launch! 11th March '11



The photos say it all! Very nervewracking watching your whole life on the end of a couple of straps being dangled over water!

So once we were on the water and our final bags and bundles had been thrown on board - Jim and Paul did some buildy type things and then we set off for a mooring for the night! Paul ensured us that we had enough water and diesel for the immediate future so we headed 3 miles up river to Huntingdon centre where there was a free 48 hour mooring.

As we arrived the wind which had been bad all day managed to catch the side of the boat and John had real problems bringing her around - as he was almost moored he felt that the boat wasn't responding quite right and once moored we found that we had run out of diesel! Great start - however Jim and Paul say that they will bring some containers of diesel the next day. They left after some more buildy bits (adding fixtures that couldn't be done until we were launched - and then we ran out of water! Had a takeaway!

Thank you Louise and Steve for the champagne which we not only christened the boat with but also used to clean our teeth since we had nothing else!

Next day we went to local Sainsburys for bottled water and Jim and Paul came back to do more final adjustments plus give us some fuel and we made our way downriver again to get some diesel (impressive buying 100 litres at a time!) and fill up the water tank - also to get some lunch. Whilst manoeuvering the boat John once again had problems and being alone on the boat yelled out "How do you get reverse?" Paul jumped on board and found that the gearbox had died! Jim and I haul the boat around and we sail back to Huntingon

Marina 10th March

We are staying in the van overlooking the marina at Willington where we will eventually be based. We had hoped to move onto the boat today but they have had some problems with the electrics so it's going to be tomorrow instead - we will get there in the end! Photo of marina as long as the new dongle is strong enough for the job!

our mooring is half way up this line of boats!

4th Feb '11

We have just heard that the boat is to be launched on Thursday 10th March!!!
will ensure that we take LOTS of photos of the great moment!

28th Feb '11

More delays but at least we can definitely say that we'll be on the water next month! Roll on March. Looks like the middle to end of next week so about 9th - 11th. Ironic if it's Friday 11th since that was the day we eventually moved into Langham after living 'temporarily' in Stalbridge for 9 months - this 'temporary' stay will be 10 months! Seems we are destined to wait for what we want!

Photos from 14the Feb

This is the stern - some decoration to go I think but these are the colours of the trim on the dark green of the main boat.

the dark green is the finished colour of the boat and just needs the coach lines to complete. the pale green is undercoat and that will be black when it's finished.

here is the stove - still needs the chimney pipe but you can get the general idea!

the sink and hob are in place but we are still waiting for the worktop before they can be fitted properly.

The engine is now in place and John had to have a photo of it - not sure how long it will be this pristine but at least we have proof of what it SHOULD look like.

now the 22nd and we have been again and the floor is now being laid - starting to look as it should.

here are the completed coach lines - just the name to go plus some patterns on the ends and the cratch.

GREAT news is that Jim is saying that if everything arrives and gets sorted out he is hoping that it could be the end of next week!!! We aren't holding our breaths but it is DEFINITELY getting closer!

12th Feb '11

once again no pictures at present - not enough signal - in fact I have just lost the last 30min of writing as it shut down on me so I'm having to start again!

We went to see the boat on Saturday (40 min instead of over 4 hours!!) as the sign-writers wanted to confirm coach lines and lettering for the name! Very exciting as they had already started on the lines by the time we left!

The inside is coming on although there is a delay on the worktop - we are having something called Granite Transformations which is a bit like granite but not so heavy and is impervious to EVERYTHING! Think that John doesn't trust my care of the worktop! Anyway they have been over and given us a price but are only going over this week to do the template. WHY can't people just get on with it?

Everything else is coming along - the stove is in and looks fabulous - the rest is progressing but it looks like the end of the month if not the beginning of next before we get on board. What a test of our patience - well my patience really as John is pretty good at it already.

Because we really HAVE to be in Cambridge next month for the wedding - we are getting a price to have it transported over to Ely by road and launching it there - which was a HUGE weight off my mind and I've been sleeping better ever since.

Somehow we managed to go over with my cameras batteries flat and Johns went after a few pictures so there aren't many but I will try to find a hot-spot somewhere to add them - too far to go to Rachels now!

photos

finally I have found a computer that I can load the pictures onto the blog! Thanks Rachel! don't know what I shall do next time but at least these are now done.

first sight of the boat - undercoat is close to shade we are having but slightly lighter I think. Brass looks good against it we think.

this is it from the other angle - the red thing in the foreground is how we get aboard at present!

This is the bow all taped up ready for painting - there will be traditional diamonds painted on the bow which should look lovely!

this is my office! they have done a really good job I think - I know it doesn't look much here but believe me it's a luxury on a narrowboat!

this is one of the windows just to show what they are like - they are not in properly yet until the painting is done!

John's pride and joy! not in the boat at that time but was due to go in the next time!

here it is again! can't have too much of a good thing apparently!