Two and a bit years have passed since the last mammoth effort of stripping the hull back to bare metal and sorting out a loppy looking bottom.
it took three weeks of very very hard work back in March 2007.
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=124"]first Hull service part 1[/url]
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=129"]first hull service part 2[/url]
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=131"]first hull service part 3[/url]
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=134"]first hull service part 4[/url]
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=135"]first hull service part 5[/url]
Ive been holding back from booking the drydock for fear of the hard work to come, but there is only so long you can do that before you really do have to get your finger out and actually do something.
So, a few calls later and I was booked into the dock at Uxbridge boat centre. It was here we bought all our blacking from last time and since they have always been so friendly and accommodating I figured it was worth the slog across London to get there.
We had just one weekend to move from Cheshunt to Uxbridge. It's a fairly long way I can tell you. We shuffled a bit mid week down to the marina near Rammey Marsh and then commenced the trip early on saturday morning. it was weedy, weedy weedy, plastic baggy, plastic baggy, weedy, plastic baggy, weedy, plastic baggy all the way.
at least 10 trips down the weed hatch as we seemed to snag every thing going. It came to be a routine that at nearly every lock, engine off, check the propellor.
We managed to time it so that at the last lock we were forced into enduring the hammering hale storm and rain, mid-lock. It was quite a refreshing change from the intense heat so I didnt mind putting my sun parasol up to fend off the golf ball sized pieces of ice. We arrived at Angel for the night and continued the next day.
We arrived at West Drayton late afternoon early evening on Sunday after a good run through london and a box of noodles from Camden. I highly recommend going through Camden locks in the morning, it's so peaceful and there's still time to have a quick stop off and shop/eat before it gets busy. Camden is one of my favourite places, but in the past five years has changed dramatically, not necessarily for the better but the march of progress doesnt suffer nostalgia, it only sees pound signs.
a few days later we were being hauled into the dry dock alongside another boat.
It took ages to empty, from 9am through til at least 2pm and it wasnt until 3.30pm that we got the use of the pressure washer. We had images of what it was like the last time and we were worried about the tight working window of just a few days in the dock.
We needn't have worried, within 24 hours we had the entire hull pressure washed, wire brushed/angle ground, the first coat of black on and by the end of the second day, we were pretty much there with the second coat.
talk about a bloody doddle and a piece of piss!
Except for the lights.
we've been working in the dark, straining our eyes, not understanding why the lights dont want to work. It's all very well being under cover, but without lights, painting black on black, it's not been easy.
It took nearly 4 days for me to work out the lights were on a timer and the timer was set wrong.... DOH! last night, I had a moment of frustration, staring into the electrical cupboard when it finally dawned on me and then we had light... HURRAY!
and then we could see the paint runs... SHIT.
So we've been back round the boat removing all the run blobs and tidying up the blacking.
Otherwise, I couldnt have asked for an easier job.
Total cost:
Dry dock £280 for the week
4 tins of paint £100
one day use of pressure washer £56
Paint brushes and rollers (from Tesco) £5
totals £441
11 May 2009
Falling down water
I had to let the dust settle a little on this entry as time, being the great healer, needed er, time.
It was not funny at the time, but hindsight is the funniest thing.
It is common knowledge that a true sailor is a hardy drinker. One who embraces Rum with both anchor-tattooed-forearms.
My fellow cohabitant has been known to practice the art of Rum appreciation throughout his younger adult life. Though he doesn't have the sailor tattoos there's other credentials that make him a sailor, some may say, pirate. :
Entering the boat sensing something amiss, immediately clocked the two bottles of rum (55%) in the kitchen, one of them empty, the other one seriously storm battered and a chopped up lime, squeezed and re-squeezed into wafer thin skinny green shells, husks of lime that were no longer lime, just green.
I sat alone on the sofa while he shrugged his way into the kitchen and attempted to fire up the stereo with ipod aural pleasures such as "what shall we do with a drunken sailor"
"Jeeeaaann kehm an elp me, ah can't see ze stereooo, aah need elp ma cherie"
Of course I didn't do anything but sit and wait.
After a few moments of wailing and moaning about lack of help and how it was my fault that he had drunk so much, there was a dull thump sound and it all went quiet.
Ah ha. I thought. I'll just give him a couple more minutes before I check to see what's happened.
I seized the moment to deploy the sofa cushions to the floor in anticipation of a further stormy night to come.
Stepping over the sleeping baby I took the dog outside for his nightly ablutions, said goodnight to the neighbour who was moored alongside, oblivious to the fact I was standing two feet away from an unconscious body.
I may have accidentally kicked the body while climbing over it. Accidentally mind you.
Then I went back inside. And waited.
One hour later the creature from the black lagoon came shuffling on its arse, unable to stand, and traversed slowly from the kitchen into the living room, looking for a warm safe place to sleep. Upon finding the sofa cushions, commenced a discussion about why it couldn't sleep on the "normal" bed. It eventually conceded to the fact it was safer on the floor, away from an angry female.
The "angry female" commenced with pre-bed tooth brushing duties (with analogue toothbrush as the travel power hasn't been restored yet) when, the sound that no-one likes to hear, was heard.
The decoratively attractive brass fire bucket had been cleverly utilised.
A true sailor never spoils the interior. Bravo.
With my tooth brush stifling my curses it sounded like I was deranged or very bad ventriloquist. All I could do was arm wave and gesticulate in a most agitated manner with a high pitched angry sound "mmuhh muhh muhhh muuhh, Mu Munnn!"
I couldn't unpurse my lips for fear of dribbling foamy toothpaste drool all over the place and thus losing my superiority in the situation.
Now I'm not proud of what I did next but, hey that's life.
After disposing of my toothbrush back in the bathroom, I resumed a verbal abuse thus:
"you stupid cunt. what the fuck were you thinking? You're 35 years old and only 5'4". You think you can drink like a fucking giant bastard still? You stupid stupid fucking twat. But, well done for getting it in the fire bucket"
mumbles incoherently back at me
"yeah I'm sure the kindling will be ok once it dries, now don't fucking move while I fetch another bucket - you cunt"
I swapped his fancy brass bucket for an altogether easier to clean plastic one. I pondered for a moment as I was swilling the sick out of the bucket via the side hatch, I had never seen him seasick before, it was most un-charactaristic of him.
It was then, that I spotted a large mark on the side of his face.
It seems he must have hit his head on the corner of a step when he fell to the floor when trying to put the music on, causing possible concussion.
The rest of the night was spent on hourly wanker watch, checking frequently that he was still alive.
I set my alarm to wake me, I'd get up, go and kick him a bit, then shout "are you alive you fucking twat" wait for a response then return to bed, then repeat the procedure for the remainder of the night.
In the morning, as I went to check on him yet again, he was sitting up, ships dog on his lap, asking how he arrived in the living room.
Incredibly he remembered absolutely nothing after the second glass of rum. No head ache, nothing.
It was two hours later, after filling the water tank and preparing to descend the lock at Victoria Park, the colour drained from his face, suddenly the tempest returned and remained for the whole day as he laid on the back of the boat casually vomiting over the side occasionally able to hold a rope as we made our way north through several locks.
I cruised the boat mostly on my own, savouring the fact he was still alive, but suffering.
Will he learn a lesson in seamanship from this?
It seems life is harder to navigate than canals.
It was not funny at the time, but hindsight is the funniest thing.
It is common knowledge that a true sailor is a hardy drinker. One who embraces Rum with both anchor-tattooed-forearms.
My fellow cohabitant has been known to practice the art of Rum appreciation throughout his younger adult life. Though he doesn't have the sailor tattoos there's other credentials that make him a sailor, some may say, pirate. :
Holes in clothes - checkAfter an exceptionally long Friday at work at IPC Towers I arrived home around 10pm.
dishevelled unshaven appearance - check
all year tan - check
rarely wears shoes - check
devil may care attitude - check
a Gallic shrug - check
Entering the boat sensing something amiss, immediately clocked the two bottles of rum (55%) in the kitchen, one of them empty, the other one seriously storm battered and a chopped up lime, squeezed and re-squeezed into wafer thin skinny green shells, husks of lime that were no longer lime, just green.
I heard what sounded like the shipping forecast in my head:I battened the hatches, put all breakables away or on the floor and braced myself, armed with mobile phone for both evidence gathering and any possible Mayday calls.
Thames - Viking - Pirate - French men
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then increasing storm force 10 later
- Human state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Squally rain - prolonged dry spell imminent.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor when sleeping in different rooms
Upon entering the saloon area I was greeted, in the traditional French manner, except our poor Gallic pirate had lost the ability to see single figures and air kissed the cheek of the double vision standing next to me.
I sat alone on the sofa while he shrugged his way into the kitchen and attempted to fire up the stereo with ipod aural pleasures such as "what shall we do with a drunken sailor"
"Jeeeaaann kehm an elp me, ah can't see ze stereooo, aah need elp ma cherie"
Of course I didn't do anything but sit and wait.
After a few moments of wailing and moaning about lack of help and how it was my fault that he had drunk so much, there was a dull thump sound and it all went quiet.
Ah ha. I thought. I'll just give him a couple more minutes before I check to see what's happened.
 |
| It was here he promptly fell asleep and assumed the safety position. (like a true sailor) |
I seized the moment to deploy the sofa cushions to the floor in anticipation of a further stormy night to come.
Stepping over the sleeping baby I took the dog outside for his nightly ablutions, said goodnight to the neighbour who was moored alongside, oblivious to the fact I was standing two feet away from an unconscious body.
I may have accidentally kicked the body while climbing over it. Accidentally mind you.
Then I went back inside. And waited.
One hour later the creature from the black lagoon came shuffling on its arse, unable to stand, and traversed slowly from the kitchen into the living room, looking for a warm safe place to sleep. Upon finding the sofa cushions, commenced a discussion about why it couldn't sleep on the "normal" bed. It eventually conceded to the fact it was safer on the floor, away from an angry female.
The "angry female" commenced with pre-bed tooth brushing duties (with analogue toothbrush as the travel power hasn't been restored yet) when, the sound that no-one likes to hear, was heard.
Yaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggghhpp, Yaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggghhpp,I ran back to the living room, toothbrush hanging dangerously out of pursed lips, fearing the worst, vomit central
The decoratively attractive brass fire bucket had been cleverly utilised.
A true sailor never spoils the interior. Bravo.
With my tooth brush stifling my curses it sounded like I was deranged or very bad ventriloquist. All I could do was arm wave and gesticulate in a most agitated manner with a high pitched angry sound "mmuhh muhh muhhh muuhh, Mu Munnn!"
I couldn't unpurse my lips for fear of dribbling foamy toothpaste drool all over the place and thus losing my superiority in the situation.
 |
| how to speak with your lips together |
Now I'm not proud of what I did next but, hey that's life.
After disposing of my toothbrush back in the bathroom, I resumed a verbal abuse thus:
"you stupid cunt. what the fuck were you thinking? You're 35 years old and only 5'4". You think you can drink like a fucking giant bastard still? You stupid stupid fucking twat. But, well done for getting it in the fire bucket"
mumbles incoherently back at me
"yeah I'm sure the kindling will be ok once it dries, now don't fucking move while I fetch another bucket - you cunt"
 |
| fire bucket. Also good for containing vomit |
It was then, that I spotted a large mark on the side of his face.
It seems he must have hit his head on the corner of a step when he fell to the floor when trying to put the music on, causing possible concussion.
That unconscious body really had been properly unconscious.I felt a tiny pang of guilt. Very tiny. I'd kicked him when he was down. That's pretty poor form. I should have called an ambulance. But a part of me just wanted him to suffer a little bit more.
The rest of the night was spent on hourly wanker watch, checking frequently that he was still alive.
I set my alarm to wake me, I'd get up, go and kick him a bit, then shout "are you alive you fucking twat" wait for a response then return to bed, then repeat the procedure for the remainder of the night.
In the morning, as I went to check on him yet again, he was sitting up, ships dog on his lap, asking how he arrived in the living room.
Incredibly he remembered absolutely nothing after the second glass of rum. No head ache, nothing.
It was two hours later, after filling the water tank and preparing to descend the lock at Victoria Park, the colour drained from his face, suddenly the tempest returned and remained for the whole day as he laid on the back of the boat casually vomiting over the side occasionally able to hold a rope as we made our way north through several locks.
I cruised the boat mostly on my own, savouring the fact he was still alive, but suffering.
Will he learn a lesson in seamanship from this?
It seems life is harder to navigate than canals.
08 May 2009
Sunshine
A few days trolling around harbours in France, along the Brittany west coast has wet my appetite further for the next boat. I was on holiday and couldnt help myself, I always end up near water.
I already have a good idea about what I want and where I want to put it and where Id like to go with it, it seems its a buyers market out there.
Honey Ryder is still for sale, I should probably do a bit more effort to sell her before the summer is over, but for every month I live on her, I save large amounts of money to put towards the next boat. So its a difficult balance between selling and saving.
Im not sure if I will be able to secure another boat mortgage again, I guess I should go out there and try one of the many finance houses/rip off merchants that offer marine mortgages.
So, I saw the next boat in france, its a Jeanneau Sunshine 38. if only I had sold mine, had the finances in place and a mooring secured.
It all seems to far away!
I already have a good idea about what I want and where I want to put it and where Id like to go with it, it seems its a buyers market out there.
Honey Ryder is still for sale, I should probably do a bit more effort to sell her before the summer is over, but for every month I live on her, I save large amounts of money to put towards the next boat. So its a difficult balance between selling and saving.
Im not sure if I will be able to secure another boat mortgage again, I guess I should go out there and try one of the many finance houses/rip off merchants that offer marine mortgages.
So, I saw the next boat in france, its a Jeanneau Sunshine 38. if only I had sold mine, had the finances in place and a mooring secured.
It all seems to far away!
27 April 2009
pages of waffle
I received a letter from British Waterways.
Three pages of waffle about how London boaters shouldn't empty their toilets into the canals and waterways around London and how inspections will be made on boats to make sure they comply.
Three pages of single sided, single minded drivel.
one page would have been plenty, in fact four sentences would suffice.
----
Dear Customers,
We have removed elsan, rubbish and water points along Grand Union and Rivers Lee and Stort because they were over-used and were expensive to maintain.
We have removed access to British Waterways laundry and shower facilities unless you are a British Waterways Marina customer.
We understand that you will have to cruise a full day to empty your toilet or fill your water tank and that you may be temped to empty your toilets in the bushes or in the canal.
Please don't do this, we recommend that you find a marina mooring, where you will find all these facilities privately available and stop making the canals and rivers look untidy with constant cruising/on-line mooring.
yours blah blah blah
-----
if they want to encourage people to keep moving and stop them congregating in convenient spots where the facilities are, surely they need to add facilities, not take them away!
Three pages of waffle about how London boaters shouldn't empty their toilets into the canals and waterways around London and how inspections will be made on boats to make sure they comply.
Three pages of single sided, single minded drivel.
one page would have been plenty, in fact four sentences would suffice.
----
Dear Customers,
We have removed elsan, rubbish and water points along Grand Union and Rivers Lee and Stort because they were over-used and were expensive to maintain.
We have removed access to British Waterways laundry and shower facilities unless you are a British Waterways Marina customer.
We understand that you will have to cruise a full day to empty your toilet or fill your water tank and that you may be temped to empty your toilets in the bushes or in the canal.
Please don't do this, we recommend that you find a marina mooring, where you will find all these facilities privately available and stop making the canals and rivers look untidy with constant cruising/on-line mooring.
yours blah blah blah
-----
if they want to encourage people to keep moving and stop them congregating in convenient spots where the facilities are, surely they need to add facilities, not take them away!
06 April 2009
Travel Power 2
A trip to Cox electrical...
reveals the damage.
black box, damaged and repairable if they can source the parts. £350
alternator needs servicing with new winding and copper core £270
postage return £30
=
empty pockets on Honey Ryder... and another month or so until I can consider buying some new wheels.
reveals the damage.
black box, damaged and repairable if they can source the parts. £350
alternator needs servicing with new winding and copper core £270
postage return £30
=
empty pockets on Honey Ryder... and another month or so until I can consider buying some new wheels.
Wigged out with the neighbours
Mooring in Limehouse for the past week has been most entertaining.
we arrived on a Sunday evening, and squeezed into a spot a meter too short. So having knocked on the neighbours boat without a response, we shuffled the boat along a little bit so we could fit along the wall. Just as Mr X was about to tie the boat on again, a bald mans head popped out of the boat wondering what was happening. We explained, he shrugged and left us to it.
thereafter, for the remainder of the week we listened to the music of his engine chugging away into the night, until 9pm, and recommencing at 8am. Since we were moored so close, this meant our boat vibrated away as if it were our own engine.
This narked Mr X quite a lot. We gave the neighbour a name, which I shall not repeat on here (in french it is tete-a-con), but shall give a pseudnom to replace his nickname : bald-engine-man
Thursday night, and we were chatting away in the living room, to the familiar sound of our neighbours engine vibrating the grate on our stove when the boat rocked violently to the booming sound of someone on the roof. I jumped up, at that very moment seeing one of my tubs of plants go frisbying into Limehouse basin! [i]"arh!, some cunts thrown my plants in!"[/i] I shouted, opening the side hatch immediately to shout outside [i]"gerrof my boat you cheeky mother fuckers!"[/i]
(as you can see in times of stress, swearing comes naturally to me)
we both ran outside, I was focussing on my plants, only just floating, out of reach near to the boat.
As I went to get the boat pole to retrieve the plants, looking down the wall of boats, I saw that four boats had been untied further down the wall, except for bald-engine-man and us. The cheeky untiers and plant throwers had been disturbed by coal-boat-Liz shouting at them from across the basin.
I grabbed the boat hook, while Mr X teased my tub of plants back to the boat with the boat pole. I set off down the line of drifting boats, hooking the ducks and pulling them back in to the side.
I thought it only neighbourly to alert bald-engine-man, who still seemed oblivious to the commotion happening around him.
I tapped nicely. No answer. I tapped louder with the boat hook. Still no answer. I wondered how it's possible for a person to not hear someone knocking and decided to give it some welly with the handle of the boat hook. Boom Boom Boom.. Boom Boom...
I stood there in disbelief at no reply. Eventually, after several minutes I saw the boat move and from the engine end a bald head popped out, like a prairie dog, looking around.
I explained to him that all the boats had just been untied, except for his and mine, and that mine had been jumped on.
I continued helping to tie the other boats back up and after a while went back inside to carry on muttering about losing one of my plant tubs and scouring the watery horizon for any sign of an upturned plant pot with my binoculars.
The weekend flew by and before we knew it, it was 8am Sunday morning and I was being woken up to the dulcit tones of the neighbours engine once again. But then, the sound faded and as usual Mr X jumped up to see which direction they were heading in, hoping it wouldnt be the same as us to avoid the locks being against us.
He then exclaimed [i]"fucking hell, hes got a woman!" [/i]
I reply sleepily [i]"really? he didnt seem like the kind of man who would have a wife, you sure it's him not another boat?"[/i]
Mr X replied, [i]"yes theres old baldy standing on the gunnel.. and he's... oh now hes giving wifey at the tiller a kiss... maybe he's congratulating her on a perfect reverse manouver?"[/i]
I reply [i]"that's unusal. A woman driving, good for her, breaking with the tradition of : man drive : woman do the locking"[/i]
A couple of hours later we were on our way, heading up towards Victoria park. we just missed a boat in the first lock, but caught up with them at the next.
As I stood at the side with rope in hand I realised we were sharing the lock with the bald-engine-man's boat. So I looked at the bald man sitting on the side of the lock, thinking, [i]he's not the same bald man I saw before[/i]. I shouted across when the lock was full to ask if they wanted to go first or if they were waiting for someone, as the bald man showed no sign of springing into action.
He replied, [i]"she's inside making coffee"[/i]
[i]"Ok"[/i] I replied
at which point, a blonde shoulder-length haired figure arrived with a tray of coffee mugs from the front.
I had to do a double take, and so did she.
The blonde lady was none other than the first bald headed person we had met prairie dogging from the engine hole.
suck me sideways! its HIM.. no HER!
She spent the next few locks avoiding eye contact with us, appearing rather uncomfortable at being "out" with the neighbours, and me trying to catch her attention so I could be sociable and talk, at least about the finer points of the 8pm engine-off time.
I never did get the chance to say how good she looked or even to get a name. Shame.
we arrived on a Sunday evening, and squeezed into a spot a meter too short. So having knocked on the neighbours boat without a response, we shuffled the boat along a little bit so we could fit along the wall. Just as Mr X was about to tie the boat on again, a bald mans head popped out of the boat wondering what was happening. We explained, he shrugged and left us to it.
thereafter, for the remainder of the week we listened to the music of his engine chugging away into the night, until 9pm, and recommencing at 8am. Since we were moored so close, this meant our boat vibrated away as if it were our own engine.
This narked Mr X quite a lot. We gave the neighbour a name, which I shall not repeat on here (in french it is tete-a-con), but shall give a pseudnom to replace his nickname : bald-engine-man
Thursday night, and we were chatting away in the living room, to the familiar sound of our neighbours engine vibrating the grate on our stove when the boat rocked violently to the booming sound of someone on the roof. I jumped up, at that very moment seeing one of my tubs of plants go frisbying into Limehouse basin! [i]"arh!, some cunts thrown my plants in!"[/i] I shouted, opening the side hatch immediately to shout outside [i]"gerrof my boat you cheeky mother fuckers!"[/i]
(as you can see in times of stress, swearing comes naturally to me)
we both ran outside, I was focussing on my plants, only just floating, out of reach near to the boat.
As I went to get the boat pole to retrieve the plants, looking down the wall of boats, I saw that four boats had been untied further down the wall, except for bald-engine-man and us. The cheeky untiers and plant throwers had been disturbed by coal-boat-Liz shouting at them from across the basin.
I grabbed the boat hook, while Mr X teased my tub of plants back to the boat with the boat pole. I set off down the line of drifting boats, hooking the ducks and pulling them back in to the side.
I thought it only neighbourly to alert bald-engine-man, who still seemed oblivious to the commotion happening around him.
I tapped nicely. No answer. I tapped louder with the boat hook. Still no answer. I wondered how it's possible for a person to not hear someone knocking and decided to give it some welly with the handle of the boat hook. Boom Boom Boom.. Boom Boom...
I stood there in disbelief at no reply. Eventually, after several minutes I saw the boat move and from the engine end a bald head popped out, like a prairie dog, looking around.
I explained to him that all the boats had just been untied, except for his and mine, and that mine had been jumped on.
I continued helping to tie the other boats back up and after a while went back inside to carry on muttering about losing one of my plant tubs and scouring the watery horizon for any sign of an upturned plant pot with my binoculars.
The weekend flew by and before we knew it, it was 8am Sunday morning and I was being woken up to the dulcit tones of the neighbours engine once again. But then, the sound faded and as usual Mr X jumped up to see which direction they were heading in, hoping it wouldnt be the same as us to avoid the locks being against us.
He then exclaimed [i]"fucking hell, hes got a woman!" [/i]
I reply sleepily [i]"really? he didnt seem like the kind of man who would have a wife, you sure it's him not another boat?"[/i]
Mr X replied, [i]"yes theres old baldy standing on the gunnel.. and he's... oh now hes giving wifey at the tiller a kiss... maybe he's congratulating her on a perfect reverse manouver?"[/i]
I reply [i]"that's unusal. A woman driving, good for her, breaking with the tradition of : man drive : woman do the locking"[/i]
A couple of hours later we were on our way, heading up towards Victoria park. we just missed a boat in the first lock, but caught up with them at the next.
As I stood at the side with rope in hand I realised we were sharing the lock with the bald-engine-man's boat. So I looked at the bald man sitting on the side of the lock, thinking, [i]he's not the same bald man I saw before[/i]. I shouted across when the lock was full to ask if they wanted to go first or if they were waiting for someone, as the bald man showed no sign of springing into action.
He replied, [i]"she's inside making coffee"[/i]
[i]"Ok"[/i] I replied
at which point, a blonde shoulder-length haired figure arrived with a tray of coffee mugs from the front.
I had to do a double take, and so did she.
The blonde lady was none other than the first bald headed person we had met prairie dogging from the engine hole.
suck me sideways! its HIM.. no HER!
She spent the next few locks avoiding eye contact with us, appearing rather uncomfortable at being "out" with the neighbours, and me trying to catch her attention so I could be sociable and talk, at least about the finer points of the 8pm engine-off time.
I never did get the chance to say how good she looked or even to get a name. Shame.
Bike 1 - 0 thieves
It was around 3am, when I awoke to a very suspicious sound.
This is not unusual as even the merest leaf falling on the roof can wake me up. It was not a fox like the previous night skipping along the roof, it was the sound of someone trying to remove my bike. It was the sound of scooter engines ticking over right next to my boat on the towpath.
As realisation dawned on me at what was happening just a few feet from my head, Mr X sprang out of bed, running to the side hatch. My mind was still catching up trying to think of the best course of action. Mr X didn't think, he just did.
Neither technique had any effect. The scooters careemed down the towpath at warp 6 Mr Sulu and shot out of sight.
Mr X surveyed the rooftop and proclaimed my bike was still there and with both wheels still attached. one security cable cut.
The bike was locked on the roof to the centre line loop with a D lock, a heavy duty motorbike chain and a small cable around the front wheel.
They cut the small cable thinking (rather optimistically) that was all that secured the bike.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/cutcable.jpg[/img]
Since even the most nible and delicate of nymph like cats couldnt tip toe across my sound amplifying roof without being duly noted, the chances of three social wastrels swiping my bike, with me just a few feet under it, un-noticed was a tall order.
So, the question remains, why were three people on scooters riding around on a towpath at 3am carrying bolt croppers?
This also raised another question, what if I was on my own, what would I have done? Since I don't have a panic alarm attached to the boat, I thought perhaps keeping an airhorn handy that could be used as a loud distraction, as well as my camera which lives beside me at most times might be the best defence against would be attackers. I think if I used the machete, it would end up being turned against me.
Yet again I am reminded why I dislike living on the east side of London, or infact, within the M25.
This is not unusual as even the merest leaf falling on the roof can wake me up. It was not a fox like the previous night skipping along the roof, it was the sound of someone trying to remove my bike. It was the sound of scooter engines ticking over right next to my boat on the towpath.
As realisation dawned on me at what was happening just a few feet from my head, Mr X sprang out of bed, running to the side hatch. My mind was still catching up trying to think of the best course of action. Mr X didn't think, he just did.
Neither technique had any effect. The scooters careemed down the towpath at warp 6 Mr Sulu and shot out of sight.
Mr X surveyed the rooftop and proclaimed my bike was still there and with both wheels still attached. one security cable cut.
The bike was locked on the roof to the centre line loop with a D lock, a heavy duty motorbike chain and a small cable around the front wheel.
They cut the small cable thinking (rather optimistically) that was all that secured the bike.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/cutcable.jpg[/img]
Since even the most nible and delicate of nymph like cats couldnt tip toe across my sound amplifying roof without being duly noted, the chances of three social wastrels swiping my bike, with me just a few feet under it, un-noticed was a tall order.
So, the question remains, why were three people on scooters riding around on a towpath at 3am carrying bolt croppers?
This also raised another question, what if I was on my own, what would I have done? Since I don't have a panic alarm attached to the boat, I thought perhaps keeping an airhorn handy that could be used as a loud distraction, as well as my camera which lives beside me at most times might be the best defence against would be attackers. I think if I used the machete, it would end up being turned against me.
Yet again I am reminded why I dislike living on the east side of London, or infact, within the M25.
01 April 2009
Travel Power and electric toothbrushes
Honey Ryder is fitted with the best system I've ever known for supplying power. It's got electrical power coming out of its ears, not literally, but metaphorically.
2kw Inverter, Charger, shore power, comprehensive battery management, small suit case gennie for just in case, solar panel awaiting fitment, ELECTROLUX TRAVEL POWER...
When I bought the boat I didn't know what IT was or how it worked.
after asking the questions on the canal forum I got answers for how to make it work,
The travel power gives us the power to charge our batteries with our 240v charger, with stage charging. it lets me run a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner and a hair dryer that can strip vinyl off of name panels at 10 paces.
Yes it's got the power!
I've lived with (and without) it for just over two years, so heres my travel power story
It works from the engine, so start er up, flick the switch and see a green light come on. Or NOT. a few more engine revs, and there is the lovely green light followed by a nice audible >CLICK< all the boat is beaming with 240 volts running through the inverter/charger box.
But soon follows another >CLICK<, followed by a frown, the engine is switched off, the floor boards are lifted, belt tension is checked, tools are made handy , the large belt is tensioned within an hairs bredth of its life, engine switched back on, revs applied, the green illuminates , cross your fingers.... hurray! we have POWER.
The light on my electric toothbrush comes on in the distant corner of the bedroom where it is always left plugged, just in case, to catch any stray 240v that might wander through the boats circuits. All is well, the boat vibrates with the engines rythmic humming...
But then, while the engine boards are up, there's a distant squeeking. You cock your head on one side and listen intently for a moment. Nothing to worry about, especially if you put the engine boards back on, it's hardly noticable.
Then >CLICK<... it all goes off again, apart from the engine that carries on regardless and my toothbrush sits dimly in the corner. This is probably because the charger has been left on at the same time as the washing machine trying to run its heat cycle. A simple case of overloading, switch off the charger and >CLICK< we are back in action.
However, if you forget to switch off the charger when running a large appliance too many times, you will blow a small fuse, located in the engine room.
It will take two days to locate this fuse.
New fuse applied and a jug full of spares in the kitchen cupboard, we are back in electrical action. This time with slightly louder squeek. After ignoring the gradually increasing crescendo of squeek turning to sqeal, it all turns nasty when it goes clunkety grindy clunk under the engine boards. Inspection reveals a tensioner has chucked its bearings out of the pram. The rubber belt has melted and its all a rather hot and sticky mess. [url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=398"]new pulley[/url]
one week later, new "ventilated" pully applied and my toothbrush is happily charging in the corner.
Until, there's another splintering sound. Engine rapidly switched off, boards are lifted once again in a hurry, to reveal a shredded belt. At £20 a throw, this is the 5th belt it's munched its way through in as many months. Careful application of another new belt shows the critical prescision fitting of the belt and the alternator pully sides.
Weeks pass, everything seems to running nicely, then >BANG< the inverter blows up.
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=461"]new inverter[/url]
three weeks later, new inverter plumbed in, the travel power is humming along beautifully, new belt, new tensioner pulley, new inverter charger and my toothbrush has never been happier.
Its freezing cold outside, the washing machine is humming its way through is fortnightly wash when >CLICK<>CLICK< washing machine whirs back into action. We dismiss it as the water being so cold it is making the heater work more than usual...
until gradually without us really noticing the decline in performance, the travel power refuses to co-operate with the washing machine. >CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK< off
the fuse blows again.
a call to Beta Marine, new brushes ordered. one day later, new brushes fitted.
still no travel power. still no electric toothbrush.
a call to Beta Marine, followed by a call to Cox Automotives in Warwickshire...
one day booked off work to take the complete Electrolux travel power system for checking in Warwickshire.
I've put my electric toothbrush away now and gone back to a manual.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/Honey%20Ryder/DSC02740.jpg[/img]
2kw Inverter, Charger, shore power, comprehensive battery management, small suit case gennie for just in case, solar panel awaiting fitment, ELECTROLUX TRAVEL POWER...
When I bought the boat I didn't know what IT was or how it worked.
after asking the questions on the canal forum I got answers for how to make it work,
The travel power gives us the power to charge our batteries with our 240v charger, with stage charging. it lets me run a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner and a hair dryer that can strip vinyl off of name panels at 10 paces.
Yes it's got the power!
I've lived with (and without) it for just over two years, so heres my travel power story
It works from the engine, so start er up, flick the switch and see a green light come on. Or NOT. a few more engine revs, and there is the lovely green light followed by a nice audible >CLICK< all the boat is beaming with 240 volts running through the inverter/charger box.
But soon follows another >CLICK<, followed by a frown, the engine is switched off, the floor boards are lifted, belt tension is checked, tools are made handy , the large belt is tensioned within an hairs bredth of its life, engine switched back on, revs applied, the green illuminates , cross your fingers.... hurray! we have POWER.
The light on my electric toothbrush comes on in the distant corner of the bedroom where it is always left plugged, just in case, to catch any stray 240v that might wander through the boats circuits. All is well, the boat vibrates with the engines rythmic humming...
But then, while the engine boards are up, there's a distant squeeking. You cock your head on one side and listen intently for a moment. Nothing to worry about, especially if you put the engine boards back on, it's hardly noticable.
Then >CLICK<... it all goes off again, apart from the engine that carries on regardless and my toothbrush sits dimly in the corner. This is probably because the charger has been left on at the same time as the washing machine trying to run its heat cycle. A simple case of overloading, switch off the charger and >CLICK< we are back in action.
However, if you forget to switch off the charger when running a large appliance too many times, you will blow a small fuse, located in the engine room.
It will take two days to locate this fuse.
New fuse applied and a jug full of spares in the kitchen cupboard, we are back in electrical action. This time with slightly louder squeek. After ignoring the gradually increasing crescendo of squeek turning to sqeal, it all turns nasty when it goes clunkety grindy clunk under the engine boards. Inspection reveals a tensioner has chucked its bearings out of the pram. The rubber belt has melted and its all a rather hot and sticky mess. [url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=398"]new pulley[/url]
one week later, new "ventilated" pully applied and my toothbrush is happily charging in the corner.
Until, there's another splintering sound. Engine rapidly switched off, boards are lifted once again in a hurry, to reveal a shredded belt. At £20 a throw, this is the 5th belt it's munched its way through in as many months. Careful application of another new belt shows the critical prescision fitting of the belt and the alternator pully sides.
Weeks pass, everything seems to running nicely, then >BANG< the inverter blows up.
[url="http://www.canalworld.net/forums/blog/honey_ryder/index.php?showentry=461"]new inverter[/url]
three weeks later, new inverter plumbed in, the travel power is humming along beautifully, new belt, new tensioner pulley, new inverter charger and my toothbrush has never been happier.
Its freezing cold outside, the washing machine is humming its way through is fortnightly wash when >CLICK<>CLICK< washing machine whirs back into action. We dismiss it as the water being so cold it is making the heater work more than usual...
until gradually without us really noticing the decline in performance, the travel power refuses to co-operate with the washing machine. >CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK<>CLICK< off
the fuse blows again.
a call to Beta Marine, new brushes ordered. one day later, new brushes fitted.
still no travel power. still no electric toothbrush.
a call to Beta Marine, followed by a call to Cox Automotives in Warwickshire...
one day booked off work to take the complete Electrolux travel power system for checking in Warwickshire.
I've put my electric toothbrush away now and gone back to a manual.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/Honey%20Ryder/DSC02740.jpg[/img]
24 March 2009
the brighter side to life
It seems the media is a worry wart, doom and gloom surround us. What is there worth getting up for when all around us the bank are losing our money, the companies we work for are ditching us to stay in business, our savings gather no interest, pensions are worthless and house prices are falling through the floor... yada yada yada..
well, quite frankly, I don't pay any mind to this endless attack on my sensibilities. Ive got far better things to think about, Im a positive thinker, a survivor, Im a cat that lands on its feet, my bread always lands butter side up. My cup is more than half full, its brimming.
I thought I should share my happiness with all around me and try to spread a little sunshine.
So, what is making me happy? What on earth has got my giggle up and made all the woes and ills of the world fade to the background as a distant hum?
LIFE, the unexplainable joy of living. its a simple idea really. but to feel the good, you also have to feel the bad. you also need to perhaps smoke something or find a chemical of your choosing to enable you to read on without bursting out into hysterical laughter and switching over to a less hippy channel. So here goes. ( I do not use chemicals or alcohol, and no drugs were used to form the basis of my theories and subsequent revelations.)
first with the bad:
Humans are a huge swarm of bottom feeding scum, greedy and viscious with a peculiar ability to inflict pain and suffering on its fellow species, as well as the rest of the amazing species this planet gives life to. It is the only species that wilfully and with predetermination will cause intense suffering in the name of an idea about creation, for monetary wealth or simply for the sheer fun of it. They have ruined an otherwise quite nice planet, where species live on a fragile knife edge of an eco system. Humans came along, claimed the planet as "theirs" and then started flogging off "pieces" of the planet to each other. thus deplacing many species, wiping them out and wearing their carcasses as trophies and decorations in their homes. Seemingly well eductated and peaceful humans continue to blight this poor planet by popping out yet more parasitic human spawn that will continue to strangle an already over populated planet. Selfish and entirely animalistic.
now for the good,
Humans also have the capacity for love and empathy. this is quite a rare trait amongst species, shared with only advanced mammals.
Some humans also have the grasp of a concept that everything on this planet is connected. we all came from the planet, it created us. the molecules we are made from, the swirling mini universes that make up each cell of our body originally came from the Earth, along with the particles our homes are made from, our computers, EVERYTHING is originally from the planet. it never goes away, it is simply recycled. All species, all life, is connected. we are one complex mass of interconnecting energy. ahmen for the planet and all who she allows to sail on her.
analysis:
with the yin and yang of the good and bad, after weeks of pondering over my trip to India and the meaning of life i came to a few conclusions.
1: riding bikes makes me glow from the inside
2: material possessions weigh my brain down
3: creating children is not going to solve the worlds problems, only add to them therefore I have decided NOT to take part in this activity.
4: too many clothes dont make you happy, they just fill your wardrobe and go mouldy
5: playing drums is a great way to express your inner rhythm
6: working long hours for 5 or more days a week is stupid and pointless
7: buying a small section of the Earth to claim as your own is also stupid and pointless
8: living a minimalist life is richer and more fulfilling than a life full of distractions.
9: my final revelation is, I have now realised I quite like living on my narrowboat.
yes, thats right, the revelation number 9, I have come through the hard times, I have re-discovered my life afloat and realised in fact, I actually quite like it.
finding your intergalactic oneness is easy really, you just have to open your eyes and ears to the world.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/flowers.jpg[/img]
plants have rhythm
well, quite frankly, I don't pay any mind to this endless attack on my sensibilities. Ive got far better things to think about, Im a positive thinker, a survivor, Im a cat that lands on its feet, my bread always lands butter side up. My cup is more than half full, its brimming.
I thought I should share my happiness with all around me and try to spread a little sunshine.
So, what is making me happy? What on earth has got my giggle up and made all the woes and ills of the world fade to the background as a distant hum?
LIFE, the unexplainable joy of living. its a simple idea really. but to feel the good, you also have to feel the bad. you also need to perhaps smoke something or find a chemical of your choosing to enable you to read on without bursting out into hysterical laughter and switching over to a less hippy channel. So here goes. ( I do not use chemicals or alcohol, and no drugs were used to form the basis of my theories and subsequent revelations.)
first with the bad:
Humans are a huge swarm of bottom feeding scum, greedy and viscious with a peculiar ability to inflict pain and suffering on its fellow species, as well as the rest of the amazing species this planet gives life to. It is the only species that wilfully and with predetermination will cause intense suffering in the name of an idea about creation, for monetary wealth or simply for the sheer fun of it. They have ruined an otherwise quite nice planet, where species live on a fragile knife edge of an eco system. Humans came along, claimed the planet as "theirs" and then started flogging off "pieces" of the planet to each other. thus deplacing many species, wiping them out and wearing their carcasses as trophies and decorations in their homes. Seemingly well eductated and peaceful humans continue to blight this poor planet by popping out yet more parasitic human spawn that will continue to strangle an already over populated planet. Selfish and entirely animalistic.
now for the good,
Humans also have the capacity for love and empathy. this is quite a rare trait amongst species, shared with only advanced mammals.
Some humans also have the grasp of a concept that everything on this planet is connected. we all came from the planet, it created us. the molecules we are made from, the swirling mini universes that make up each cell of our body originally came from the Earth, along with the particles our homes are made from, our computers, EVERYTHING is originally from the planet. it never goes away, it is simply recycled. All species, all life, is connected. we are one complex mass of interconnecting energy. ahmen for the planet and all who she allows to sail on her.
analysis:
with the yin and yang of the good and bad, after weeks of pondering over my trip to India and the meaning of life i came to a few conclusions.
1: riding bikes makes me glow from the inside
2: material possessions weigh my brain down
3: creating children is not going to solve the worlds problems, only add to them therefore I have decided NOT to take part in this activity.
4: too many clothes dont make you happy, they just fill your wardrobe and go mouldy
5: playing drums is a great way to express your inner rhythm
6: working long hours for 5 or more days a week is stupid and pointless
7: buying a small section of the Earth to claim as your own is also stupid and pointless
8: living a minimalist life is richer and more fulfilling than a life full of distractions.
9: my final revelation is, I have now realised I quite like living on my narrowboat.
yes, thats right, the revelation number 9, I have come through the hard times, I have re-discovered my life afloat and realised in fact, I actually quite like it.
finding your intergalactic oneness is easy really, you just have to open your eyes and ears to the world.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/flowers.jpg[/img]
plants have rhythm
23 February 2009
while we were away...
it snowed.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/honeyrider.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/honeyrider.jpg[/img]
the world is my ocean
I do like a good holiday.
It seems odd when I sit and think about it, that I have never taken a holiday on my own boat. I live on it, I move it around frequently but Ive never really thought to spend a whole two weeks of my holiday allocation cruising it nowhere, anywhere, just for the sheer holiday of it.
It also seems odd when I carry on thinking about my choices of holiday, that when I do make the effort to go away, I am magnetized to water. and very often, despite actually not liking canals, I end up on or around canals.
I travelled this time to southern India, and found myself exploring Kerala and some of its backwaters. (as well as the Indian ocean, getting my head wet.)
The main difference I can see between Indian canals and British canals, is that one is Indian and therefore has a tropical climate and the other British and is typically lined with fishermen looking like they got a day off from "peace keeping" in Afganistan.
The canals in Kerala are lined with mango and palm trees, cashew trees and paddy fields.
One thing that never changes though is pollution. Where there's a human, theres always pollution. Plastic bags. Diesel fumes. the air, land and water is polluted with the advancement of 'civilization'. the longer you wait to visit this place, the less chance you have of seeing it relatively unspoilt. however, the more people rush to go and see it, will hasten the speed of the spoiling.
here are few pics of the backwater canals near to Allepy in Kerala.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000139.jpg[/img]
the mooring spot was shaded with banana trees
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000161.jpg[/img]
we took a small boat, powered by paddle only. We were too lazy to paddle for ourselves so we paid a man to do it. It cost us the equivalent of £10 for 3 hours paddling. Most average Indian locals in this area earn around £60 a month, so looking at it like that, he's quite well paid.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06450.jpg[/img]
the local boat yard, building a new boat and upgrading an old one on the "dry dock".
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06482.jpg[/img]
there is a massive business in house boats in the region. They all moor along a set of pontoons, with people living aboard, waiting for people to book either through a travel agent abroad, or when they arrive with one of the masses of local house boat agencies. there are thousands of boats, all with varying levels of sophistication. most have air conditioning and all the comforts of a hotel, including a liveaboard cook and pilot.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000187.jpg[/img]
if you go eel fishing you might need a bigger rod, these particular local ones can be around two meters, and have a bit of a bite
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000173.jpg[/img]
children play in a corracle, and people use them as a general get about means of water transport
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06406.jpg[/img]
the school children get to and from school by boat too
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06419.jpg[/img]
Che gets everywhere
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06466.jpg[/img]
It seems odd when I sit and think about it, that I have never taken a holiday on my own boat. I live on it, I move it around frequently but Ive never really thought to spend a whole two weeks of my holiday allocation cruising it nowhere, anywhere, just for the sheer holiday of it.
It also seems odd when I carry on thinking about my choices of holiday, that when I do make the effort to go away, I am magnetized to water. and very often, despite actually not liking canals, I end up on or around canals.
I travelled this time to southern India, and found myself exploring Kerala and some of its backwaters. (as well as the Indian ocean, getting my head wet.)
The main difference I can see between Indian canals and British canals, is that one is Indian and therefore has a tropical climate and the other British and is typically lined with fishermen looking like they got a day off from "peace keeping" in Afganistan.
The canals in Kerala are lined with mango and palm trees, cashew trees and paddy fields.
One thing that never changes though is pollution. Where there's a human, theres always pollution. Plastic bags. Diesel fumes. the air, land and water is polluted with the advancement of 'civilization'. the longer you wait to visit this place, the less chance you have of seeing it relatively unspoilt. however, the more people rush to go and see it, will hasten the speed of the spoiling.
here are few pics of the backwater canals near to Allepy in Kerala.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000139.jpg[/img]
the mooring spot was shaded with banana trees
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000161.jpg[/img]
we took a small boat, powered by paddle only. We were too lazy to paddle for ourselves so we paid a man to do it. It cost us the equivalent of £10 for 3 hours paddling. Most average Indian locals in this area earn around £60 a month, so looking at it like that, he's quite well paid.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06450.jpg[/img]
the local boat yard, building a new boat and upgrading an old one on the "dry dock".
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06482.jpg[/img]
there is a massive business in house boats in the region. They all moor along a set of pontoons, with people living aboard, waiting for people to book either through a travel agent abroad, or when they arrive with one of the masses of local house boat agencies. there are thousands of boats, all with varying levels of sophistication. most have air conditioning and all the comforts of a hotel, including a liveaboard cook and pilot.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000187.jpg[/img]
if you go eel fishing you might need a bigger rod, these particular local ones can be around two meters, and have a bit of a bite
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1000173.jpg[/img]
children play in a corracle, and people use them as a general get about means of water transport
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06406.jpg[/img]
the school children get to and from school by boat too
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06419.jpg[/img]
Che gets everywhere
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/DSC06466.jpg[/img]
10 January 2009
look the water's gone stiff
at first it was a novelty, after it was a good photo opportunity, then it was a good cruise and funny smashing noises, followed by a learning curve of how to steer (or not) in the ice, then it was fun smashing the ice to be able to open lock gates, after that it was an interesting talking point at work. Now Im bored of it.
Yes it was exciting to draw the curtains and see the ice formed on the INSIDE
yes it was fun smashing through ice with the boat
yes its lovely and cosy with the fire lit, but its been a bit cold in the mornings since Mr X has been stingy with the coal at night.
theres been some good photo opportunities, but since its highlighted how crap my ancient 4 year old camera is, it gonna cost me a few squids to buy a new camera to match up to my expectations. Its bloody expensive this icy snowy freezing parky weather.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030101.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030099.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030102.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030106.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030112.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030111.jpg[/img]
Yes it was exciting to draw the curtains and see the ice formed on the INSIDE
yes it was fun smashing through ice with the boat
yes its lovely and cosy with the fire lit, but its been a bit cold in the mornings since Mr X has been stingy with the coal at night.
theres been some good photo opportunities, but since its highlighted how crap my ancient 4 year old camera is, it gonna cost me a few squids to buy a new camera to match up to my expectations. Its bloody expensive this icy snowy freezing parky weather.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030101.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030099.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030102.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030106.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030112.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/P1030111.jpg[/img]
16 December 2008
Does it get cold in winter?
NO it bloody well doesnt.
what brick house have you ever lived in where its icy cold outside, theres an icy wind blowing and yet you are walking around in the buff inside, with the windows open sipping a cocktail and thinking of palm trees?
this narrowboat has to be the hottest place ive ever lived. mainly because Mr. X is nesh and likes it tropical. without him I probably wouldn't light the fire most of winter.
So now hes added an ecofan to make the bedroom hotter and to avoid me wearing pyjamas because he thinks they are passion killer.
its winter, i like snuggling up under my nice thick winter duvet, but now hes talking about putting the summer duvet back on! I say, put less wood in the stove and quit getting up so damned early for work, that's the real passion killer.
what brick house have you ever lived in where its icy cold outside, theres an icy wind blowing and yet you are walking around in the buff inside, with the windows open sipping a cocktail and thinking of palm trees?
this narrowboat has to be the hottest place ive ever lived. mainly because Mr. X is nesh and likes it tropical. without him I probably wouldn't light the fire most of winter.
So now hes added an ecofan to make the bedroom hotter and to avoid me wearing pyjamas because he thinks they are passion killer.
its winter, i like snuggling up under my nice thick winter duvet, but now hes talking about putting the summer duvet back on! I say, put less wood in the stove and quit getting up so damned early for work, that's the real passion killer.
Ice breaking
Ive never been on a boat capable of breaking ice before and had ice to actually break.
that's quite fun.
that's quite fun.
hot n cold and running in water
this is the third winter I have been living on Honey Ryder, it feels like more.
The first two winters we had hardly any condensation at all, but this time, we are running in it.
every window and unprotected cupboard. We have the fire lit every day, its dries out some of the windows but it comes straight back the moment the temperature drops below tropical.
last winter I made the mistake of filling a cupboard and closing the door, when I decided to tidy the cupboard and find something one day, I realised everything was covered in mould! this year we have moisture absorbing sachets in the cupboards and all seems to be staying dry.
so Ive clearly moved the water out of the cupboards and onto the windows.
Not sure why this can be, other than maybe we have a water leak. the water pump is giving me the warning signal that something is not perfect with an occasional brrrp. just a little one but I remember last time we had that kind of noise occurring without using the taps, it turned out to be a seeping kitchen tap pipe.
SO the search has begun to find the drip.
cue sarcastic comments about Mr. X
30 September 2008
flashing by
As we get older life seems to speed up, it accelerates, and with each extra day that passes by the momentum gathers pace.
My work life is busier than ever and my home life is passing in a blur.
That is until we set off on another cruise.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne01copy.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne02.jpg[/img]
it all suddenly sloooooowwwwwssss riiiiggghtttt doooowwwwnnn, and I feel like Im in a slow motion replay.
Ive seen these canals before, ive been through these locks before, Ive done all this before and its all the same as before at the same speed.
Walking pace.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne03.jpg[/img]
So at the speed of walking pace I have relocated over the past few weeks from Rickmansworth, where I had grown rather fond of the trees I had to duck under on my way to the train station and the pretty mystery woman I saw on the train platform every day at the same time in the same place.
We moved gradually down the Grand Union, through London and paused at Camden. We had never stopped there before. It's a bit busy with trip boats, but dead handy for the shopping. So I shopped til my bank account almost dropped and then we moved on. My best friend was visiting from the north again, we have an uncanny habit of picking the same clothes to wear.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne05.jpg[/img]
Victoria park, a quick bike ride to Brick lane for a curry, followed by a brief waking in the middle of the night to hear Mr X chucking his guts up, the Lamb he had was possibly not really Lamb, but some other furry rodent type alternative to keep the cost of meals down during the credit crunch.
anyway, we then headed down to limehouse for a little visit there, and a nice bike ride out to the Dartford crossing and the barrier.
no, not this barrier, the other barrier
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne04.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne06.jpg[/img]
Limehouse is a nice spot to head out from for an afternoon or night out as the DLR is so close.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne07.jpg[/img]
This weekend we moved again up the River Lee, it took us eight hours which included a pub stop along the way and four trips down the weed/bag hatch,
We are now slowly making our way up the Lee again as I really like the river and although the boat is still for sale we imagine spending the winter on Honey Ryder before we find a buyer. The River Lee and Stort is a nice place to spend the winter I think.
So, nothing much to write home about, hence the lack of blog entries. No point boring the pants off y'all with small talk about the weather.
My work life is busier than ever and my home life is passing in a blur.
That is until we set off on another cruise.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne01copy.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne02.jpg[/img]
it all suddenly sloooooowwwwwssss riiiiggghtttt doooowwwwnnn, and I feel like Im in a slow motion replay.
Ive seen these canals before, ive been through these locks before, Ive done all this before and its all the same as before at the same speed.
Walking pace.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne03.jpg[/img]
So at the speed of walking pace I have relocated over the past few weeks from Rickmansworth, where I had grown rather fond of the trees I had to duck under on my way to the train station and the pretty mystery woman I saw on the train platform every day at the same time in the same place.
We moved gradually down the Grand Union, through London and paused at Camden. We had never stopped there before. It's a bit busy with trip boats, but dead handy for the shopping. So I shopped til my bank account almost dropped and then we moved on. My best friend was visiting from the north again, we have an uncanny habit of picking the same clothes to wear.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne05.jpg[/img]
Victoria park, a quick bike ride to Brick lane for a curry, followed by a brief waking in the middle of the night to hear Mr X chucking his guts up, the Lamb he had was possibly not really Lamb, but some other furry rodent type alternative to keep the cost of meals down during the credit crunch.
anyway, we then headed down to limehouse for a little visit there, and a nice bike ride out to the Dartford crossing and the barrier.
no, not this barrier, the other barrier
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne04.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne06.jpg[/img]
Limehouse is a nice spot to head out from for an afternoon or night out as the DLR is so close.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/jayne07.jpg[/img]
This weekend we moved again up the River Lee, it took us eight hours which included a pub stop along the way and four trips down the weed/bag hatch,
We are now slowly making our way up the Lee again as I really like the river and although the boat is still for sale we imagine spending the winter on Honey Ryder before we find a buyer. The River Lee and Stort is a nice place to spend the winter I think.
So, nothing much to write home about, hence the lack of blog entries. No point boring the pants off y'all with small talk about the weather.
25 August 2008
A trip down the Thames
Its been years since I went down the thames, past parliament and under tower bridge, 12 years in fact.
So I was happy to help a friend who wanted an extra pair of hands due to a slightly incapacitated crew member. (the very same person who fell in the lock and is now nursing broken ribs and a snapped knee)
The cruise was lovely, turning left out of Brentford and heading to Limehouse. The tide was still on its way in, but being a neap was not very powerful. We punched the tide for a while before it turned and swept us a long at a decent 8mph pace. There was some nice swells from the other river craft, nothing went in through the front cratch though, thankfully for the broken crew member as she would have got a bit wet and those pots get a bit heavy when dunked in water.
The exciting part was the entry to Limehouse. this was the bit Ive been curious about. Ive never seen a narrowboat turn into the small inlet, Ive only heard stories.
Particularly stories about the northern wall being a bit of an unintended buffer for a lot of boats.
So the captain/skipper/owner was handed the tiller well before we needed to turn and I just stood on the back, gripping the roof and watching with delight and some small amounts of concern as we turned, started wallowing around in the turbulence, the flow took as sideways as planned but not quite enough so a bit of adjustment ( reversing) to avoid the eddy in the entrance and some large amounts of welly again and she just turned in time to avoid the notorious wall and enter the lock nicely.
except a tupperware boat had bombed up ahead of us thinking they were beating us to the lock... not a good move when you think about it. they were waiting in the lock... for a 60ft metal torpeado everso slightly going fast and everso slightly crab wise.
I know if it had been my tupperware boat I would have said, "no after you sir" let the metal boat go in first then popped myself in when I was sure it was well secured inside the lock.
So with me not knowing the boat and its foibles, getting out of the cratch, climbing over the broken crew member and trying to get the front rope in time to grab the lock sliding cable was a bit of a failure. I got out alright but not before the boat had slewed across the lock and was threatening to crush said tupperware.
not the best of manouvers on my behalf but the lock keeper threw me a wee line to pull mine up with and we were sorted.
Those limehouse lockies are nice chaps.
The fun continued when trying to leave the lock the engine wouldnt start, due to a blocked fuel filter from all the turbulence on the way down.
So my final parting gesture before leaving them to go to work, was man hauling the boat out of the lock to tie up in the basin.
It seems that part of the canal system is intent on seeing me bow haul narrowboats nearly every time I visit it!
So, what a cracking cruise, great fun but Im not in a hurry to do the same with my own boat. I quite like the idea of taking my time through london on the canals. Narrowboats, choppy water and narrow lock entrances are only for those braver than me I think.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/IMG00067.jpg[/img]
So I was happy to help a friend who wanted an extra pair of hands due to a slightly incapacitated crew member. (the very same person who fell in the lock and is now nursing broken ribs and a snapped knee)
The cruise was lovely, turning left out of Brentford and heading to Limehouse. The tide was still on its way in, but being a neap was not very powerful. We punched the tide for a while before it turned and swept us a long at a decent 8mph pace. There was some nice swells from the other river craft, nothing went in through the front cratch though, thankfully for the broken crew member as she would have got a bit wet and those pots get a bit heavy when dunked in water.
The exciting part was the entry to Limehouse. this was the bit Ive been curious about. Ive never seen a narrowboat turn into the small inlet, Ive only heard stories.
Particularly stories about the northern wall being a bit of an unintended buffer for a lot of boats.
So the captain/skipper/owner was handed the tiller well before we needed to turn and I just stood on the back, gripping the roof and watching with delight and some small amounts of concern as we turned, started wallowing around in the turbulence, the flow took as sideways as planned but not quite enough so a bit of adjustment ( reversing) to avoid the eddy in the entrance and some large amounts of welly again and she just turned in time to avoid the notorious wall and enter the lock nicely.
except a tupperware boat had bombed up ahead of us thinking they were beating us to the lock... not a good move when you think about it. they were waiting in the lock... for a 60ft metal torpeado everso slightly going fast and everso slightly crab wise.
I know if it had been my tupperware boat I would have said, "no after you sir" let the metal boat go in first then popped myself in when I was sure it was well secured inside the lock.
So with me not knowing the boat and its foibles, getting out of the cratch, climbing over the broken crew member and trying to get the front rope in time to grab the lock sliding cable was a bit of a failure. I got out alright but not before the boat had slewed across the lock and was threatening to crush said tupperware.
not the best of manouvers on my behalf but the lock keeper threw me a wee line to pull mine up with and we were sorted.
Those limehouse lockies are nice chaps.
The fun continued when trying to leave the lock the engine wouldnt start, due to a blocked fuel filter from all the turbulence on the way down.
So my final parting gesture before leaving them to go to work, was man hauling the boat out of the lock to tie up in the basin.
It seems that part of the canal system is intent on seeing me bow haul narrowboats nearly every time I visit it!
So, what a cracking cruise, great fun but Im not in a hurry to do the same with my own boat. I quite like the idea of taking my time through london on the canals. Narrowboats, choppy water and narrow lock entrances are only for those braver than me I think.
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p213/jaynetoyne/IMG00067.jpg[/img]
12 August 2008
lucky escape
this is anecdotal and I dont have eyewitness levels of accuracy about this next entry but stick with it...
It was Sunday, I was expecting some friends on a boat who I met last year on the river Lee, they are a lovely couple and perhaps the only real boaty friends Ive made apart from the french yaching couple I met in Limehouse basin over the winter.
Anyway, this couple, I shall call them Mr n Ms Axe. They are heading up to a dry dock somewhere past Watford, so planned to meet up with me as I am just over at Rickmansworth at the moment.
Sunday I sent a text to see if they were on schedule and did they want anything from Tesco...
no reply. thats alright though, thats often the way, people are outside, locking, chatting etc, not listening for a phone.
later in the day I was wondering where they might be when I got a phone call from Ms Axe.
"the Plan isnt going exactly to plan... "
I said, "oh yeah thats narrowboating for you, where have you got to?"
"well, I fell in..."
"No shit! you fell in, well hows that stopped proceedings?" sounding bolshy and about to poke fun.
"I fell in a lock at the flight"
suddenly genuinely concerned"Holy shit, what the hell happened?"
" I was ahead of the boat, preparing the next lock and as I crossed the top gate i looked down and my foot went down a gap in the rails where the paddles go...."
gasp....then silence...
"then I got sucked under and went through the channel with the water flow..."
at this point I had to sit down and asked "what you mean you went through where the paddles open?"
"yes, and somehow, I dont know how, but Im still alive, My knee was dislocated and I think I chipped a bone but apart from that Im alright. maybe you could call and let him know Im alright, XXXXX XXXX etc"
After I managed to remove my heart from my mouth I gave him a call and he was as shaken as anything, but had had to leave at the hospital once he knew she wasn't in a life threatening way so that he could move the boat to a safer place.
Now I can't wait to see them both again to give them a hug and tell them how glad I am to have them as friends, it's moments like this that reminds me, you never know when your time is up, one small slip, one lapse of concentration, and its curtains.
I never knew anyone who fell in like that and survived.
It was Sunday, I was expecting some friends on a boat who I met last year on the river Lee, they are a lovely couple and perhaps the only real boaty friends Ive made apart from the french yaching couple I met in Limehouse basin over the winter.
Anyway, this couple, I shall call them Mr n Ms Axe. They are heading up to a dry dock somewhere past Watford, so planned to meet up with me as I am just over at Rickmansworth at the moment.
Sunday I sent a text to see if they were on schedule and did they want anything from Tesco...
no reply. thats alright though, thats often the way, people are outside, locking, chatting etc, not listening for a phone.
later in the day I was wondering where they might be when I got a phone call from Ms Axe.
"the Plan isnt going exactly to plan... "
I said, "oh yeah thats narrowboating for you, where have you got to?"
"well, I fell in..."
"No shit! you fell in, well hows that stopped proceedings?" sounding bolshy and about to poke fun.
"I fell in a lock at the flight"
suddenly genuinely concerned"Holy shit, what the hell happened?"
" I was ahead of the boat, preparing the next lock and as I crossed the top gate i looked down and my foot went down a gap in the rails where the paddles go...."
gasp....then silence...
"then I got sucked under and went through the channel with the water flow..."
at this point I had to sit down and asked "what you mean you went through where the paddles open?"
"yes, and somehow, I dont know how, but Im still alive, My knee was dislocated and I think I chipped a bone but apart from that Im alright. maybe you could call
After I managed to remove my heart from my mouth I gave him a call and he was as shaken as anything, but had had to leave
Now I can't wait to see them both again to give them a hug and tell them how glad I am to have them as friends, it's moments like this that reminds me, you never know when your time is up, one small slip, one lapse of concentration, and its curtains.
I never knew anyone who fell in like that and survived.
the Refrigedaire experiment
Turn the fridge back on, or not?
If I turn the fridge on, I know that I need to charge the batteries almost daily which is expensive and annoying. If not, well, could I live without a fridge? Warm sour milk for breakfast, cheese crawling out on its own, limp lettuce and other delicacies I'd rather not risk.
I decided to plump for the living without a fridge option.
Surprisingly it hasn't been as hard as I thought it might be. The fridge is still a fairly cool place to keep stuff as part of it is below the water line so it's a bit cooler down there, also the weather hasn't exactly been roasting.
So what in fact do I need a fridge for? I worked out that the butter ( at less than £1 per pack) and soya milk ( £2 for a 1ltr carton) plus odd bits of cheese and salad were costing me around a pound a day in fuel, charging the batteries to keep them cool.
Turn the fridge off and I only need to charge the batteries once per week. I'm saving £5 in fuel per week at the moment, but what have I sacrificed and is it worth it?
In short, I've sacrificed bugger all! Ok, I haven't bothered buying butter in as I use so little of it but the rest, well, my soya milk keeps perfectly ok in a cool area for three days, my vegetables and fruit are all the same. In fact nothing I use actually needs a refrigerator, as long as I buy fresh little and often who needs a fridge? Not me. I'm feeling smug. Can you tell?
In short, I've sacrificed bugger all! Ok, I haven't bothered buying butter in as I use so little of it but the rest, well, my soya milk keeps perfectly ok in a cool area for three days, my vegetables and fruit are all the same. In fact nothing I use actually needs a refrigerator, as long as I buy fresh little and often who needs a fridge? Not me. I'm feeling smug. Can you tell?
It's quite a revelation, watching food, waiting to see how long it will last un-refrigerated. So far humous has been the shortest lived at three days when it started to go furry, but by that time I'd managed to scoff most of it. Cucumber lasts at least 5 days. So does Soya milk.
Drinking red wine instead of white is apparently more healthy for me too, so hurray for not switching my fridge back on.
My neighbours ( if I had any) would probably thank me too for this experiment as it means I don't risk breaking any waterways rules for the hours I run my gennie or engine at.
My neighbours ( if I had any) would probably thank me too for this experiment as it means I don't risk breaking any waterways rules for the hours I run my gennie or engine at.
The only downside I can possibly see is the fact that if I buy ice cream I have to eat the entire tub... which is no good for my healthy eating regime.
05 August 2008
barge poles
I returned home last night to see my boat not quite as i left it.
my barge pole had moved and was resting in a very strange place. I wandered around the roof looking down at the scene trying to work out why someone would move my pole and leave it in such a strange place when my questions were answered by a neighbour who trotted down the towpath to talk to me.
apparently my boat had come adrift and he had to punt it back to the side with my pole.
you could say i should have hammered my stakes in harder, or tied my ropes better, but in fact what had happened was a boat went past so fast it completely bent my piling hook straight and ripped it off the wall. Brilliant.
SO ive now got 3 bank stakes hammered in with nicely tied ropes and a straightened hook on the back of the boat looking useless.
I dont normally comment on fast boaters, but it must have been something special to rip that out.
thanks to neighbourly neighbours for putting it back yesterday.
I hope its still there when I get back tonight.
my barge pole had moved and was resting in a very strange place. I wandered around the roof looking down at the scene trying to work out why someone would move my pole and leave it in such a strange place when my questions were answered by a neighbour who trotted down the towpath to talk to me.
apparently my boat had come adrift and he had to punt it back to the side with my pole.
you could say i should have hammered my stakes in harder, or tied my ropes better, but in fact what had happened was a boat went past so fast it completely bent my piling hook straight and ripped it off the wall. Brilliant.
SO ive now got 3 bank stakes hammered in with nicely tied ropes and a straightened hook on the back of the boat looking useless.
I dont normally comment on fast boaters, but it must have been something special to rip that out.
thanks to neighbourly neighbours for putting it back yesterday.
I hope its still there when I get back tonight.
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