First step

Met with Ben and Kelly Harp today to make the initial payment. They were down at Stafford Boat Club where he was painting his latest build - and very smart it looks too. Jealous or what? - but it'll be our turn soon. Planning to meet up at Bluewater in the near future to discuss the hull build, and Ben tells us that he has already ordered our 'Beta in a box' as there is a six week lead time. We are like kids waiting for Christmas.

In the begining

Well after years of planning and saving, things are starting to come togeather on the boating front. We have a lease on a mooring at Pillings Lock Marina on the GU just south of Loughborough. Now all we have to do is get a boat.

After a lot of looking, checking, proding and poking, we found Ben Harp who has agreed to build us a narrow beam dutch barge based on a Bluewater Boats hull. First payment for steelwork should be sent off next week when NS&I get round to divying up some cash, for the start of work at the begining of April. ( Can't believe it's happening after all these years of dreaming.)

After nearly losing a dog in a lock after it pushed through the bow doors an a hire boat we decided the dutch barge style was best suited to us.

I'll upload plans etc. when I figure out how this blog works 'cos at the moment when I try to post the plans it comes back with an error message.

Ah well - cracked it by converting to jpeg but managed to get it stuck at top of page - keep trying boy.