The Back Cabin

Hi,

This episode is going to be a bit of a mixture,we’ve got photo’s of Chyandour with her back cabin partly fitted out after the last time we saw her on Wednesday 16/05/12,some more photo’s taken by John and Mick on Friday 25/05/12,and a few photo’s of our recent holiday on the Llangollen & Montgomery canals on Kingfisher,a Traditional style  narrowboat,from  http://www.bettisfieldboats.com/index.html.

After we set off off on our journey back home on Wednesday the 16th John and Mick at http://www.kingfishernarrowboats.co.uk/ continued fitting her out,so here are a couple of photographs that they took of Chyandour on Friday the 18th.

The one on the left is the framework that I mentioned on our last blog,that will support the back cabin floor.The photo’ on the right is the bulkhead between the back cabin and the bedroom,the space to the left is where the steps down into our boat will be.

The following pictures are the ones I’ve pinched from John and Micks build blog on their website,If you care to check it out you will get a few more photo’s and a better description of their efforts.These were taken on the 25th.

        

The one on the left shows the steps taking shape,there will be a small amount of storage beneath each one.The picture on the right is where the control panel and engine controls will be fitted.We will stand in the hatchway and be able to hold the tiller and reach the controls as necessary.

Now that brings us to our holiday on Kingfisher (strange how that name keeps cropping up),on the Llangollen and Montgomery canals.We’ve been on the LLangollen before but this was our first time on the Montgomery.Both are beautiful canals,with excellent views and,of course the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.We started off from Bettisfield on Saturday the 19th,and it was cold enough for us to have the central heating on in the evening,but,by the Monday,the temperature had shot up and we were in a heatwave.We got to Llangollen by the Sunday evening,having crossed both aqueducts,the unpronounceable one and the Chirk.Here’s a couple of pictures.

The one on the left is our approach onto the Chirk aqueduct with the tunnel at the far end and the railway viaduct to the left.The picture on the right is of the Pontcysyllte with the towpath on the left,the canal in the middle,and the sheer drop of 120 feet to the right.Trust me,it isn’t a bad experience,and as far as I know,no-one has gone over in 200 years 

Below are a couple of pictures we took while on the Montgomery for a couple of days.

The one on the left is the Pound between two of the locks on the Frankton flight ,you can see the garden of a house next to the pound and one of the locks is in the centre.The picture to the right is part of the canal.The ones below are of the LLangollen.

The left hand one is a view you get from the Pontcysyllte and the right hand one is looking east after the Chirk aqueduct,the railway viaduct is in the distance.I just had to include the pictures below,the left one doesn’t really require an explanation,just to say that it was in a garden on the offside of the Llangollen just before the junction with the Montgomery at Welsh Frankton,heading west.The right one was of a bat,asleep,clinging to a fence post in the middle of the day,as we walked along a footpath on our way back from a walk we did near Llangollen Town.We walked along the unnavigable stretch of the canal to its source as a feeder for Hurleston  reservoir,called Horseshoe falls,and then followed the footpath signs to Valle Crucis Abbey.It was as we were returning that Lisa saw the bat.

       

And finally two pictures of Kingfisher,she’s a lovely boat for two,with everything you could want on board,and she was spotlessly clean,a real credit to Nick and Emma,the owners.

On our last evening we moored opposite the services at Ellesmere and decided to walk into town for a little liquid refreshment,purely to prevent dehydration you understand,when we saw,moored on the arm,Cats Whiskers.She is the boat that had the buildslot prior to ours at Kingfisher.It was a very pleasant surprise to see Rodger and Pat and we just had to have a glass or two,just to be sociable of course.You can view their blog on http://thecatswhiskersnb.blogspot.co.uk/. All in we had a truly exceptional holiday,the weather improving from the Monday onwards was the icing on the cake.We will be back to these canals again in a few years,but there are so many we want to see it will be a while.It will be three months until we are back afloat again but we have the build on Chyandour to enjoy in the meantime.

That’s all for now,we are going to see Chyandour on Monday the 28th so there should be enough material to do an update next weekend.

The fit out begins.

Hi,

We went round to Kingfishers on Wednesday this week after dropping off a load of belongings into self storage in Long Eaton.Lisa has worked wonders over the last few weeks sorting through things and packing things.She’s sold off pretty much all off everything that we will no longer need when we get aboard Chyandour.We haven’t had a telly for a week now,and I could get used to it,but we are going to get a smaller,LED telly for when we get afloat,’cos,Lisa,aka SWMBO,insists. What couldn’t be sold and was no longer of any use we have skipped or given away and the paperwork has taken about three days to shred.Isn’t it amazing just how much paperwork we keep,just in case.We are hoping that the long awaited paperless society will suddenly arrive and we can get by with just a laptop.So everyone,if you want to get in touch,then email us,thankyou.

Ok,back to Chyandour.I have to admit that I don’t want to leave when we are with her but Lisa says we are holding Mick and John up so she drags me away,kicking and screaming.Things are coming along nicely now,her lining is being fitted and it’s getting easier to visualise where things will be.Mick showed us where the bulkheads will be between the compartments,so we could se where the bathroom,the galley and the lounge will be.We haven’t really changed things much from our original ideas,occasionally we have looked at changing something but after a bit of discussion with John & Mick we have mostly gone back to plan A.They are more than accommodating with our ideas but we have always felt that others can see things that we ourselves don’t always see,we’ve fitted bathrooms and kitchens but never built a boat.From what we’ve seen,John and Mick have a rough idea of what they are doing,so it’s probably for the best we let them carry on.

We set off early on Wednesday,about five in fact,and when we had got fifty odd miles away,almost to Glasgow, I remembered that we had forgotten the cameras.Fortunately,we have camera phones but they don’t always take a good picture,but we managed to get a few presentable ones so that I could update the blog.Pictures are ok but I like to touch,she is a real thing under my fingers which no photograph can ever convey.

                

The photo’ on the left is Chyandour as we approached on Wednesday,the steelwork,just outside,is going to support the floor above the engine in the back cabin.The photo’ on the right will be the view we will have when we first sail her away from Kingfishers.There will be a few bits and pieces on the roof by then though.

                          

The one on the left is of the engine,a Beta 38.It’s a marinised Kubota engine,keel cooled with twin alternators.Mick has his foot on one of the pieces of steelwork that was outside on the first picture.The one to the right is the inside of Chyandour from the stern,some of the wiring is being installed and some of the lining is fitted.

                                      

Inside again,this time from the bows,the boards for the lining are waiting to be fitted.

Well that’s all for this blog I’m afraid.We are away tomorrow for a relaxing week on the Llangollen Canal.We’ve hired from  http://www.bettisfieldboats.com  it will be nice to get away from the stress of packing and moving.

Not a job I would want.

Hi,

As the title says,here is a job that I wouldn’t want.We went down to Trent Lock on Friday to see how Chyandour is coming along and,as you can see from the photo’s below,she is coming along nicely.John and Mick have been busy fitting the battens and then taping them ready for the Sprayfoam.That brings us to the reason for the title.The guy doing the spraying has done a lovely job but the conditions he has to work in are something else.He has to wear a full face mask with an air supply and after a while he starts to suffer from “snow blindness” as a result of looking at the white Sprayfoam on the sides and the roof.Fortunately,Friday was a cool,wet,miserable day,so he didn’t have to work in an the “oven” that un unlined steel tube could become on a nice day.He applied the foam to Johns requirements and then,with his dad,he trimmed the excess,removed the tape and cleaned up.Chyandour is now ready for the next step.I have to say that,so far,I am more than impressed.

The two photo’s above are of the Sprayfoamer (do you think that’s a job title? I don’t know his name and I had to call him something) hard at work and then in discussion with John.

Above are of Chyandour prepped ready for the Sprayfoam on the left and after she had been Sprayfoamed and cleaned up on the right.

After we had had a good look over Chyandour being insulated we were introduced to the couple who have “Cats Whiskers”,the last boat to be fitted out by John and Mick.It was a pleasure to meet Pat and Rodger and to see how they are getting on in their new “home” a semi trad with reverse layout.Sadly the weather had restricted them a bit but they were looking forward to it improving so they could get off on their travels.Hope they have now got away and are cruising up the T&M.

We also had a good chat to John and Mick about various bits  and pieces,nothing of any concern,I should add,other than,that is,the correct spelling of Chyandour.

Thats all for now,I’m afraid,the next update will be after we get some new photo’s from the lads at Kingfisher.

Fingers crossed that the photo’s I’ve posted stay in the position I’ve put them.

Another bit done

Hi,

Only a little bit to report today,but as always I need the practice so I will do my best.Chyandour is coming along nicely,(going to have to remind the lads at Kingfisher,who are fitting her out,how her name is spelt though).They are very kindly posting pictures of her progress on their build blog so I then pinch the photo’s and put them on here.Unfortunately we aren’t able to get to see her as often as we would like at the moment,to take our own photo’s,but that is something we are working on.While we are at Trent Lock we do keep John and Mick away from their work anyway,so it’s probably for the best we are far away.They make a nice cup of tea though.

                                       

Above is John fitting her floor so that next week the sprayfoam insulation can be done and her engine can be fitted.That’s about it for today I’m afraid,but I will have a bit more for next week ‘cos we will be down to see her to take loads of photo’s.Fingers crossed that this comes out how I would like.The last post was ok when I previewed it but when I posted it the photo’s moved.

A bit more done

Hi,

We hope everyone had a good Easter,I worked,but then,someone has to do it.We got a few pictures from Mick at Kingfisher Narrowboats before the holiday so I thought I would do another short update.Chyandour looks even better with the windows fitted and a holding coat on the cabin.The Epoxy two pack blacking has been finished and she’s looking a treat,it’s hard to imagine that three months ago she was just a piece of steel plate.John and Mick have done the ballast as well so she will be sitting lower in the water now.

Right,here are a few pictures of Chyandours build since January.

The two above are a couple of the first steps in Chyandours build at XR&D.

                                   The bow and stern take shape.

She’s outside now and in the photo’ on the left she’s being shotblasted ready for the Epoxy two pack,to protect her hull.

On the truck at the Sheetstores Basin and being escorted by John to the slipway ready for launching.

                                                                         

                            

The top two are of Chyandour in her holding coat and the bottom one is her ballast.Looking good.

Just an update.

Hi,
This is just a little update on Chyandour to give me a bit of experience in writing a blog.Still learning you see,so i need all the practice I can get,specially putting pictures where and how I would like them.Windows Writer makes it easier ‘cos I can edit or save the draft a lot better,I do like to mess about with things till I get them right,O.C.D.says Lisa.
Anyway,back to boats.John and Mick at Kingfisher have finished the boat they have been working on.They’ve handed Cats Whiskers over to her proud owners a couple of days early so Mick has kindly let us know that they will be starting the ballasting of Chyandour in the next few days.Lisa and I have spent some time browsing tinternet for ideas and prices of various bits and pieces.How did we manage before this wonderful invention?
The fabulous weather we have all had over the last week has us wishing we had our boat now instead of October,but it will be worth the wait,I know.Keep hoping that all boaters out there are going to have enough water this year as well.
Right,let’s have a go at some more photo’s.These are just a few of the hundreds we’ve taken,but I really do need the practice at inserting them in the blog.                                                       

These two were taken on the Rhine in 2006,on the left is the Abel Tasman preparing to leave the lock after us and on the right is Britannia,the boat we were on,a slightly larger narrowboat that cruised up and down the Rhine.

The couple above are of Snowmane from Chas Hardern in April 2008,another family holiday,this time on the Llangollen.On the left,going over the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct and moored in the basin at Llangollen on the right.

A couple we took in August 2008 on Canaltimes Coneleys Thunderdome,I think that was the name,where do they get them from I wonder.Above left is Hawkesbury Junction and on the right we are on the Ashby.This was a holiday we had with family,two weeks on the Ashby,the Coventry and the Trent & Mersey.
 

The above four were taken in November 2008 on Summer Wine from Norbury.Top left is at the Black Country Museum,thats us on the left,a great place to visit and moor.Top right is Autherley Stop Lock,bottom left is Stretton Aquaduct and bottom right is the Double Culvert bridge 40 on the Shroppie,fascinating bridge,the telegraph pole no longer has wires on it.

The above photo’s,and the last ones for now,were taken by Lisa as Chyandour was put into the water at the Sheetstores Basin on the Erewash.Thats Mick on the stern checking everything is ok.

The beginning

Hi,This is how we started out on a narrowboat life.

We started with our first hiring from,dare I say it? Canaltime.Thanks to the great people at Sawley we got excellent instruction on locks and steering and as soon as the instructor left us,we forgot the lot.Those first few days in November 2007 enabled us to make some of our mistakes without a huge audience,and believe me,we made mistakes,but still had a great time and couldn’t wait to get out again.Over the next four years every holiday was taken on a narrowboat.We hired,and made some mistakes,on the Shroppie,the T&M,the Rochdale and the L&L.We hired from Chas Hardern,Shire cruisers,Claymoore,Hapton Valley and Norbury Wharf.We cruised the whole of the Shroppie,the T&M,and some of the BCN,the Cheshire Ring,the Four Counties and the Llangollen.Sometimes just myself and Lisa and other times with our family.Each time we had a wonderful time,whether in the summer months or November to January,our favourite time to be cruising.We’ve had some great boats,met some lovely people had some lovely times and have seen only a fraction of the things we hope to see.Neither of us has fallen in,yet,though Lisa has come close.

                                 

                                      

A couple of the boats we have hired.Top is Summer wine from Norbury Wharf in Birmingham and bottom is Beeston Castle from Claymoore at Worsley.

In 2011 we decided to go for it and get our own boat,we looked at dozens of boats,some nice,some not so nice,but none that ticked all the boxes.Having fitted bathrooms and kitchens myself we didn’t want to have to do a great deal to a boat once we found a suitable one.In the end we decided to have one built and hopefully avoid some of the risks of buying used,a few trouble free years,if you like.We talked to friends and visited yards and settled on Kingfisher Boats at Trent Lock,two great guys called John and Mick Day.They suggested XR&D at Ollerton to build the shell.A good choice.Two more great guys,Garry and Lee and their staff built us our Chyandour.We knew from our hires just what we wanted so Garry and Lee built us a 57ft Trad and have done an excellent job,the workmanship and attention to detail are second to none.She is something we are going to be so proud of.

                              

                                         Chyandours base plate.

                              

                                             She’s taking shape.

                              

                                                    Almost there.

We were there when Chyandour was delivered by truck to the Sheet Stores on the Erewash Canal on Friday the 16th of March and then towed down to Kingfishers yard at Trent Lock.Thankyou to Jan and Chris Deucher for the Tow.

                                

                            Arriving at the Sheet Wharf on the Erewash.

                                 

                                          Getting wet for the first time.

                                         

                 There she is,outside Kingfishers waiting to go in the dock.

As time goes on I will keep you updated on the progress of Chyandours fit out.It will probably be intermittent till we can be aboard her but then I hope to do a weekly update of our adventures.