Ashing up the Gates

So Free Spirit has waited a year to get a clean and black bottom. Leaving at 10ish we traveled the 4 miles and 3 locks to Kingfisher where John and Mick were almost ready for us.

Dennis on Nb Icing who will join us in the dock

 Lunch and a Rep got in the way of going straight in but by 2pm we were ready to drop down. It's a slow descent with only the one paddle to drain all the water and, on settling gently on the beams, all that was left to do was for John to ash up the gates. This traditional method of ‘ashing up the gates’ was used every night in the canal’s industrial heyday when water on the flight was constantly in short supply. The technique involves pouring the ash into the canal just above a lock. The flow of water then sucks the ash into the small gaps in the gates allowing them to form a totally watertight seal. Instead of ash John used the mud from the bed of the canal. Worked just as well.

Leaking like a sieve

Job completed.

Then the task of washing off a years worth of muck before going round with a scraper to get rid of the loose stuff. For once Ian didnt have to wash FS hull as Dennis and Margaret's son Stephen was there to help out. And a lovely job he did of it as well!

Me thinks it desperately needs doing.

Ian washing down the inside of the gas locker. It's going to be painted while we are in the dock.

Crikey and I thought they were black!

Stephen  making a great job of cleaning the fender (helped by Ian)

Tomorrow we start the blacking. First Icing as Ian wants to replace the anodes on FS. We always help to do each others boats. Goes quicker and saves walking down the middle and rubbing up against a newly bitumen hull whilst trying to black the other one.

And finally:-