was easy to power up and turn in the direction of Delamere Terrace, where I was hoping to moor up again for the night. I spotted Miss Matty where I could breast up alongside and thinking that there was no one on board I pulled in, but both Robin and Laura were there and I requested permission while they helped moor me alongside, so safe for tonight at least.

In the meantime I mentioned to Phil Bassett that I had left it too late to book in for the Rickmansworth Festival in two weeks time. As the main man for the Ricky Fest. he said that there were still a few places available, so as soon as I had moored up, I booked a place and am keeping fingers crossed meanwhile until I get confirmation. It’s not what you know, but who you know in this game.



Tuesday 7th May

What a beautiful morning, sunny and no wind for a change. A brief chat with Robin and Laura before departing just before 09.30. Miles and miles of moored live-aboard boats of every size and description. Nb Jack Merrick is still here, previously owned by David Brixey and now joined by the cruiser Herbie, previously owned by the Pilgrim family and on the Pelican Wharf moorings. I knew she was up for sale only a few weeks ago.

As I had mentioned previously, the Paddington Arm was far cleaner this year than last and I had no problems that couldn’t be shaken off by chucking back now and then. I arrived at Bulls Bridge just after 13.30 and there was no one on the water point, so that was the first place to moor and fill the tank. After that, I could move up beyond a wide beam and go to Tesco to stock up and then write a bit more of this drivel. Rain is due tonight and could last into Wednesday morning and I have no intention of boating in that, unless I have to.

Wednesday 8th May

I awoke to the sound of rain pattering on the cabin top and sure enough it was fairly pelting down, so no moving for a while. In the meantime I prepared and cooked pork chops in cider with apple and onion according to Nigel Slater. I now have details of the Ricky Festival and payment details, but will have to wait for a better internet connection before I can pay the fee of £40.

The last and only time I went to Ricky was with the Narrow Boat Trust way back in 2011, which was my first ever trip with a pair of working boats. Very exciting times and I was soaking up everything new like a sponge.
I thought I knew all about narrow boating, until I joined NBT and then it was a case of more or less starting all over again, especially with a butty in tow. It certainly improved my personal boating skills afterwards, but no one ever knows it all, despite what they might say.

The rain ceased about midday, although the forecast showed it continued until about 20.00, but decreasing all the time, so I will collect some charcoal from Tesco, in hope for the future good weather and continue to Uxbridge.

It was not to be today however, what with squalls and heavy rain showers in the afternoon. The wind was so strong that if I released the mooring lines, Stronghold would have easily been blown across to the other bank. Resigned to spend a boring afternoon and evening waiting out a break in the weather for tomorrow.

I must say that the internet connections around here are dire. I have an expensive BT broadband account which should give me a choice of 5,000,000  BT hotspots nationally. Well here they might well be spots, but hot they are distinctly not. I must take 10mins to actually log on and when you think you are, I get lies telling me that I am, when I cannot get a connection to another site. So much for BT expensive crap.

Thursday 9th May

The weather had improved somewhat by this morning, so I let go mid-morning intending to get to Uxbridge and get some advice about the low domestic water pressure from Uxbridge Boat Centre, where I seem to have visited every year as far as I can remember on this stretch. They mentioned every item that I had previously checked and that they no longer supplied the Shurflo pumps any longer after so many returns of the 3901, which was the one I had. Recommended was the Jabsco, who have been manufacturing pumps for more years than I can remember, so I bought a replacement, although it produced only slightly more pressure than the Shurflo.

By this time I was outside the Swan and Bottle, with nb Stafford moored ahead of me (Malcolm Burge’s boat). The pub gives a 10% discount for CAMRA members, so I had a second pint at a reduced rate.

Friday 10th May

It was that time again when I had to tighten the alternator belts, as I was tired of hearing the squeeling of the belts when starting the engine every morning. Surprisingly enough it was a very quick job to do, having done it so many times before and being aware of exactly the size of spanners required.

I hailed a live aboard boater later in the morning, hoping to go through Uxbridge and Denham Deep Lock at 11ft. without having to climb the long ladder. He was a single handed boater and I mean that literally, as he was minus his right hand! How could he possibly climb any vertical ladder I wondered? His boat was just entering the lock when the gear button on the Morse control became stuck when he tried to reverse, so he had to back out and let me in. I returned to see exactly what had happened, but the Morse control was firmly fastened to a plate holding all the gauges with no easy method of removal. He phoned a friend close by for some help and when I met him later it appeared than the cable had come loose behind the panel and was soon fixed.

There was a small plastic cruiser already in Denham and the guy waited for me to enter also, so that I was astern of his boat. It was only fastened at the bow by one line and could not be controlled easily as the lock was slowly filled. Meanwhile I remained on board Stronghold to keep clear of crushing the cruiser and held by a centre line only. The lock took ages to fill and although leaking badly through the bottom gates, one of the gate paddles was not fully closed, although he thought he had closed them. Both men were live aboards and obviously not experienced boaters, which was so obvious.

Arriving just below Copper Mill Lock, I took the first available space at the back of a line of mostly widebeams. It was opposite some smartly built houses and only a short walk to The Coy Carp, which I visited later. Another Vintage Inns establishment, but they did offer a CAMRA discount as previously mentioned. I had not been in here for several years and not much had changed in the interval.

Saturday 11th May

Today was a day of rest for me, as I was too early to get Ricky for the festival next weekend, so it was a day of some walking along the towpath and reading, as the TV reception here is non-existent.

Sunday 12th May

I still had enough hot water in the tank to do some washing, so set up the Mickey Mouse twin tub machine that I found at the Braunston tip last year. Much to my disappointment, the spinner drum would not rotate at its usual high speed and there was some washing water also in the drum. Anyway, the washer drum was OK, so I was resigned to do the washing and ring it all out by hand. Just another annoyance to be fixed if possible. The back plate was taken off and the brake Bowden cable appeared to be very rusty, so the brake did not appear to release. Duly lightly lubricated, it gradually worked loose, but still no joy on the drum speed. Eventually with the washing completed, the machine was drained and with the water out of the spinner compartment it worked at full speed. Why that slowed it down was beyond comprehension, but it saved a great deal of hand work and cheered me up no end.

It had been a day of sunny spells in between the cumulus cloud, and very warm in the sunshine, with even better days forecast for the remainder of the week. A great many people were walking the towpath and enjoying the good weather for a change.

Strangely enough, I was unable to get any decent wi-fi coverage from BT-with-Fon yesterday, but today it appeared at a strength of five bars. Maybe someone close by had it turned off yesterday.

No comments: