The return of All Gold

[Gavi]

Nice to see her back

It was busy on the river in Staines last night, though some of the mooring was a bit greedy of space!

All four of us had good meals at The Swan and excellent service. Perhaps things there are looking up.

 

[rr_123]

Indeed she's back, and very happy i am too (c:

That pic must have been early in the evening, we pootled up round Church Island and on up to Bell Weir, came about there and went back and moored at the Slug for a pint and some, actually very edible if slightly formulaic, food; then wandered over for one in the Swan (very, very good London Pride).

Having had a fairly civilized Friday, went up to Bray (Where All Gold performed sterling service as a tug for a couple with their two young 'uns who had run out of electricity just above Boveney lock; not sure whether the (lovely) couple viewed 5 lads drinking beer and introducing themselves to the kids as pirates as their "knights-in-shining-armour", but their choices were few, and for us it was worth it just to see the kids waving us goodbye and timidly saying "bye pirates"). We turned at Bray Lock and came back for a night on the beach at the Brocas in Windsor.

I must say that all of the locks that we went through were looking as florally magnificent at they ever have, and it has been a REAL pleasure.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

How was the recovery and return from Chichester Harbour? More importantly, did you do any more exploring round the Solent?

 

[rr_123]

bit of a sore point that; have been v.busy working, so haven't even seen the boat since I left it in Lymington - couldn't seem to find the time/inclination/crew to coincide with a free weekend to get down there, so hadn't moved to my "free" mooring in Emsworth.

As she was clocking up mooring fees, i thought i would bite the bullet and pay to have her recovered (even though i now have the trailer and tractor), so I got a "professional" to bend the rudder for me...

I'm trying to be pragmatic, and have managed two evenings out and Sat afternoon/Sun Morning, so have used her (bent rudder and all) more in the last week than I have in the last month!!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

>>>
so I got a "professional" to bend the rudder for me...
>>>

I trust he is going to get it straight agian!

 

[rr_123]

Indeed he is!!

It isn't the end of the world, and before he interferes with it I wanted to use it a bit to make sure that that is the only problem - appears to be so far, and we did manage to turn a boat of similar proportions (I think it was a Birchman or a Freewood, not quite sure) around in the lock cut above Boveny lock.

Interestingly there was hardly any prop walk in reverse when she was a catamaran, which was initially quite awkward as I was rather relying on that at the time ... (c;

 

[BG1]

Passed you Sat afternoon at the 24hr mooring by Eton boat house on our way down to Windsor. You must have been pirating then. Thanks for the wave.

 

[rr_123]

Love this forum; when I started messing about on the Thames it was just me and the other boats, now you can "meet" everyone too (well the ones savvy enough to utilise the forum...)