Iced in again (just like everybody else)

It's got beyond a joke now. This is the third week we have been iced in here with a short break of four days when we could move (so it's not really three weeks at all). Many of the liveaboards have migrated to the few water points in the area after the last freeze. We were not so bright. I go and get two containers of water every day and this keeps the water tank more or less filled.  nbAtlas came through the day before yesterday but I wasn't around to see it. It's a deep draughted boat but I'm not sure what difference that makes, whether it's easier to punch through or not. It's now stopped at the Sutton Cheney water point. Possibly desperate not to get caught out.

I'm busy trying to empty all out stuff from my workshop/back cabin as this was where it was all placed for the holidays and for the benefit of our visitors. I need to start generating income again. Tomorrow I have to disassemble and rebuild our double bed several inches less wide and several inches higher to allow our storage boxes to fit underneath and to allow a better clearway down the side. All my spare timber has been cut up for fuel for our stoves. This wasn't really my choice as I like to keep spare timber around for odd jobs but I will just have to buy it as I need it as I don't have the space for spare.

It was quite cold last night. Indeed, so cold we had to turn the Rayburn up a quarter of a turn. I don't hear anyone saying the Rayburn is too warm for a boat at the minute. I'm sure there are some who are really quite envious although, I'm also sure that they won't be admitting it. Open that hatch, it's far too hot in here.

Lisa is now back to work but Terri is now here for a couple of days enjoying the benefit of her own room. She has been on the same materess since she was born and it is very comfortable. The bed itself started as a bunk bed but was cut down to a single and finally cut down again to fit in the boat.

Water at last

We reached Sutton Cheney yesterday afternoon after another boat made their way passed us and we decided to follow them to Sutton Cheney. On arrival we filled with water and had a chat with Allison on Gosty Hill who said that Iain was out with another boater to deliver diesel and coal to other boaters along the Ashby in the other boaters van. The ice was surprisingly much thinner than the day before.

I'm not sure who you would trust come the apocalypse, but fellow boaters are a fair bet.  I would say that this is the best of humanity, that boaters are reacting to the potential distress of others they do not even know and that this help was the action of compassion by those larger than life characters who care about their fellow human beings. Well done Ralph on nbAnnabelle who was driving his van to deliver the fuel.

Life always feels better with and empty toilet and a full water and fuel tank and no rubbish aboard.

Stuck again

We tried to move today as it looked as if it had melted a little and two boats had left our mooring and had made their way successfully to Market Bosworth and back. But we were facing the other way and had to go to Sutton Cheney Wharf. We made it about a kilometre, followed by nbDestiny before coming to ignominious end after a very difficult passage. The ice was four inches thick at places so we abandoned the attempt and may try again tomorrow if we can. We are currently moored some distance from the bank as we cannot get closer.

I'm not surprised that Gosty Hill abandoned the attempt. I was just a  little ambitious or possibly, a little stupid.

Stuck

We've been stuck here in the ice for two weeks and going into the third. Gosty Hill (the local coal boat) just couldn't make it any further and winded at Sutton Cheney Wharf before they reached us and everyone else further on down the Ashby. We feel abandoned by humanity and have been left to our own devices by society. Diesel is ok but toilet and water have to be transported by car. The five day weather forecast is not looking like we will be moving very far for the next week. The two week weather forecast is hardly any better. We'll see.

It's not such a bad thing as there is a bit of the old Dunkirk spirit around here with boaters passing info down the line, getting coal for those without vehicles of their own and shopping for the same.

The outlaws and Terri were here for Christmas dinner and very successful it was too. All cooked on the Rayburn with not so much as a cross word. I say that but, later in the evening, after much drink having been consumed, the central heating reservoir overflowed and I shouted at Lisa not to over-react as I was over-reacting to her anticipated over-reaction. She was being uncharacteristically calm and caught me unawares. Anyway, I was in the wrong again.

There has been a spate of liveaboards having their cars broken into around these parts, tyres let down and even in several occasions, cars set on fire. It seems that liveaboards are being picked on at the moment. Probably just kids and us feeling a little victimised but slightly worrying all the same. Even more so since none of us can go anywhere at present.

We met another set of narrowboat boggers in the Red Cow in Market Bosworth this afternoon. They were Graham and Jill from nbArmadillo who, on hearing our tales of woe discussed with another couple who walk the towpaths, introduced themselves as fellow abandonees moored at the Market Bosworth moorings. At least they've got a water point available to them but no car. Proper Constant Cruisers I believe. i have added them to my boatroll.

Parenthood, ice and moving

We have now moved lock, stock and smoking barrels into our 'new' bedroom on the boat. That means that all the rooms now have the purpose they were designed for on my original plan. The final job before Christmas is to build the Belfast sink unit and tile the kitchen with the slate. Lisa is away for several days next week in London so I can get on with this without having to bother having to clean up for her return every evening. She usually arrives back and has no idea what an uproar the boat has been in during the day.

There may be a little bit of carpentry to do yet but you get the idea

The only thing we now have to do for the arrival of the outlaws is to buy the food and remind ourselves that the shops are only closed for one day. We are, as usual, refusing to acknowledge the near existence of the day by not putting any decorations up until absolutely necessary. Although Lisa, having a penchant for twinkly things, has placed some newly bought red lights around the inside of the door. I'm slightly worried that there will be men of dubious character hanging around outside.

I got fed up with the time this one was taking to upload but it was just the inevitable 'Look at me, I'm iced in' shot. (Ohh! It's done it now)

Our plan is to set off for Shakerstone at the (almost) end of the Ashby to enable the outlaws and Terri to have a drink in the luxury of a pub before all descending onto the boat for food and more drink, although we may have to rethink all of that if this cold snap continues and we are unable to move. -6 outside and +25 inside thanks to Dusty Rea (Rayburn's new name apparently). If we're iced in, that's the way it will be. We're having Christmas here. Well, frozen ground means no mud so it must be a good thing.

Terri was up around these parts visiting her friends the other day. Not us. Oh no. Not the ones who put up with her and looked after her for twenty years. I got a phone call in the morning and she told me to meet her at Halfords so as I can replace an indicator bulb for her before she returns to London. "Have you done it yet. I've got to be at work at twelve". Ho hum. The perks of parenthood.

More building

I have now built the final bulkhead so as to make our own bedroom at last and so Terri can have her own room on her very rare visits (and our day room at other times). It has to be done before Christmas day as the outlaws are coming for their annual free scoff. Sponging bar stewards. Terri will also be here so there will be a full house (boat). I have run out of large pieces of ash faced ply and have used t&g. I think it will be better as I can scrumple it in my workshop. Today I made the door in a typically rustic cottage style. At least rustic is what Lisa calls it. I'm not sure if that's an insult or not. I have yet to complete the rest of the decorative woodwork so it may look a little better sometime down the line.

New bulkhead. You are standing in my bedroom. 

Do you mind?

My space in the workshop has been cut in two and cutting eight foot lengths of timber are a real problem. I have to turn my band saw so as the back end of the timber is through the bedroom and start the sawing process. Half way through I stop the saw, hop it around and startthe other half with the timber facing a different direction. It's all a bit of a faff really. I've convinced myself that it will be a lot easier when I have got rid of all the ply lieing around but I'm not entirely sure that it will be.

 My workshop's looking a little smaller than it was

I think that I will work out a method of having the band saw at the same height as the side hatches so I can have the timber out through one hatch, put it through the saw and it will emerge through the other hatch. Hopefully there will be no ranblers walking past as it emerges otherwise it may become a health and safety hazard.

I just need to find a home for all this lot. Shouldn't be a problem really. There's loads of room on the boat.

The boiler in the Rayburn has a small leak and I have to refill the expansion tank on a regular basis. Still it should be ok until March or April when I can turn it all off and fit a new boiler. I wonder it Alistair Darling will give me some money off a new one. Fat chance.

I'll try to be a little more frequent with the blogs in future.

Plumbing and passing bloggers

I've been filling the pipework for the last couple of days. I honesty didn't know where the water was going. There were no leaks, no joints weeping, no puddles on the floor and no jets of water soaking everything. It takes a long time to fill as it doesn't seem to want to enter the system at any great speed probably due to the pipe beginning at 15mm and going up the 28mm through the intermediate step of 22mm. It has bee gurgling away merrily, usually at three in the morning.

The problem was that I didn't take into account the size of the boiler in the Rayburn and 28mm pipework holds an awful lot of water. I assumed that the boiler was much smaller than it actually is.

Derek and Dot from Gypsy Rover appeared today on their way back to Market Bosworth to post a letter. Seems like a long way round just to post a letter although they may have other things to do. The last time I saw them was when I was on my initial 30 day fit out, they turned up and Derek spent several days helping out with the spray foam removal. That was much appreciated at the time. It was good to see them again although I had missed them the last time they were up this way several days ago.

Rayburn fully working (hopefully)

All installed and pipework in place

It's all up and running now. First lit at 1615hrs today and hopefully it will not go out until April (if what I've read is correct). I finished the plumbing today after getting hold of the expansion tank. The system hasn't been filled completely yet as I didn't fancy finding leaks this evening but will fill it tomorrow. However, I put some water into the pipework and it certainly traveled around to the towel rail so it may work after all. More tomorrow.

I know. The plumbing is a little dodgy

For anyone for an eye for plumbing, it looks a little haphazard but it was the only way I could think of to get the slope for the gravity fed system, the existing fitting couldn't be shifted and, anyway, I'm not a plumber. If I was a decent plumber, I'd have charged myself fifty quid an hour (with a hundred quid call out fee) and be speaking Polish .

We actually cooked our first meal on it this evening and it was roaring success. Quite literally, a roaring success. It all became a little hot and the little water I had in the system was bubbling away making a dreadful noise. We have now set it to the night time settings (again theory) and it has settled down nicely.

As for the negitivity from people prior to installation; it is heavy but not too heavy, it is greedy but not too greedy, it is inefficient, but not too inefficient and it is hot, but not too hot (saying that the hatches are still open).

 We may revise that in the not too distant future.

Flue fitted

Holes cut in roof, roof collar fitted, flue fitted and cemented in place and some cosmetics completed. The plumbing is proving a little harder and long winded. 28mm pipework is difficult to work with as I'm geared up for 15mm plastic piping and this stuff is copper and it's also extrordinarily expensive.

Also I haven't got hold of an expansion tank yet. Thirty odd quid from Midland swindlers for a water bottle with a radiator cap. Possibly tomorrow. With a bit of luck, it may be finished tomorrow. Yea, 'course I will.

Rayburn installed

At last the Rayburn is in place and semi-cleaned up if not plumbed in yet. It took six men of various ages, some of whom I thought wouldn't get off the boat alive due to possible cardiac arrest. All survived and left my boat without my need to knock up a pine box. There was too much going on to take photos. My framework, that I had lovingly made up for the Rayburn to rest on so it would be above the lip at the door, was eventually found to be too tall as I hadn't measured to the top of the flue box. We had to do a bit of wrestling.

 

Note the cut down broomsticks to move it.

 

That's it. In position. A bit of cleaning and derusting to be done.

Tomorrow I have to fit the flue pipe and cut the hole in the roof for the roof collar. I've done it before for the other stove so with a bit of luck, it shouldn't be a problem.  Then again... Tuesday it's the gravity fed pipework to the towel rail. I have my doubts as to how that one will work.

Armour plating

Armour plating

Over the last couple of days I've been playing around in the toilet (according to Lisa). I have, however, been laying tiles on the toilet floor. Well when we bought them we thought they were tiles (that's what was on the label). The Welsh have a lot to answer for. I don't mind taking the Mick out of the Welsh and all things Welsh but it seems that they are having their revenge. What we have actually bought is Welsh slate and it's made of hardened steel.

The start

When we saw it, we thought that I had all the tools and bits and pieces for laying 'tiles', and I did. The problem is that Welsh slate is not ceramic but is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism (Many thanks to Wikipedia for that). To the unscientific amongst us that means, 'dead 'ard'. After breaking all my tile nibblers, cutters and saws I resorted to the angle grinder with a stone cutting stone. The back of the boat is now covered in a fine dusting of black Welsh slate.

Look what it did to my grinding wheel (old one against the new one)

That's not a bad job. A bit of cleaning and polishing and that's it.

Look at the way it effortlessly curves around the shower.

I bought four 12v batteries the other day and they have transformed our lives. You forget the difference good batteries make to your megre existence on the canals.

Winter's here

Her: "It's a bit chilly tonight."
Him: "It is indeed. We'll be wearing jumpers in here soon before long."
Her: "Is that window closed?"
Him: "No, I'll just close it. There is a bit of a draft from somewhere."
Her: "I think you'll need to turn the fire up."
Him: "Ok. How's that."
Her: "It's still a bit chilly."
Him: "I think you're going to have to put that jumper on."
Her: "I'm sure there's a draft from somewhere."
Him: "No, it's just winter's arrived."
Her: "There definitely is still a draft from somewhere. It's as if the front door's open behind the blind."
Him: "Damn."
Her: "What?"
Him: "It is. Wide open."
Her: "Idiot"

Oh how we laughed.

Scoff and cratch

We've found a little gem of a pub around these parts. We lived locally for seven years and have been on the boat for the last 18 months but last night was the first night that we have had a drink in the White Swan in Stoke Golding. I vaguely remember reading a blog from  others who found in before us and thought it was a scary local's pub. But the food is fantastic and the prices unbelievable. £3.50 for the biggest plate of faggots, peas and chips you can imagine. Not only that but all locally sourced and home cooked. Just our barra'. And right next to Duck Corner as well (you'll know where I mean when you arrive).

The other night we had an Indian meal at Simla Peppers in Market Bosworth and it was also fantastic although four times the price of the White Swan.

Today we were out and about and went to the local tent and caravan emporium. Jackson's of Arley is one of those shops that has expanded over the many years it has existed and sells all kinds of bits and bobs, nik-naks and widgets and wadgets related to camping. For the narrowboater it has many useful items including all the fasteners that hold a cratch cover in place all at a quarter of the price of a chandlery. We were looking for some cheap material to make a template cratch cover for our front deck. We bought the material from one of the small businesses associated with and co-located with Jackson's, Temple's Tent and Awning Repairs. Rob was very helpful and supplied us with what we were looking for and suggested the material for the finished item when we get around to making it even thought I broke one of his electrical connections.It looked brilliant and different from most other boats use. Just what we want.

Further to my last post, I've just spoken to Ian and Alison from the Gosty Hill coal boat and they has just fired up their newly installed Rayburn. They rave about it and sing it's praises with gusto. That is a relief. Another positive review.

Rayburn, not

There is a big space where the Rayburn should be. It has been delivered but unfortunately the person that I had lined up to place it onto the front deck is too busy until next weekend. It is frustrating as we now want to get it all up and running and start cooking on coal. We would also like to find out if all the doom mongers that say it's either too heavy, too warm, too inefficient, too greedy on the coal, too old etc are correct or I am. Not a single person that has been negative has had one fitted to their boat but any stuff I've read about Rayburns on boats that was written by those that have them fitted, has been positive.

I've also heard that narrowboats are cold and damp in the winter.

BW have been round for their bi-annual check of the waterways. You can always tell as the person doing the checking was not a BW employee checking boats in the middle of nowhere where, usually, BW employees fear to tread.