We drove up with another car load of stuff for the boat yesterday. This time is was largely clothes, bedding and food! I think we have enough food aboard to not go shopping for six months, so I'm not sure if Helen knows something I don't? The journey was fine, not too busy and once clear of East Yorkshire the drizzle stopped. That was lucky as the trip from car to boat is not a short leg and I didn't want everything to get wet.
I had soon transferred the contents of the car to the boat and then Helen had the job of finding somewhere to stow it all. It took her some time but she did in the end. Meanwhile I was doing all those little jobs that are needed to awaken the boat. Not that we really do much over the winter. My first job was to refit the throat plate in our stove. It had come adrift and I wasn't sure how to put it back in properly. As had had brought all the manuals back to the boat I could do it properly before lighting the fire. One back in place, and the fire lit, the boat soon warmed up.
The engine hole seems to be all okay, no water. The oil and water were fine. I even checked the fuel tank with a cane and could feel no sediment on the bottom of the tank and when I checked it with water find paste there was no indication of water at all. I will check the filters once away and a bit warmer I think. As we are on the electric I gave a good equalisation charge to the batteries and may give them another shot before we leave.
We got the bedding out and put away the heaters and other stuff under the bed. We got rid of some of the stuff that lurks under the bed and hasn't been used yet. It looks like my repair of the chimney collar sealant has worked as there seems to be no more water in the cabin. I took the deck equipment out to go back on the roof and give a little more room inside. I have placed the East Yorkshire flag back out on the swans neck and one or two other little jobs too. However I think I am already in relaxed mode and managed to sit and read the paper.
We are staying in the marina for a couple of days as I have to take the car back home and travel back to Rufford on the train. As there are many engineering works on the system over the Bank Holiday weekend I am coming back on Tuesday. Due to the possible snow over the Pennines on Monday I am going home Sunday evening so we have a day a part. Mind you Helen has given me a list of jobs to do whilst there.
Brother Neal with his van full of our clobber for our first ever season of boating in 2013. It is no wonder it takes us a couple of trips in our car!
I had soon transferred the contents of the car to the boat and then Helen had the job of finding somewhere to stow it all. It took her some time but she did in the end. Meanwhile I was doing all those little jobs that are needed to awaken the boat. Not that we really do much over the winter. My first job was to refit the throat plate in our stove. It had come adrift and I wasn't sure how to put it back in properly. As had had brought all the manuals back to the boat I could do it properly before lighting the fire. One back in place, and the fire lit, the boat soon warmed up.
Here we are backing out of our winter moorings in Thorne in 2014. The weather doesn't look too brilliant.
Speaking of warming up, I put the Hurricane heater on to heat the water and quickly take the chill off the boat. I'm not sure whether it is my plumbing set up or what, but after a long period of it being off it seems to take a couple of times of working before it shuts down when it is supposed to, ie when the room thermostat clicks off, or the water tank is up to heat. I think it is the three way valve really. It seems to take a few on/off changes and then it seems to work correctly.
Our winter mooring over 2014/15 was at Savile Town Basin in Castleford. The weather is looking better as we back away to start the adventures of 2015.
The engine hole seems to be all okay, no water. The oil and water were fine. I even checked the fuel tank with a cane and could feel no sediment on the bottom of the tank and when I checked it with water find paste there was no indication of water at all. I will check the filters once away and a bit warmer I think. As we are on the electric I gave a good equalisation charge to the batteries and may give them another shot before we leave.
2016 saw us over winter at Kings Orchard Marina, close to where I lived It is a good spot to have the option of several routes to start your cruising.
We got the bedding out and put away the heaters and other stuff under the bed. We got rid of some of the stuff that lurks under the bed and hasn't been used yet. It looks like my repair of the chimney collar sealant has worked as there seems to be no more water in the cabin. I took the deck equipment out to go back on the roof and give a little more room inside. I have placed the East Yorkshire flag back out on the swans neck and one or two other little jobs too. However I think I am already in relaxed mode and managed to sit and read the paper.
We were again close to Kings Orchard into 2017 as 'Holderness' was having a 'paint job'. Our first day saw us passing the Plough at Huddleford as we headed to Birmingham.
We are staying in the marina for a couple of days as I have to take the car back home and travel back to Rufford on the train. As there are many engineering works on the system over the Bank Holiday weekend I am coming back on Tuesday. Due to the possible snow over the Pennines on Monday I am going home Sunday evening so we have a day a part. Mind you Helen has given me a list of jobs to do whilst there.
The stove always brings a good glow in the boat and is always a welcome after a day on the tiller or lock wheeling.
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