Showing posts with label CoverIt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CoverIt. Show all posts

Friday, 21 February 2014

2014 - Hurricanes and Engines

Here we are eight weeks into 2014 and it has been somewhat of a learning curve again. The cratch cover is worth its weight in gold as it has rained, at some point, every day since the first of January. We have had a virus, which ended up with both of us having a severe chest infection and resulted in us having 1000mg of penicillin a day for a week to shift it. It also meant we were three weeks in Marple, as we were too weak to steer the boat. 

We moved, once we could to Hawke Green and we experienced our first Storm Force Winds aboard Gracie - interesting though, that when we came to move, the wind had pushed silt and mud against the bow - just as well boats are up and down the canal or you'd never get through. But when winding Gracie had an altercation with a tree and so we have a hole in the bow window (currently mended with gaffer tape) until weather is fit to get it repaired. 

We have had fun with NB Gracie, we ran out of diesel and so had to bleed the engine. Upon opening the cover we discovered the bilge full of water owing to a small washer, which had perished. Now she is sound and dry, but it would seem every cloud has a silver lining and missing the coal boat (the excellent NB Alton, run by Brian and Ann Marie McGuigan, was that blessing in disguise, as left she would have sunk!

Also, need the electrics sorting as the Bilge pump isn't working and bizarrely, the horn. We think that the wires have shorted due to the water coming in and so are in the process of getting an electrician to come and look (Don't mess with electric.)

I am getting a bicycle, so beware on the tow-paths, cyclist will be coming through! I aim ito cycle to New Mills and get the bus to and from work. In the summer, aiming to cycle to work if I can (and get rid of this tummy!) - the hills may defeat me!

Oh and now,just in case we forgot - it's raining again!


But her is a photo of me and Ann Marie gunwale dancing at Christmas. 

Saturday, 13 July 2013

Pleased to say we have a residential mooring at Freedom Boats in the middle of Macclesfield, not far from the Railway Station - the Universe is conspiring to make things happen. We have arranged with CoverIt to have both a Cratch Cover and board built over the bow and a fold-down Pram Hood over the stern 

This will give us the extra room we will need to dry wet dogs, as well as the ability to go under the bridges on the Macclesfield Canal (low,so you need to fold the hood down)
We have the contract signed ready to drop off at the solicitors and now we await a completion date after the 10th August - i hope the weather holds whilst we bring Gracie up from Chester to Macclesfield - although rain would be truly a baptism - in more ways than one!

Chris is excited to go to Norway next weekend for Theresa (his youngest daughter) and Steven's wedding - the ceremony is in a place called Valle and looks beautiful - they are marrying in the open air next to the lake called Honnevje (resting place) and then using a farmhouse called a Nomelandshus. The forecast for the wedding is 24C & sunny and it looks as though Chris is going to have warm weather while he is there. I wish I was going; but when we booked it we hadn't sold the house and logisitics of cats/dogs and selling a house was a bit much - we have agreed that Steven and Theresa will come here for a holiday and we will repeat the wedding for the family here! 

Then we have the delights of an ATOS Assessment ( so the govt will continue to pay his MI Stamp) and hospital appointments on his return to see if they can get rid of the kidney stone using Lithotripsy to break the stone up in his left kidney and so that he can start life on the boat with a little more energy. At present, he struggles to walk anywhere or do anything - although yesterday he made a fruit cake and it is very nice!

Things to do before we move

  1. downsize the kitchen - do we NEED 3 casserole dishes!
  2. go through the cupboard in the dining room
  3. do car boot sales - we have stuff stored in a garage so will get that gone
  4. find homes for furniture or arrange to take to the tip (not much left - bed, chest of drawers, dining table and 2 settees)
So if anyone knows anyone who wants anything let me know

Links below: 
 http://www.freedomboats.co.uk/contact.html 


http://www.coverit.co.uk/