Mobile connection now working

Well this is the first posting to the blog using my mobile phone via Orange pay as you go GPRS/3G service much slower than the home broadband facility but hopefully as I get used to it I will be able to get it to go faster. Its only taken me all day to sort it out, but it has been a productive day special thanks though to the boys at the Boatersphone Company

Count down to the off

A busy time even though retired - Christmas Day was spent on the boat in the Marina as we needed to visit family on Boxing Day which needed an early start, so in the end had 5 chilled days doing just a few jobs.

We purchased a 1 metre square top box from Wharf House Chandlery before Christmas which I have now painted grey to match the roof which will be taken up to the boat at Easter, hopefully large enough for all the bits and pieces that we cannot fit inside the boat.

I have now purchased my new laptop - an Acer 5920 and a pay as you go SIM card from Orange so that I can connect to the internet via their GPRS £1 per day service. I plan to use this method to start with as I only intend to update the blog a couple of times a week and also for general enquires, see how it goes. All I have to do now is to get them to talk to each other and then the internet!

Anne is now on countdown with only 42 working days or 8 Mondays until she leaves work!
(I have now checked spelling and it is OK to send !)

Toilet gauge sorted

During October/November I manged to spend eight days on the boat sorting out the jobs I have been putting off. All the paint touch up work has been done and I have cleaned and put Rylard's Incralac on all the outside brass bits. A few people have recommended it so I thought I'll give it a go and see how it performs over the winter months.

I have also with Keith from the marina sorted the Tank Watch gauge which is now showing empty again. Following a good pump out and flush through,Keith removed the gauge from the tank the smell was not bad at all. There was a build up round the mid level sensor that looked like calcium. That was cleaned off and the sensor put back and all is well. We have always used Odorlos holding tank fluid which is a product from the USA that is now available in a lot more outlets and does really appear to keep the smells under control.

New blogg layout

The new blogg layout is now on with a few useful comments actions back in October. Hopefully the entries will be a bit more regulary as we start planning for our first long trip

Update

We are getting ready to overwrite this site with the real thing

Details of Black Bess

Black Bess is a 50ft trad fitted out by Stowe Hill Marine on a Reeves hull and delivered in May 2004. She is fitted out for Anne and I to cruise in comfort with the occasional visitors using either the blow up bed or the convertable chairs in the saloon. She is a low line tug style with all portholes and powered by a Beta 38 and is black.

Retirement has arrived at last

Well it has finally arrived and I find myself no longer working. Its really strange for the last 44 years I have had a daily purpose now I have to decide what I am going to do - really scary -but I am getting used to it. Jobs round the house are getting done and I am starting to plan our first trip away starting next April. Its off to Llangollen a long slow way over 3 months cannot wait. In the meantime its time to draw up a list of all the things that need doing on BB the first is to get the toilet holding tank gauge working again something I am not looking forward to.