Rain All Day

The last leg of this trip was from Braunston to Gayton. On the way I received a call from Gayton Marina to let me know the scheduled lift-out and blacking has been delayed a couple of days because the boats currently being blacked are delayed a couple of days due to the weather. It's been raining all day so I'm not surprised. Moored at Gayton 16 miles, 4½ furlongs and 13 locks

Home again

After a leisurely start we made our way up the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union again.

The dark concrete tunnel under the M1 is a slightly incongruous section in an otherwise green and picturesque rural arm of the canal.






















































Moored at Blisworth.

Total distance is 6 miles, 3 flg and 17 locks

All Clean

We've finished cleaning Syncopation. We made our way to New Bradwell in Milton Keynes before turning and heading back North.

We stopped for lunch at a busy Cosgrove where I carried out some repairs to the damaged hatch. With the aid of a 4lb lump hammer I was able to straighten the hinge back to near its original position. The hatch can now be closed with difficulty. I need to trim some of the lining away. It was always a tight fit, but now there is a clash of hatch liners and the hatch needs persuasion from outside to close.

Barbecue.






















Moored near Stoke Bruerne bottom lock.
Total distance is 9 miles, 2¼ flg and 1 lock.

Port Side Clean

I cleaned the port side this morning, then applied wax polish. This was after we had scrubbed the roof clean of algae and duck poo. They seem to have enjoyed perching on the cratch cover and the front end of the roof during the winter.

At lunch time we stopped near Thrupp wharf to wash the starboard side. Unfortunately we left the side hatch half open when we set off. It was at about 30 degrees. This was enough projection to catch on the side of nb Far Far Away as we left Cosgrove lock. Narrowboats don't travel very quickly but 18 tons have a lot of momentum even at 2 mph. Both boats rocked noticeably and there was a bang as the bottom hinge on the hatch door gave. We didn't notice the hatch was open until the iron trunk aqueduct as Wolverton and didn't realise it had been damaged until some time after that. The hatch would not close in the evening so we left it open (with the glass inner door closed).

Moored at Stantonbury.

Total distance is 9 miles, 2¼ flg and 1 lock.

Going South

After a winter laid up Syncopation is on the move again! We're out for the weekend. The aim is to have the boat in a fit state to be seen in public next week at Northampton.

Total distance is 3 miles, 5¾ flg and 7 locks.

Anchored at Anchor Cottage

We were woken by a boat wishing to pass us as we were across the cut because one of our mooring pins had come out of the bank. Luckily the pin was not lost as they are the type with a loop at the end that I always pass the mooring rope through the loop for just such a contingency.

We bought some diesel at Napton Narrowboats. Only about 30 litres as it seemed expensive at the advertised rate of £1.02 a litre. However as it turned out this was closely comparable to the advertised rate of £0.71 a litre we paid at Sovereign in Banbury. I'll digress a little here. Experienced boaters can skip to the next paragraph. Once upon a time red diesel for pleasure boat use was free of the government duty you all pay when you fill up your car. The EU decided to harmonise the duty situation and now we must pay duty on fuel used to move our boats. However, as a concession we don't have to pay duty on fuel used for heating and generating electricity for domestic use in our boats. But we all move our boats and heat and generate using different proportions of the fuel we buy. Most narrowboats use their engine for all three, in different proportions according to whether their owners are continuous cruisers, holidaymakers, residential or even gas free holiday boats like Syncopaion. As a rough guide somebody dreamed up the proportion of 60% propulsion, 40% heat and electric. When a boater buys diesel they must declare the proportion of their purchase that will be used for propulsion and thus attract 48.5 pence per litre duty payment. This is a legal requirement. I reckon we probably use about 50% for propulsion as we cook with electricity generated by the engine and this is what I declared at Sovereign wharf a couple of days ago, which brought the cost of diesel at 71p per litre to an average cost of £1 per litre for the 20 litres I bought from them. Napton narrowboats assume all boaters will declare 60% propulsion and this comes to £1.02 per litre. I'm not sure it is legal for a seller to compel all buyers to declare 60%. But they are probably within their rights to simply refuse to sell at a different rate.

After a collision with the day boat from the Mill House pub in Braunston (not our fault) we passed back through Braunston where half the crew jumped ship and headed home for a doctor's appointment tomorrow. The rest of us continued with me single-handing up Braunston locks. Luckily for me we met up with nb Hyperion whose ample and expert crew took us with them through the flight.

Braunston is a great place to see working boats as they often congregate here. Ilford and Ibex arrived just as we were passing through.




















We stopped just below Buckby top Lock, near Anchor cottage, site of the shop that sold the original Buckby can, still selling them today although I think today more of their turnover is due to ice cream sales.

Moored at Buckby Lock No 8

Total distance is 11 miles, ½ flg and 7 locks

Blogger Spotted

We stopped at Morrison's on the edge of Banbury for supplies in the morning and again near Castle Quay in the centre of Banbury for lunch. I tried in vain for a new boat hook at Tooley's chandlery as some light fingered individual lifted ours sometime around Friday last week. I was asked to leave Wilkinson's as well as I had a dog in tow (sorry Arrow) and had missed the sign on (or rather near) the door. Banbury also yielded some more fishing tackle as the children had lost the hooks from their poles in the bushes a couple of nights ago.
The day before yesterday Cathy asked me what Mortimer Bones looked like. She had spotted somebody matching the picture in Canal Boat magazine with a brown dog at Nell Bridge. I recognised the description and recalled Mortimer Bones blogging about the arrival of her Cropredy Festival tickets. As a result, I was on the lookout for narrowboat Bones as we made our way towards Banbury and spotted her this afternoon:




















I was aiming to top up Syncopation's fuel tank at Sovereign Wharf but as they only accept cash or cheque I was only able to buy about 20 litres because I wasn't prepared to traipse into Babury again to a cash point. I'll see if we can use plastic at a boatyard further north.


Moored Below Elkington's Lock.

Total distance is 8 miles, 6½ flg and 7 locks

Napton

All day we kept meeting people going north who reported heavy traffic ahead. When we reached to top of Napton locks there was a queue of 10 boats and there was a steady stream of boats passing.

The western end of Braunston puddle banks was nearly blocked by a sunken working boat and the equipment in place to refloat it.





















We set off in the morning following the motor Collingwood and butty Ash. As we neared Napton junction we encountered a boat across the cut. They had swerved into the trees to avoid the pair and lost a pole in the canal. The following boat picked it up and the following scene ensued. I looked as if they had decided to start a jousting tournament.























Moored near bridge 142, Oxford canal South.

Total distance is 19 miles, ¾ flg and 9 locks.

Braunston, My Favourite

We stopped at Braunston after a leisurely day making our way up the Buckby flight of locks and down Braunston locks. The tunnel light needed some fettling to make it shine as there was a poor connection in the plug connecting it to the boat. Single-handing up Grand Union double width locks is made much easier if there's another boat to share with.
I found a lovely mooring spot just outside the Marina at Braunston but Cathy needed us to move as she arrived with Dominic and essential supplies just after we had eaten dinner and delivery of said supplies would be easier near the road bridge. The boat is now 50% cleaned up outside after a couple of months neglect.
Among the essential supplies are the camera so there will be pictures from now on.

Moored at Brauntson puddle banks.

Total distance is 6 miles, 2½ flg and 13 locks.

Afternoon Start

We untied at 3PM and made our way North. This week the plan is to cruise the picturesque South Oxford canal. An uneventful afternoon with no locks, just the Northamptonshire coutryside, the M1 and the West Coast Main line for company. The machanical side of things seem to be holding up OK. We are missing some regular crew members; Dominic developed a migraine this morning as has stayed at home with Cathy to minister to him. They will join us in a day or so when he feels up to it.

Moored near Whilton Marina

Total distance is 12 miles, 0 flg and 0 locks.

Turnaround

We pulled the pins and left Foxton, heading back towards the south, disappointing the swans that approach every boat that stops there.



















There are no locks between Watford and Foxton, the meandering course of the Grand Union punctuated by tunnels at Crick and Husbands Bosworth. In all it takes about a day to travel this stretch so we have been without locks for two days, although we were able to look at the ten staircase locks at Foxton yesterday afternoon. We broke our return trip today at Husbands Bosworth for food supplies and at Kilworth Boat Services for diesel and water and to empty our toilet cassettes.

Near the turning for the Welford arm I spotted the rather lovely nb Zulu and although it is considered rude to peer into peoples' cabins it was hard to miss the fact that the interior of this tug style narowboat is decorated with replicas of old working boat name panels.

There was also time to polish some more brassware (boater's bling) on Syncopation. Here you can see a mushroom vent before and after cleaning:

Moored at bridge 20, Yelvertoft.

Total distance is 15 miles, 3¼ flg, 0 locks and 1 tunnel.

Short Stop at Berkhamstead

We made our way from Apsley through Hemel Hempstead, with a stop at the park in Berkhamstead for a play and ice cream.

Cathy finally got a close up of a heron. Normally they tantalise you and then fly off before you can get close enough to take a picture. This one stayed still long enough for us to get close enough for a good picture.













And here is Arrow crossing a lock gate:











Total distance is 6 miles, 2 flg and 15 locks

Moored at Northchurch Top Lock.

Back on the Grand Union

We're back on the canal system again. We went to look around Hampton Court Palace in the morning, having lunch in the Privy Kitchen cafe at the palace. There is a lot about Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace and part of it is the recreated kitchens of that monarch. Much of the food on display in the kitchen consists of pies and bread, along with fish and roast meat, together with food and cooking smells. In a brilliant piece of marketing you can buy a lunch of an authentic looking Tudor pie and a slab of bread served on a wooden trencher in the Privy Kitchen cafe nearby.




King Henry VIII's portrait












The King in person.







We had to go into the maze as well of course. When we reached the centre there was a lady giving out stickers to all the kids (big and small). We took the short way out from the centre rather than find our way back to the beginning as we had a tide to catch at Teddington lock, scene of the Monty Python Fish Slapping Sketch.

After leaving Hampton Court we continued downriver to Teddington and on to the tidal Thames for the transit to Brentford and the southern terminus of the Grand Union canal.



Stealth houseboats at Richmond










The origin of the phrase "Floating Cottage" (narrowboaters take note).







Working boat Falcon and butty Venice on the Thames at Richmond.




The rubbish and the smelly water were an instant reminder that we are back on the canal system again.

Arrow made use of his lifejacket for the first time, falling into Osterley lock as we were going up it.

Total distance is 11 miles, 6 flg and 5 locks.

Moored above Osterley Lock.

Windsor

After taking on supplies at Henley we set off down Henley Reach. We were overtaken by a large plastic gin palace at Temple Island just at the end of the reach. He was going too fast and almost swamped a single scull who shouted a few choice words about his ancestry. The rower following asked if we should not all have been in the other channel around the island but I checked my Nicholson's guide and it distinctly says take the channel to the West to avoid rowers. The sign at the north end of the island says all upstream traffic should take the West channel as well. Somebody neglected to tell the rowers to take the East channel.
I saw this floating stand on Henley Reach although the official Regatta site tells me the Regatta was on the last weekend of June.

There were still marquees in the process of being dismantled as well.

As we moved closer to London, the houses became increasingly grand and the boats larger.




We spotted this sign at Bray lock:



Total distance is 21 miles, 3¼ flg and 8 locks.

Moored at Windsor railway viaduct.

First Full Day on the Thames

We left Christchurch Meadow and headed south, passing through Abingdon. Moorings were few and far between at Abingdon. Our first attempt to moor did not go too well. You're supposed to be able to get of the boat after you've finished tying up. We couldn't fight our way out of the trees. As we were expecting guests for dinner we moved a little further away from the bridge and another less than optimal mooring but one on which it was at least possible to enter and leave the boat. We still had to make Jeremy and Fiona walk the plank before we could serve the dinner.


Also, the drive belt failed on the Travelpower, so cooking was done with the domestic alternator trying to drive the electric hob. By morning the batteries were down to 45% according to the Smartguage.



Total distance is 21 miles, 2½ flg and 7 locks.

Moored at Wallingford Bridge.

Another Evening Run

I moved the boat from The Cleeves winding hole down through two more locks to a position just above Pigeon lock. It was beginning to get dark when I moored up so the location was not ideal with soft bank and a narrow towpath. I had my doubts about the security of the position the mooring pins were in but couldn't really move to find anything better.

Moored at Pigeon Bridge.

Total distance is 3 miles, 4¼ flg and 3 locks

When 3/4 inch is not 3/4 inch

When I ordered the replacement hose fitting for the calorifier I measured the thread on the fitting to be replaced. I naively assumed that 3/4 inch measured across the thread meant it was 3/4 BSP thread. When the part arrived I found the existing fitting will nearly fit inside the new one which has an outside diameter of nearly an inch. Turns out 3/4 inch BSP thread refers to the internal diameter of the steel tube it was designed to be on the outside of. My fitting is actually a 1/2 inch BSP thread. I'll have to visit the chandlery in person tomorow to try to find a matching part.
If they don't have one in stock I'll have to decide whether to start the delivery cruise tomorrow with the calorifier disconnected or leave it another week and risk not making it to Oxford in time for the start of August.

Waiting for Bits

I'm waiting for parts for Syncopation. Two Sundays ago I started tackling a small leak on the Calorifier feed pipe (not the one that went last time) and found the same problem with the connector as I had on the other side. After nearly a week of faffing about I ordered the part from www.chandleryworld.co.uk and am still waiting for it to be delivered. It should arrive today. If all goes well I'll be able to fit it before Saturday in time for the start of the pre-holiday delivery cruise o Oxford.
I also decided to fix a very minor leak under the bathroom basin. Copper pipes and push fit plumbing don't go together well when the copper pipe has been cut square with something like a hacksaw in the factory. The bathroom tap hot pipe had damaged the pushfit pipe fitting o-ring and this developed a slow drip last Easter. I had to dismantle the cold feed as well to get to the hot feed and when I reassembled it after fixing the leak on the hot feed I found I have a leak on the cold feed. Now I have the parts to fix the cold feed (compression elbow fitting) and I'll fit that when I go to the boat to fit the calorifier feed pipe.

Party Flood

We threw a floating party for Siobhan's eighth birthday. We made our way up the cut from our mooring at Blisworth to the winding point at the top of Rothersthorpe locks turned there and went back to Blisworth. We stopped at Gayton Junction for a Pinata.



Here I am with the chinese dragon pinata suspended from the boat hook on the tow path. The greatest danger during the exercise is from young children swinging a stick. It is much worse if the child is wearing a blindfold - something we just had to try.

Alas, as we approached Blisworth again and after running three bowls of washing up water the cover on the freshwater pump cracked again, just like last summer. We're quite practised in the leaking pump drill now and the situation was under control in about 30 seconds. I think I'll be returning the whole pump under guarantee rather than just the cover this time.

Total distance is 3 miles, 6¼ flg and 0 locks.

Batteries

I brought the four domestic batteries home from Syncopation at the weekend. On our last voyage the batteries were flattened when we lost the Travelpower and then tried to bake a cake in the electric oven. I've run the engine for only a few hours since then and have been concerned about the batteries' state of charge.
I discovered that it's rather difficult to remove the batteries from thebox
they are housed in because it was installed before the frame that supports the engine room floor. To make life easier I think I'll have to make a door in the side of the box that I can remove the batteries through. It will need to be strong enough to stop the batteries falling out as well. I suspect I also need a new charger at home because the one I have takes more than 24 hours to charge a 110 Ah battery. At this rate it will take most of the week to charge all these batteries.