A chat about paint

Friday 17^th April; Astwood Top Lock to Tardebigge flight above lock 33

We started a little earlier than usual as we wanted to to call in at Crafted Boats at Stoke Prior at about 9 to discuss a repaint.

This is the third swan sitting on eggs we have seen in less than 24 hours

There isn’t much space at Crafted Boats at the moment, and we had to breast up against a recently built boat which has a permanent mooring there – or will do once the wharf has been extended.   The owner helped us tie up and Aaron came out to have a look at Bonjour.  We have to choose between a full repaint – windows removed, back to bare metal etc – which would be £15,000 plus, or something less thorough.  We had a lot of questions, which he answered very thoroughly.  As we don’t live aboard and are unlikely to keep her for long enough to recoup the cost of a full repaint, we will probably go for the cheaper option.  That’s something we will have to decide in the next few weeks.

The first lock of the day, Stoke Bottom lock, wasn’t much further on.  After a brief pause to dispose of some rubbish we continued up the rest of the Stoke locks, mooring opposite the Queen’s Head, just below the Tardebigge flight.  It was early enough for a cup of coffee before a relaxed lunch.  And decision time – the forecast was for rain within the hour, but not much of it – and it would take us a bit less than that to get up the first five locks of the Tardebigge flight and moor on the handy length of piling above lock 33.  Before we did I went to check that the space was free – and there was a boat coming through the bridge behind us.  Were they going to moor up?  As I came back down they were entering the second lock and yes, they were going all the way up this afternoon.  By the time I reached the bottom lock, Dave had already cast off and was on his way.

Tardebigge bottom lock

I had my windlass with me so got to work, and it took just 50 minutes to ascend the five locks.  They are pretty easy.  It did rain, but not heavily, and we were soon moored up.

The only mooring on the Tardebigge flight

One of my Christmas presents was a windlass holster from CraftyBird.  It is made from an old welly.  I tried it for the first time yesterday on the Hanbury locks, thinking I could ask a volunteer what would be the best place on your belt to put it.  But the one I asked had only just got his, and was having to work it out for himself as none of the others had the same design – so I would have to do the same.  This is what I decided in the end.   

 

It is straightforward to use (as long as you aren’t wearing a waterproof) and doesn’t get in the way when you lean on a balance beam to open a gate.  It also means you have two hands free for negotiating lock gates.

Soon after we had stopped the rain got a lot heavier.  Dave and the dog got pretty wet on their walk but I stayed on board.  I did think of the two chaps still on their way up the flight though, I hope it wasn’t too unpleasant for them!  The sun came out later and it was a beautiful evening.  Cold though, so we lit the fire.

11 locks, 2¼ miles