Boat Painting part 5

 Not much painting done today, but I did manage to put the white border around the fleet number that Jo repainted yesterday. 😊

We have been sorting out bird and bat boxes on site. 🐦🦇

Keith & Jo

Boat Painting part 4

 Jo spent this morning and early afternoon giving the cabin sides another coat of red and blue and repainted the fleet number.

This afternoon I repainted the gauging number. 😊

Keith & Jo

Boat Painting part 3

 This morning Jo rubbed down more of the cabin sides ready for painting. After lunch she started painting. I painted the blue area surrounding the gauging number. 😊

Jo painting one of the engine room doors

Jo painting one of the engine room doors

And after painting the blue around the gauging number

It looks better from a distance!

Keith & Jo

Boat Painting part 2

 This morning I touched up the sign writing, not that you can see from the photo, and throughout the day Jo has painted the bow and started on one section of the cabin.

You can see how much the blue has faded in the sun. 😊

Keith & Jo

Boat Painting part 1

 Yesterday Jo used the new wire brush cup wheel in our angle grinder to remove the paint from the front hatch lid, and also rubbed down the deck.

This morning she primered it 😊

Keith & Jo

New Bunker

 This morning Jo and I assembled our new bunker, and then filled it with stuff. 😊

Keith & Jo

Old Bunker has Gone

 This morning Jo and I broke apart our old bunker on the end of our pontoon.

Then fitted a new piece of decking in its place.

Finally I fitted the bird nest box which is going to have our telephone socket in it.

😊 Then it got too hot to do any more. ☀️🥵 

Keith & Jo

Bathroom Door, Firewood, and Old Bunker

 This morning I rubbed down the wood edge to our bathroom door and the door frame, then varnished them, whilst Jo started to cut up the wood we collected whilst out cruising. I helped Jo once I finished the varnishing.

Bathroom door edge varnished

One side of the door frame

Other side of the door frame

We then stacked the wood in our new log store.

Finally we emptied out the big bunker, ready break it up then we can install our new bunker.

A busy busy day, which we will finish off with a delivery from Totally Thai. 🍽️🍽️

Keith & Jo

Leaking Bullseye, and Final Mushroom Vent Refitting

 With the rain over the weekend we discovered our bullseye in the roof of the back cabin was leaking, so Jo resealed it. We then removed the 4th and final mushroom vent, ground down and drilled out the broken brass bolts, and retapped the new holes. Jo then applied some rust remover before painting it with red oxide paint. We then had a cup of tea whilst the paint dried before putting sealant on and refitting the vent using stainless steel bolts. Just needs painting once the sealant has gone off. 😊

Bullseye resealed

Mushroom vent removed, bolts ground and drilled out and retapped, rust remover put on

Painted with red oxide paint

Sealant applied and vent bolted down

Keith & Jo

Stern Bearing Remote Greaser

 Busy day today, this morning I rewired the battery charger which we use to charge the starter battery when running the generator, and fitted a new fuse holder to replace the faulty one. This afternoon I fitted a new remote greaser for the stern bearing, the other in the photo is the one for the stern tube, just need to fill it with grease and get the air out of the tube. 😊

Keith

Time to do the gardening.

 

Hi Everyone.

Having been out boating for 4 months, we came home to a jungle in the way of our garden. Why is it the weeds never die, but flowers and plants do? Anyway, it was time to tame the garden and get it into some sort of order.

I made a start on our second day home.

Time to fill the wheelbarrow. It was going to take quite a few full wheelbarrows to tame the garden, but hey I love a challenge.

There is a garden under all the weeds. 

Tonight, I got out there and did some more. The path really needed clearing, because people walk along it, so that was my task this evening.

Yet another full wheelbarrow, but very satisfying.

Hey presto, we can now see the footpath.

It is beginning to look better already. 

Jo

Hatton Top Lock, to Saltisford Arm

 A good run down Hatton locks today, with thanks to Chris who came and helped us down, and we met up with nb Meerkat halfway down which made life easier for us both. Safely back on our mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

2½ miles 21 locks in 2hrs 35mins. what3words ///crowned.unit.author 😊

Hatton top lock No.46, with Chris helping us down

Looking back at lock No.44 from lock No.43 with the Hatton locks café in view

nb Meerkat, who we shared half the locks with

Back home on our mooring, we have moored this way round as we have paintwork to do on this side

Keith & jo

Tom O'The Wood to Hatton Top Lock

 A brief dry run to the top of the Hatton flight this morning, now moored at the top of Hatton locks. Lunch at Hatton locks café, no beer. It did start to rain when we got to the café, and it has stopped and started ever since, but we do need it.

4 miles 0 locks 1 tunnel in 1hr 25mins. what3words ///neck.releasing.strut 😊

Approaching Shrewley tunnel

Towpath work on the other side of Shrewley tunnel

Now moored before the top lock of the Hatton flight

Lunch at Hatton locks café, no beer just coffee

Keith & Jo