Power at last!

Tuesday 5 June

We were up in good time to greet another day that looked like it might improve later. There were two Canaltimes moored on the water points at the top of the flight, but we were able to get round them to get within reach of the tap. By 8.15 we were watering, only to discover we’d left the hose connector on the tap last time – this happens about once a year, and we’ve stopped even trying to work out whose fault it is. We keep a spare one in the toolbox for when it happens.

Half an hour later we were on our way down the staircase, Sheila locking and me steering. For those who don’t know it, Foxton is a steep drop down two five-lock staircases in succession, with a passing pound half way down. Boating into the top lock at Foxton is like boating off the edge of the world. As you go into the lock, you can’t see anything of the canal ahead, just a distant horizon.

We made good time down the flight, aided by the lockie, who lives on a Braidbar, Finisterre, moored on the offside at the top. Well before ten o’clock we were down, and stopped on the services point at Foxton Boat Services for diesel at a reasonably priced 50p per litre. This is where we are due to meet Sam Matts tomorrow to get the TravelPower fixed, we hope. Sam wasn’t around today, so couldn’t confirm the arrangement.

After filling up, we pulled a bit further on to some visitor moorings for the night. In the afternoon, Sheila carried on with her crochet, sitting out on the towpath in the sun which had managed to break through. I improved the shining hour by blacking the Squirrel stove with special stove paint. Over the three years, the stove has gradually got to look a bit grey, with some rusty scratches on the top where I put kettles and saucepans.

I even blacked our new stainless steel chimney, so that it looks a bit more authentic. The really trad thing to do it to keep the brass bands polished on the chimney, but we’ve never managed to find the knack for that.

Having finished painting everything, the stove needed to be lit, as its heat will cure the paint. It gave an opportunity for some secure destruction of stuff like letters which might be used for identity theft if we just put them in the recycling.

Whilst doing this, I also caught up with the blog and cooked some chicken legs in the oven to have with salad tonight. Who says men can’t multitask?

Wednesday 6 June

I was sufficiently anxious about the outcome of today’s assault on the TravelPower that I didn’t sleep that well last night. At about 8.30 I trekked around to the boatyard to look for Sam, but he hadn’t yet turned up. I hung about for a bit, then realised that there were recycling bins by the nice new sanitary block, so I went back to the boat to get out stuff for recycling. Sheila and I then walked back round (it’s about a five minute walk from the moorings to the yard. BW have put in a new swing bridge, reinstating one that was there many years ago, but for a variety of reasons, it’s kept locked open during the day.) Having dumped the recycling we managed to meet up with Sam. The reason for hanging around until today was that a guy from the manufacturer, Electrolux, was supposed to be visiting, but guess what, he’s not coming.

Anyway, Sam told us to pull back and tie outside two other boats outside the yard, leaving just about room for other boats to get past. We did this, but by that time Sam had been called away to deal with something else in the yard. This is not unusual in boatyards in my experience – you can spend a lot of time hanging about waiting for the relevant bloke to be available.

Meanwhile, Sam’s dad, the yard owner Tony Matts, decided to crane in a boat right where we were all moored. So the whole trot of three was pushed across to the other side of the cut, completely blocking it, while the crane was started up and a huge tractor slowly backed a trailer containing a small restored Springer into position.

Eventually all was ready and the Springer was hoisted into the air, the trailer pulled out of the way, and the boat lowered into the water. Then one of the yard’s own hire boats was pulled into position and lifted out onto stands. By now Sam was back, and he came and started work on the TravelPower. I’d always heard good things about Sam from others who’d used him, and I can see why. He was that ideal fitter – not only did he involve you in the work, but also explained what he was doing as he went along, so that the whole thing became a learning experience.

After about 45 minutes of testing and telephone consultation with the guy from Electrolux, it became apparent that the problem was indeed the brushes, as forecast by Beta Marine a week ago. Sam popped in a new set (it’s not difficult) and off we went. In future I’ll get in a replacement set when these ones have done about 4000 hours, and change them myself. Sam also gave me a free lesson in tensioning the domestic alternator belt – he’s that kind of guy, who enjoys nattering about engines and passing on those hints, tips and wrinkles which make all the difference to the ease with which you can look after them.

After all this we pulled forward onto the visitor moorings again and had a latish lunch. In the afternoon we ran a wash load, demonstrating that the system was back to normal, and I added the cruising plan box to the side of this blog. A certain amount of dozing followed, and in the evening we walked round to the smartened/tarted up Foxton Locks Inn for a meal – it’s a while since we’ve eaten out, and this seemed a good excuse for doing so.

It’s a chain pub, of course, but a good example of the type, with decent beer and well cooked and reasonably priced food.

Coming next... Marimpa again, and not at all grumpy this time