On the Garantham Canal

Nothing to speak of on the T-A front over the past few days – it’s just too cold to risk doing any varnishing. At least the weather is fairly dry at present so we may be able to get on the garden soon.

Most productive time has been spent with the lads on the Grantham canal getting ‘Three Shires’ ready to launch for Easter.

Any way after being serviced, blacked and otherwise titivated she was craned back in at Denton today.

First run was up to the winding hole where  ‘Mudlark’ is moored to see that everything was OK

With a gentle cruise back to Woolsthorpe

Well perhaps not so gentle as a lot of the way we were playing ice breaker.

The clocks go forward in two days and we have still got ice – I don’t believe it!

Dry Days

Yippee!!!

No rain to speak of yesterday so popped down to T-A just to see if everything was OK. All fine and the dehumidifier seems to be doing its job, pleased at how little water had got into the wheelhouse despite not yet having a proper cover, still waiting for more predictable weather so we can arrange to have the sheets off and get the new canopy measured up.

In the afternoon it was cutting the last of the hinge rebates and doing a bit of sanding on the wheelhouse parts.

Another dry day today so all the bits came out into the yard and were put together to check for fit --- and they do. Blimey it even looks straight.

It is quite a bit heavier than the original being some 20Kg more due to the double glazing units which are 3.5Kg each and even though they are toughened safety glass I thought it wise to add bars just in case anyone were to fall.

The bars fold back for cleaning and glass removal if required with 6mm thick rubber pads at the base so that water will not be held under the arms to cause problems.

The only problem today has been that the glue under the pads has not gone off due to the cold so they’ll need to be re-stuck.

The shuts themselves fit cleanly over the frame lip so fingers crossed everything will be watertight when it comes to testing. Karen is insisting that it is me that sits under there when the hose is turned on.

The only woodwork left to do is fit the ash lining on the inside and the window furniture..

It’s good when a plan comes together, especially when it is a make it up as you go along job like this one and it all started out as this.

The whole lot has now been disassembled ready for varnishing, two coats before and two coats after the rebuild.

On the gardening front the ground is still too wet to do anything and we are now over a month behind. In frustration Karen is experimenting with onion sets planted in trays in the hope that it will give them a head start. Last year was a poor crop and this one isn’t off to a good start.

The next person to do a rain dance gets shot! J

Frustration

Not a lot of blogging lately purely because there is not much to record.

A couple of days down at Woolsthorpe with the GCS helping to get Three Shires ready to go back in the water before Easter.

All the parts for the skylight are made but I want to get some varnished before assembly so the is no bare wood under hinges etcetera.

The only trouble is that it is too cold or too damp to get the paint brush out.

The vegetable plot has had a first run over with the rotavator to scuffle the ground up a bit but it still requires a good deep run to break the ground up into a fine tilth.

Every blooming day we seem to be confounded by the weather. It’s the middle of March and look at what we have got.

Worst of all we have run out of bird food, didn’t think to get any more so late in the season.

Bah, humbug!!!! L

Party On Down

Seems to have been nothing but parties over the past couple of weeks.

Firstly it was a trip out to see lock 14 dewatered on the Grantham Canal as part of the survey for the proposed restoration of locks 14 &15.

Even auntie Beeb came to see.

Then down to Kettering for a lovely meal with some of our (very J) old friends at Franks. [ducks quickly]. Followed a few days later with a very nice joint birthday celebration dinner with brother.

Work party last Friday and there were boats flying everywhere.

Mudlark the new dregger taken to Denton wharf and launched

Centauri out for inspection, seemed a good idea while we had the crane.

No problems found even though she is an old girl.

Three Shires  out and returned to Woolsthorpe for blacking and general repairs

Another work party today saw Three Shires hull cleaned down and blacked. Fenders off for treating and prop removed for repair.

On the skylight front progress is slow but progress none the less. Shuts are about finished and I now have the double glazing units ready to fit. The glass fits beautifully flush with just a 1mm gap all round for sealant so I am really pleased with that. The only problem at the moment is that I decided to go for bar top or dovetail hinges to mount the safety bars over the glass. (The idea being that the bars could be raised for cleaning but held securely in place.) The rebates for this type of hinge is a lot more complex that the norm so is taking a lot longer to do.

On the home front Karen is getting plenty of seeds going in the kitchen and greenhouse and she tells me we need a new cold frame. The rotavator has been set up and serviced ready to go. Compost has been spread and this year I’m experimenting with using sawdust and wood shavings as compost also, got to get rid of it somehow as there seems to be an awful lot.