Thursday, 12 April 2012
This is why we love narrowboating!
6.30 this morning - what better sight to start the day, sitting on the stern drinking an early cup of tea and watching the mist roll over the Cut
She's arrived!
She’s arrived! A bonny bouncing 18 ton baby has arrived in the Ruddle household!
We went up to Debdale Wharf to pick her up last Saturday. The weather was miserable of course. We arrived a little early to find that she was not quite ready so went off to the local pub and had a drink to wet the baby’s head and then back to the yard to pick her up. We had decided not to try Foxton staircase straight away but to go to Market Harbourer to stock up with provisions and buy the necessary coat hooks and other bits we would need to add some finishing touches. The journey over went well considering I did it single handed as Sarah had the car to get to the marina.
We arose Sunday to find the weather not improved but eager to get our bits and pieces to start personalising the boat. To our great dismay nowhere was open. Easter Sunday seems to be the only day of the year now that supermarkets and DIY stores don’t open. So we had a day trying to familiarise ourselves with the boat, After some hours I eventually realised that the reason we didn’t have power to the 13 amp sockets which had nearly caused us to throw away a radio was that I hadn’t switched the inverter on. Ah! that also explained why the batteries were no longer fully charged!
Anyway on Monday we bought all our bits and I managed to fit some of them and then after an incredibly stormy night Tuesday dawned bright and clear and we made an early start to get back to Foxton where we have just had lunch at the Black House in Foxton village - highly recommended unlike the Waterside at Market Harbourer which was a terrible disappointment. When we had visited 2 years ago we had a super meal there but its apparently changed hands and we can definitely say give it a miss!
I’ve no internet connection at the time of writing this but it will go online as soon as I have together with the first photos of the newly painted Hodmadod. One thing that does happen with photographs some times is that the colour rendering is not accurate and you will see Hoddy in various shades of red none of which are entirely accurate. I’m reliably informed she is painted in a “stewed plumbs” colour
We went up to Debdale Wharf to pick her up last Saturday. The weather was miserable of course. We arrived a little early to find that she was not quite ready so went off to the local pub and had a drink to wet the baby’s head and then back to the yard to pick her up. We had decided not to try Foxton staircase straight away but to go to Market Harbourer to stock up with provisions and buy the necessary coat hooks and other bits we would need to add some finishing touches. The journey over went well considering I did it single handed as Sarah had the car to get to the marina.
We arose Sunday to find the weather not improved but eager to get our bits and pieces to start personalising the boat. To our great dismay nowhere was open. Easter Sunday seems to be the only day of the year now that supermarkets and DIY stores don’t open. So we had a day trying to familiarise ourselves with the boat, After some hours I eventually realised that the reason we didn’t have power to the 13 amp sockets which had nearly caused us to throw away a radio was that I hadn’t switched the inverter on. Ah! that also explained why the batteries were no longer fully charged!
Anyway on Monday we bought all our bits and I managed to fit some of them and then after an incredibly stormy night Tuesday dawned bright and clear and we made an early start to get back to Foxton where we have just had lunch at the Black House in Foxton village - highly recommended unlike the Waterside at Market Harbourer which was a terrible disappointment. When we had visited 2 years ago we had a super meal there but its apparently changed hands and we can definitely say give it a miss!
I’ve no internet connection at the time of writing this but it will go online as soon as I have together with the first photos of the newly painted Hodmadod. One thing that does happen with photographs some times is that the colour rendering is not accurate and you will see Hoddy in various shades of red none of which are entirely accurate. I’m reliably informed she is painted in a “stewed plumbs” colour
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Up up and away!
Well, we have at last had our first trip on Hoddy, from the boatyard where she was fitted out to the paint shop. Doesn't sound too exciting perhaps but it was about 15 miles including through the Husbands Bosworth tunnel and down the Foxton staircase to Debdale.
We started out at 7am so it was a very early start for us even though we were staying with Bruce and Claire. The weather on the Sunday had been absolutely glorious but in true British fashion Monday dawned cold and cloudy - by the end of the day I was wearing 6 layers starting with a thermal vest and finishing with an anorack via a shirt, 2 pullovers and a cardigan.
Not that either of us particularly minded it was just glorious to be out on the Cut again and at this time of year its so quiet, in fact we only saw two other boats on the move the whole day.
Hoddy went really well and we are incredibly pleased with her. The layout looks as though it will work really well for us. Even Teasle and Tanzy settled down to the routine again very quickly.
The trip was really uneventful, apart from a small bump Sarah managed to give her going through a bridge and the excitment we had on approachong Foxton top lock. David, our boatbuilder, was with us and he saw that Gareth who did the boat electrics was standing at the top lock and he said to me that Gareth was opening the gates so to carry on whilst he went up to the bow to speak to Gareth. The problem arose when we were about 50 metres out from the lock when suddenly a boat appeared coming up in the lock. David called back to me to warn me but at that point in time I hadn't actaully physically put the boat in reverse, so although he had explained how the control worked - somewhat differently to our old boat - I hadn't actually tried it and when I did I couldn't get it into reverse gear. The top gates were looming at a fast pace and I called up to David "How do you get this ******* boat into reverse" He started to sprint back across the roof but luckily I sussed the problem and stuck it into reverse and we avoided disaster by about 5 metres.
The actual decent went like clockwork and we were soon at the paintshop discussing colours etc and then we had our tutorial on how to operate the 1001 bits of kit on the boat. Problem is we were both so tired by then hardly any of it sank in. Still I'm sure we will soon cope with it once we are under way again.
We now have a very frustrating 6 week wait whilst its painted - 3 coats of primer, 5 coats of undercoat and 3 topcoats.
More to follow in 6 weeks when we take her in the pristine condition back up Foxton and back to Yelvertoft.
We started out at 7am so it was a very early start for us even though we were staying with Bruce and Claire. The weather on the Sunday had been absolutely glorious but in true British fashion Monday dawned cold and cloudy - by the end of the day I was wearing 6 layers starting with a thermal vest and finishing with an anorack via a shirt, 2 pullovers and a cardigan.
Not that either of us particularly minded it was just glorious to be out on the Cut again and at this time of year its so quiet, in fact we only saw two other boats on the move the whole day.
Hoddy went really well and we are incredibly pleased with her. The layout looks as though it will work really well for us. Even Teasle and Tanzy settled down to the routine again very quickly.
The trip was really uneventful, apart from a small bump Sarah managed to give her going through a bridge and the excitment we had on approachong Foxton top lock. David, our boatbuilder, was with us and he saw that Gareth who did the boat electrics was standing at the top lock and he said to me that Gareth was opening the gates so to carry on whilst he went up to the bow to speak to Gareth. The problem arose when we were about 50 metres out from the lock when suddenly a boat appeared coming up in the lock. David called back to me to warn me but at that point in time I hadn't actaully physically put the boat in reverse, so although he had explained how the control worked - somewhat differently to our old boat - I hadn't actually tried it and when I did I couldn't get it into reverse gear. The top gates were looming at a fast pace and I called up to David "How do you get this ******* boat into reverse" He started to sprint back across the roof but luckily I sussed the problem and stuck it into reverse and we avoided disaster by about 5 metres.
The actual decent went like clockwork and we were soon at the paintshop discussing colours etc and then we had our tutorial on how to operate the 1001 bits of kit on the boat. Problem is we were both so tired by then hardly any of it sank in. Still I'm sure we will soon cope with it once we are under way again.
We now have a very frustrating 6 week wait whilst its painted - 3 coats of primer, 5 coats of undercoat and 3 topcoats.
More to follow in 6 weeks when we take her in the pristine condition back up Foxton and back to Yelvertoft.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
We have a Maiden Voyage date!
Just heard from our boatbuilder and we are to sail Hoddy up to the paintshop on Monday morning. Cant wait. It will be an early start as we have to be away by 7.00am so that we can get through Foxton locks before they close but it should be a great day. Just hope the weather stays a little warmer!
Monday, 6 February 2012
Its like waiting for Christmas!
So close now! We went up today to see the boat for the final time before we take her over and although there looks lots to do its really only the finishing touches. The problem now is the weather. She needs to go to the paintshop but with the ice currently on the canal she will not be going anywhere and David is going away the middle of next week to France for 10 days so it may be that she doesn't go until he comes back.
It was so good to sit in her on the sofa, checking there's space for T & T feeling how cosy its going to be on a cold winters day like today. We've had solar panels added and it was a real bonus to realise that they were actually putting some power into the batteries even today when it was so cold and foggy.
Whilst we were there the boat examiner arrived to check her over to issue the boat safety certificate and we were roped in to help with the tilt test. David found another 3 people and all 7 of us stood on the gunnel on one side to get her to tip to 12 degrees to check that she didn't capsize. I'm please to report that she didn't!
So - is it Christmas yet? We just cant wait to get our hands on her and sail her - even if it is only to the paint shop!
It was so good to sit in her on the sofa, checking there's space for T & T feeling how cosy its going to be on a cold winters day like today. We've had solar panels added and it was a real bonus to realise that they were actually putting some power into the batteries even today when it was so cold and foggy.
Whilst we were there the boat examiner arrived to check her over to issue the boat safety certificate and we were roped in to help with the tilt test. David found another 3 people and all 7 of us stood on the gunnel on one side to get her to tip to 12 degrees to check that she didn't capsize. I'm please to report that she didn't!
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
She's in the water!!!!!
Great news she went in the water yesterday. We couldn't get there to see it but Jackie took the attached pics for us and she is now back in the marina and David is getting the trim right and then the floor will go down. We plan to go up next Tuesday to resolve any remaining queries including the height of the dining table(!) and then around 12 February we will be going up for the handover and sailing her up to the paintshop - cant wait!
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