Hallelujah!

We’re out of the dry dock and back on our mooring!    Confinement in a marina is one thing but confinement in a dry dock within a marina is …… even worse!  However, as far as dry docks for liveaboards go, Crick must be amongst the best.  At least there’s some natural light, all facilities are at hand, some grass is very close by, you can get TV and Internet reception and there’s no noise or mess like you get when it’s all part of a working boat yard.  I’m still very glad to be out of there though and that it’s over for another two years or so.  That’s the accepted recommendation for boats being blacked.  This time our front anodes needed to be replaced as well but they are the originals so have lasted 15 years!  For non-boaters who know nothing of these – they help to protect the hull from electrolysis.  Boaters talk glibly about ‘this blacking business’ because obviously, they know all about it but again, for non-boaters:-  

Every couple of years or so boats need to be taken out of the water – either by being craned out and put ‘on the hard’ or by going into a dry dock which is like being in an empty lock.  You float in and then the ‘plug’ is taken out so that the boat ends up sitting on supports.  The slime and bits of loose paint or rust which inevitably build up under the water line can then be pressure washed off and the hull checked over.  The hull is then re-protected with at least two coats of a bitumen-type paint.                              

 

Noel and Carolyn have recently taken over the running of the dry dock at Crick.  They are a lovely couple and have done a really good job for us.  We have also had the bands at the back re-painted.  John has coated all our rope fenders in cuprinol and ………… they are now definitely a shade of ginger!!!!

Whilst we have been in there it’s all been happening outside in readiness for the big boat show which is taking place this weekend.  Marquees have been erected, grass cutting seems to have been non-stop and boats have been arriving either by water or on low-loaders.  There seem to be quite a lot of wide-beams being exhibited this year.  Is this an indication I wonder that more people are choosing to live on boats as house prices are now so high?  Traders are busy delivering their wares.  I met one guy who said he’d been driving backwards and forwards countless times from Middlewich. Surely he just needed to acquire a bigger van??

Now, I know it’s nearly June and it’s ridiculous but ……. we have re-lit the fire!  It’s so cold!!  I’m beginning to think that traditional English Summers really are a thing of the past.   The outside of the boat is really dirty again so now we need to get her washed, polished and generally tidied up before our esteemed guests arrive for the weekend.  Sunshine – PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE can you indulge us all and make a significant appearance!  I’m off now to clean windows and sort out plant pots!  xxoo