nickcred
Well-Known Member
Hi All
We set off for our annual week away on the boat on a week ago Wednesday, having identified where the water in the bilges was coming from two days before the planned escape. It was a small split in a seal where the steering arms went through the stern to the stern drive. After discussion it was decided that provided the heaviest weight (my wifes clothes lol) was kept to the bow of the old girl, the seal was out of the water anyway under normal conditions.......more later. The weather outlook was great as we set off.
From our new base we are only a couple of relaxed cruising days from Byron, so made sure he was around for a cuppa and enjoyed the scenery on the river, when the sun is shining the real beauty of our country even stops my family asking for a holiday abroad
We arrived at Byrons' in the evening sun and was great to catch up with "uncle Byron" as the kids call him
Our quest this year was to actually get to Osney Bridge, having only ever got as far as Abingdon due to pub distractions in previous years.
The boys enjoyed the weather, swimming and flying kites, playing football and doing without X boxes, computers, just some water, a ball and some music was all they needed
We spent a couple of nights at Abingdon, then ventured up to Osney, trying to avoid being speared by pole fisherman, got to the bridge and turned around to start the journey back downstream.
Moored at Pangborne Meadow overnight and as the 25th was our 19th Wedding anniversary we planed a leisurely lunch at a riverside pub or restaurant. Awoke to the pleasant sound of water trickling away and then realised the boat was a 8 inches lower at the stern than when we went to bed. Lifted the engine cover and got that sinking feeling, literally lol. The boat engine bay was 10 inches deep in water, untilised the purchased for this panic bilge pump and a bucket and spent two hours getting the water out of the boat. Made a few calls and got the family sat on the bow and headed down to Reading Marine where they had ordered the part to come in the next day and promised to lift it and fix it by Wednesday afternoon. I grabbed a taxi leaving the now lunchless anniversary wife to empty out the boat and headed back to Temple to get the car. 30 mins in the taxi and then headed back, problems on M4, A329 and the early campers traffic at the reading festival meant it took 2.5 hours to get back, deep joy.
Came home and got a call next day saying the old girl is fixed and floating Nick, deep sigh of relief and then realised I would have to go through Reading on Saturday morning to collect her. Surprisingly the latest trial in our boating life has not put the ever suffering SWMBO off and we are looking forward to a weekend on the boat (or in the traffic in Reading) I have a feeling the anniversry lunch is going to be a more costlyt event than planned
Wish me luck
We set off for our annual week away on the boat on a week ago Wednesday, having identified where the water in the bilges was coming from two days before the planned escape. It was a small split in a seal where the steering arms went through the stern to the stern drive. After discussion it was decided that provided the heaviest weight (my wifes clothes lol) was kept to the bow of the old girl, the seal was out of the water anyway under normal conditions.......more later. The weather outlook was great as we set off.
From our new base we are only a couple of relaxed cruising days from Byron, so made sure he was around for a cuppa and enjoyed the scenery on the river, when the sun is shining the real beauty of our country even stops my family asking for a holiday abroad
We arrived at Byrons' in the evening sun and was great to catch up with "uncle Byron" as the kids call him
Our quest this year was to actually get to Osney Bridge, having only ever got as far as Abingdon due to pub distractions in previous years.
The boys enjoyed the weather, swimming and flying kites, playing football and doing without X boxes, computers, just some water, a ball and some music was all they needed
We spent a couple of nights at Abingdon, then ventured up to Osney, trying to avoid being speared by pole fisherman, got to the bridge and turned around to start the journey back downstream.
Moored at Pangborne Meadow overnight and as the 25th was our 19th Wedding anniversary we planed a leisurely lunch at a riverside pub or restaurant. Awoke to the pleasant sound of water trickling away and then realised the boat was a 8 inches lower at the stern than when we went to bed. Lifted the engine cover and got that sinking feeling, literally lol. The boat engine bay was 10 inches deep in water, untilised the purchased for this panic bilge pump and a bucket and spent two hours getting the water out of the boat. Made a few calls and got the family sat on the bow and headed down to Reading Marine where they had ordered the part to come in the next day and promised to lift it and fix it by Wednesday afternoon. I grabbed a taxi leaving the now lunchless anniversary wife to empty out the boat and headed back to Temple to get the car. 30 mins in the taxi and then headed back, problems on M4, A329 and the early campers traffic at the reading festival meant it took 2.5 hours to get back, deep joy.
Came home and got a call next day saying the old girl is fixed and floating Nick, deep sigh of relief and then realised I would have to go through Reading on Saturday morning to collect her. Surprisingly the latest trial in our boating life has not put the ever suffering SWMBO off and we are looking forward to a weekend on the boat (or in the traffic in Reading) I have a feeling the anniversry lunch is going to be a more costlyt event than planned
Wish me luck
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