Quick trip into Braunston in good,bad,good and bad weather days

The last few months have not been very good and we only managed to get up to the boat for a few days this week to check her out and go into Braunston. We left the marina on Sunday afternoon and cruised just a short way to moor at bridge 103. We moored just behind nb Nutshell with Viv  and Julie who we last met on the K&A in 2010 and they were waiting for Steve and Jan on nb Quodlibet who were also on the K&A. We had a very pleasant time together in mixed sunshine and heavy showers.

 

We all went our separate ways on Tuesday morning-ours was an appointment with Justin at JG Marine at Braunston Bottom lock. We had gone over something on the Ashby Canal which had lifted the boat up as we passed over it. The tiller then appeared to vibrate more than before.

Justin duly checked it over and nothing appears to be seriously wrong just wear in the top bearing and some in the bottom cup bearing.Providing it doesn't get any worse it can wait till the next blacking at the end of 2013.I will just have to keep my fingers crossed.

 

 

 

 This boat cruised past us several times when we were mooed up and it moved very gracefully and sounded lovely. Its nb Pelican an old Icebreaker that had an engine fitted and converted to cruising in 1950

The local boys in the marina- just a thought -could they be employed by the marina to keep down the reeds from growing again.

Black Bess in CRT launch video

 

When we came down the Hatton flight in June we were filmed entering the second lock by a crew from the new Canal & River Trust PR team. They were collecting material for a launch video to go out on the 12 July 2012. We shared the locks with nb Sheer Madness ,Mervyn on helm and Sophia on the paddles. I have now found the You Tube video and we are there with HRH The Prince of Wales. Click the above CRT link to view it.