Shell completed

Well I have just received the second stage payment invoice from The New Boat Company for the boat. The original contract was signed on the 15th November and this arrived on the 7th December. That makes it 22 days from the time of order to the completion of the hull. Take off four days for postage of the order to Liverpool Boats and postage of the invoice to me makes it 18 days for the hull from start to finish. That's not too bad I suppose for a 70 footer but they'd best get a move on with that engine, spray foaming and ballasting or I might be having words.

I have been transferring money between accounts today. Why does it take 2 days to electronically transfer money from one UK bank account to another? It's electronic. It's supposed to be instantaneous, that's the whole point. Don't get me started with the chequeing system and the five working days that takes. I can go to the hole in the wall and electronically withdraw money and it shows up in my internet banking instantaneously. I can log on to the computer and send electronic mail immediately. In the words of a fellow countryman, “Is it me”.

Our cooker has just died. It couldn't have picked a better time to go to that great cooker showroom in the sky. We're obviously reluctant to buy another as, since it's electric, will have no use for it on the boat. Lisa is wondering how we are to cook the turkey as the outlaws are over for Christmas lunch. Looks like it's going to be buffet. Maybe ply them all with wine punch and when they wake up we'll tell them they've already eaten it and they should really be getting home before it gets dark.

Act one Scene one

Well here we are then.

The plan is much the same as many others before us and in this respect it has all been done before. The time frame however is a little less than many of those same others would probably wish for. Thirty days to fit out a new sailaway 70' narrowboat to a habitable standard, move out of our existing home and move lock, stock and two smokers onto said boat. How difficult can it be?

The deposit has now been paid, the build slot is booked and any second thoughts will be expensive. We've only been planning it for ten years. I say planning it but we didn't really start planning until Easter 2007. Before that we were merely dreaming, talking, assuming and generally thinking about the possibility of the concept. When we were students the seed was sown when we bought an ancient Dawncraft 22 with our student loan (whoever said students weren't responsible with their funds). The Dawncraft saw us around the midland canal system for a good month or so. OK we didn't have running water, electricity, cooking facilities or headroom. But we did have a cat, an eight year old daughter, too much beer/wine and adventures aplenty.

When we ordered it from The New Boat Company they said that there aren't many orders made for sailways at this time of year for delivery in January. Really, I wonder why. I think I may be missing something. Not only that but we will have to sail/drive/navigate (delete as appropriate) to our home location. That should be fun.

The thirty days doesn't start until we get the boat onto the Ashby Canal where it will be moored. Hey. It's my blog and I'll say when it starts. OK.

The boat is due at the end of January and we now have a little bit preparation to be getting on with. I'll get some pictures on here when I have something to picture and work out how to do it all.

Toodle pip