About Us

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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Friday 11 September 2015

Mmmmm......Think C&RT may well have been right

Wanted to see for myself if C&RT were just scare mongering yesterday. Seems they were not! Up with the lark this morning armed with camera and sure enough, had we stayed between the locks, we would have been at an angle. Tried to get photos of the field below the leak. Peering through the hedge I could see the saturated ground but the foliage was to dense for my camera to focus. Got these photos though.



Heron just happened to be in the picture. Not deliberate honest folks.

A before and...............


After


Been a productive sort of day. On the lookout for a decent mooring so Ian could paint the gunwales, we only traveled down two locks. The perfect piled edge with nicely mown grass showed itself before Horton lock so having left at 9ish we moored by 10ish. My job was wash and polish the cabin side. Took over two hours but really pleased with the shine. I had nearly finished when Julia and Richard showed up (Jules fuel boat and butty) coming up the lock. Taking advantage of the price of 69p ltr we managed to get just 50 ltrs in the tank. Always good to keep it topped up especially when a diesel boat turns up. The saying goes 'if you don't use them you'll lose them' and we don't want that, now do we!


Lovely shine even though I say so myself.
What a difference when the gunwales are painted. Almost like a new boat!
 So went fishing again today, not with rod and line but with magnet. Found a screwdriver and wheel brace both useless so went in the bin and also these items, one of which is a mystery. Couldn't even get it onto the bank it was that heavy.

 Blooming Cormorant, fishing right by the boat. My most hated bird. Why cant it keep to rivers instead of depleting the canal stocks.  Soon took off when I shouted at it.





Not sure what we will do tomorrow. Another decent piled edge on the Starboard side would be nice. I could get the polish out and Ian the paint. A lot depends on the weather as the met office reckons it's going down hill again.

2 comments:

Marilyn, nb Waka Huia said...

OK, the boat looks fabulous - polished and painted. You are both to be admired for your efforts and skill!
Question for Ian - what paint do you use on the piece between the gunwales and rubbing strake?
Mx

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Hi Marilyn, The gunwales are glossed and the rubbing strake to hull bottom is bitumen. Xx

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