Renovating the Cratch area

Friday 15 April Work day at Clayworth. There's always a job when you've got a boat!

After dropping off Liana in Lincoln to visit a friend, it was over to Clayworth to check out paintwork and the cratch on Annie. After chatting with Ian Lawford and Nick Elliott, I got cracking. Removing the cratch cover left me wondering if the material had weakened too much to be repaired, so inspection by a cratch cover maker/repairer looks essential. The mortice and tenon joint at the bottom of the vertical front cratch support had let in water to make the wood wet and soft, so the woodwork was unbolted and taken away, too. I suspect that I will need to fabricate a hardwood replacement. Out with the angle grinder and fibre discs to remove rust spots down to shiny steel, followed by a coat of iron oxide paint before the rain came down. Removing the headlamp stand showed bad pitting underneath, so it was a good job I did take time to unscrew it. There's always a job when you've got a boat!

Without a cratch, the 6 feet long front cockpit looks very roomy, as our neighbour noted.

There were so many little chips that it looked better to paint all the top surround.

The hatch was cream with a red diamond, originally, with red hinges: Maybe it will be, again.

The lovely bow is hull builder G Reeves' take on a josher type design, looking broader than the Steve Hudson bow. Phill and Sue Abbott of Wharf Narrowboats, who won Most Popular Boat of Show at Crick with Annie in 2005, have just fitted out Steve's last boat beautifully, after his untimely death.

I still need to sort out front fender chains: The new button fender sits well on the original fender, as there isn't a place above to secure a shackle, for some reason. The low fender (which I may raise a few inches) protects Annie from lock top gate sills when going uphill - at least, that is the idea!

Downhill all the way! Returning from Kiveton Park back to Clayworth. Cuckoo Boats (or not?)

Friday 1 April Homeward bound

John amused himself by cutting the overhanging weeping willow branches as we passed on our way to the four Forest Locks, once surrounded by Sherwood Forest. After using the Elsan facility, we continued into Retford, moored above Town Lock and visited the market and Costa. Apparently, the market is best on Thursday and Saturday, but is more of a junk / jumble market on Fridays, according to a local. John bought a small axe and spanners, as did Min.

The pleasant journey through Town Lock, past the Hop Pole pub, through the wide WhitSundayPie Lock and five miles to Clayworth was new to Min and Angela. After unloading at the RWBC clubhouse, John moored Annie and "put her to bed", while the others sorted out cars. Tomorrow is moving day for all the boats at RWBC, so we should be a few boat lengths nearer the clubhouse, which will make filling with water easier.


Thur 31 March Shireoaks through Worksop to Ranby


A beautiful sunny morning! Before we set off, John showed Min and Angela the Chesterfield Canal working boat moored at Shireoaks Marina. Mr Bounds was busy restoring the Chesterfield Canal Trust's reconstructed working narrow boat, Dawn Rose, as he cheerily welcomed us into the marina. We were invited to see the tiny cabin, complete with stove and shelves/boards, stowed ready for laying on the floor for sleeping.

Dawn Rose and Mr Bounds at Shireoak Marina

Mr Bounds with Min and Angela

Dawn Rose. You can see the CRT facilities and entrance bridge in the background.

Health and Safety - Pulling out the wood releases the" bow yanker" from the tow rope .... but see the wooden chimney!!

John in the front cabin. yes, he did bang his head!

notice stove, horn, windlass, etc

small cupboard / table

Mr B had spent much of his life working on the canals in this area and he was very happy to share canal stories from his past...all starting with our question about "cuckoo" boats. He said the canal historians had got it wrong - the boatmen just called them "booats", although there were several types, eg Pompey lengthman's boat. He was eager to explain that it was in fact the people who went on the rivers with insufficient power or unsuitable loads who were thought to be "cuckoo" , one example was of a chap who decided to take a cow on board, on the Trent !

Further tales emerged:

Three youngsters, the eldest 17, were instructed by their father to bring a cargo from the far side of the Kiveton Tunnel. On reaching the Kiveton side, they met a friend of their father, who said "that horse is in a filthy state, you had better clean it up before I tell your father". The boys set to with the cleaning using some paraffin they had. Sadly, they still had the flare used in the tunnel lit! Next minute the horse was alight. They pushed the horse into the canal to put out the fire, resulting in a burned and drowned horse! They then had to "bow yank" (bow haul) the loaded boat to their destination .... and presumably explain everything to their father.

The Shireoaks water mill owner's son came back from Oxford University, but lost his teaching job through drunkenness, followed by losing his job working as mill overseer for the same reason. Later in life he lived in a cabin at Cabin Pond (one of the lock pounds above Shireoaks) and visited a different local lady each night, weekly, for his meal!

His great grandfather was blacksmith for Shireoaks colliery, and the terrace was built for the skilled men. Dawn Rose is now moored feet from the original colliery wharf, at Shireoaks Marina.

The devil was purported to live in the Shireoaks woods. a chap wanted to be buried at midnight in the woods. This funeral request was refused by several vicars until the vicar of Wales (the nearby village!) agreed to bury him at midnight, but only in his own churchyard...sadly, on the way to Wales with the coffin, it was dropped. The bearers ran away for fear of the devil. Next morning the coffin was found broken AND empty.

Eventually we started off in the sun, down the locks to Worksop, where we chatted with CRT staff trying to increase membership from 44,000 to 100,000.

We moored, had a coffee and shopped at the Priory Centre, so Min could visit Wilco's and the BHF shop. A boat actually passed Annie, heading uphill!
John took us out of town in the breezy sunshine, past Osberton Hall and Lock, amid pretty scenery. We moored a few hundred yards before the occupied new Ranby moorings we usually use. Liana won at Settlers of Catan, after another good meal.

Worksop Straddle Warehouse. They were reroofing the outbuildings to the right as we passed

leaving Worksop. the ornate pump house chimney top is visible aboive the bridge.

We seemed to spook the herd - all the beast rushed ahead of us

Osberton Lock

moored using G-clips before the A1 near Ranby. The boat ahead is on the 48 hour mooring bollards.

Wed 30 March Down 23 locks to Shireoaks

Min and Angela Palmer joined us for this trip, so we left our car at Clayworth and  all came to the boat in theirs. John backed Annie up to the bridge for loading, then went up to the tunnel to get a picture of Annie at the head of navigation.

Min and Angela Palmer. The blocked tunnel East portal is in front of Annie

The winding hole / feeder

Min enjoyed backing Annie to the winding hole. The canal here and above the locks is well kept and pretty, with lots of wild garlic.

Umnyama's home mooring?

Min steering, leaving Kiveton Park

The triple staircase top locks

The locks are in good order, but quite a few gates are a little stiff to move because of silt, etc: We thought dredging would help, as is the case along much of this lovely but shallow canal.

This low arch nearly took the coolie hat off the chimney on the way up

The staircase lock gates do not have the usual beams to walk across on, apart from the top gates, for some reason, causing more work.

... some people clamber across the bottom gates, despite the risk ...

Liana hitching a lift across the lock!

... guess who was losing at Settlers1

... that old perennial - converting the dinette into a bed. It's very comfortable , though.

Harebell and Annie both mooring overnight outside Shireoaks Marina. Laura's friendly café is at the bridge behind.

Shireoaks Marina is now fenced securely and populated: You can access the separate CRT water, wc and elsan facilities with a CRT key from the towpath, or moor inside for up to two hours. Friendly local boaters let us in the marina to dump some rubbish and have a chat in the evening sunshine.

Angela won at Settlers of Catan (Star Trek version!), well deserved after treating us to her excellent lasagne!

Going Uphill

Sat 26 March 2016 Blown uphill to Kiveton Park

Hmm .... do we REALLY want to go up 23 locks on an overcast, cool windy day? At 9.30, after a pause for thought, we set off up the Turnerwood locks to that pretty hamlet below the first double staircase lock. Again, good decision!

it wasn't just us going up the Turnerwood flight of locks

scenic gardens at Turnerwood

The ice creams and drinks are near the bridge at Turnerwood

Turnerwood

You can get a tasty ice cream and coffee at the little kiosk at Turnerwood, and shelter from the breeze in its little chalet! As it was still dry, we decided to go up the remaining fifteen locks, including two double and two triple staircases. Many of the locks are not too deep, so  John could hop off the boat and share the work, to speed things up, although we weren't rushing. We were lucky - the rain held off until we had moored at the top for  lunch at 1 PM, earlier than expected :) .

The narrows at Kiveton Park, where stone was loaded for Parliament

Looking back at Kiveton Park road bridge and the narrows by the station

The mooring near the winding hole, 400m before the tunnel

Fri 25 March From Ranby to see the Easter Bunny and Shireoaks Marina

Wow! The sun was burning our eyes out - what a BEAUTIFUL day! The weather forecasters said this would be the best day over the Easter holiday, and they were right.

Passing through Worksop, we spotted Tallulah 2 on her well kept new mooring. Her owner told us that she and her friend had bought it prior to us seeing her lowered into the canal at Forest Locks recently.

One of the mechanisms

on the outskirts of Worksop

disused Worksop pumping station

Tallulah 2 on her mooring

We moored Annie near the warehouse which bridges the canal, and walked into town.

Worksop Straddle Warehouse being renovated

Market day, again! Setting off later, we passed up eight locks to moor outside Shireoaks Marina. On the way, we passed the CCT trip boat and saw the Easter Bunny! We even passed two boats moving! A kind CCT volunteer showed Liana and I the new cuckoo boat at the marina and explained its features. We also popped in to Laura's coffee shop next to the canal bridge, which he recommended - good decision! Good coffee and delicious lemon cake in a friendly atmosphere: We will return!

Thur 24 March  From the Hop Pole through Retford to Ranby
After taking on water at the Hop Pole pub moorings, we left the CCT's Seth Ellis trip boat behind and visited Retford, which we both like as a small market town. In fact, the market was on, so we stocked up with a few bits and pieces. The large public spaces and parks around Retford are impressive.

Country mooring near A1 west of Ranby

Wed 23 March Aiming uphill ...

John had to have his blood test and see the dentist today - all was well, so we set off to Annie and our Easter trip up the Chesterfield Canal as far as we can go - to Kiveton Park, the current head of navigation, at least until the  tunnel is opened  (one day, hopefully). Cool, breezy with some sun meant wrapping up was a good idea!

Knees, holes and Grand Slams

19 March 2016 Work day at Retford & Worksop Boat Club

Yesterday was busy: Knee consultant wants me to have three injections a week in my knee, as two arthroscopies and a steroid injection still leave them throbbing - lucky boy! I have now lost 5kg on my Lenten diet, so this should help, hopefully.

Then it was Work Day at Retford and Worksop Boat Club, clearing tree branches and trench digging for water pipes, followed by watching the Six Nations Rugby. I had a look through the front weed hatch to see if there was any blockage, plus checked to see if there was a way to lubricate the hydraulic bow thruster - apparently not.

A pleasant evening meal with friends meant I was up at 6.30 to watch England beat a strong French team fairly narrowly to win the Grand Slam deservedly. We took our chances better than they took theirs, thank goodness! :)

Today I am Pontius Pilate in our Palm Sunday service mini-play (instead of the epistles): Promotion! I am usually type-cast as Barrabas (or is that next week ..).
Have a good Holy Week!

Boat Club matters, mending Annie and family visits and Lions- a busy long weekend

14 March .... a busy but fun weekend

Saturday 12 March dawned with us arriving at the boat on a beautiful, sunny morning. John got cracking fitting the new oil filter from Braunston, then added the fresh narrowboat oil without additives. The new air filter was badly needed. 50% glycol antifreeze/water mix finished the engine maintenance for the moment. Liana cleaned out the stove, cleaned the bathroom and read the newspaper, she tells me!

After a cup of tea sat in the sun on the towpath, enjoying the lovely Clayworth scenery, Sam's newly welded engine mounting bracket needed fitting. Stood one side of the engine, leaning right over the other side was ..... challenging! Removing the air filter and bunging up the hole helped, but the best rhings were my ratchet socket set with universal joint, plus ratchet spanners with hinged shafts (from Lidl or Aldi last year), which were brilliant in confined spaces. Mounting on, bow thruster pump fitted and belt adjusted, bow thruster working - hoorah! I must get at the front weed hatch and grease the bow thruster, next chance I get.

We watched the Six Nations rugby on the boat, then in the clubhouse with the crowd. England managed to frighten everyone towards the end, before we won. :)

Later, we attended the Awards Ceremony and Race Night there, which caused much hilarity from all in the full function room at Retford and Worksop Boat Club, where Annie is moored. Liana and I were awarded the trophy for Longest Cruise in 2015, for our 800 mile journey to Bath and back on Annie .... SLOWLY! Canoeing daughter Jo isn't the only one who can win a cup on the water! The target for this year? Yorkshire!

Liana and John receiving engraved tankard and award certificate from RWBC Chair John Redfern

We would have stayed on the boat, but went home, as John had to run the bell ringing at church in Market Rasen next morning, followed by serving, reading a lesson and giving out wine! We then dashed back for the Boat Club AGM at Clayworth - a very well organised event conducted professionally and with good humour.

A dash down the A1 to Newark and Nottingham followed, before watching the Scotland-France match and seeing Liana's mum, Flo, and our daughter, Rachel. That night, we played Settlers of Catan, at which I often get slaughtered by wife or daughters, but I won!

Dropped Rachel off at train station, visited sister Dianne and Ivan on the way back, so what about tonight? Well, I'm President of Market Rasen Lions Club this year, and it's their Business meeting tonight, shortly .... retirement keeps us busy!

....There's always a job .....

5 March 2016 Preparing for the next trips

I've bought narrowboat oil (without additives) and antifreeze, plus oil and fuel filters. We visited the boat on Wednesday, to service the engine and maybe go out ..... until I realised the extent of the damage to the bowthruster pump mounting. This is powered by a belt, in the same way as the alternators. This 1cm thick iron had fractured! Also, the mounting was welded to the engine mounting bracket, and it was this that had broken, so the front left engine mounting was not doing its job. John got down and managed to use our socket set and spanners to dismantle the two halves of the mounting bracket: My good schoolfriend, agricultural engineer Sam Howard, examined the break and diagnosed old fatigue fractures / cracks - the last bit had given way - so welding and added reinforcement should solve the problem, hopefully. I must open the weed hatch at the front and check and grease the hydraulic bowthruster itself, too.

The replacement oil filter turned out to have the wrong thread, 3/4" instead of 20mm: So much for Ebay. The air filter was filthy, so a quick phone call to Sam at Wharf Narrowboats of Braunston, Annie's builders, resulted in (hopefully the correct) oil and air filters in the post as I write!

Parcelforce have just delivered a new heavy duty Bosch drill to replace the worn out Bosch drill which has served me very well for years. It and the angle grinder should help me de-rust the gutters under the deck near the stern, ready for new coats of paint.
The engine compartment floor could do with a clean-up and paint, too. Cheap nappies are very good at soaking up water and oily gunge!

Finally, I must have a look at the stern gland and see if it needs new packing ...... there's always a job to do, but that's part of the entertainment!

Ebay can be useful - I've just bought an old copy of the Boating Association navigation booklet for the Yorkshire Ouse. I have the new photographic version, but prefer the old hand-written ones (we also have both old and new versions of the Trent Non-Tidal and Tidal booklets), which are more boater-friendly, in my opinion. Our intention is to travel down the Trent to Keadby Lock, then spend a sizeable part of the summer travelling to Sheffield, Selby, up the Ouse to York and Ripon, then possibly back and up the Aire to Leeds: Ambitious, but should be fun!