I think this is it!

After months of searching, researching, looking and poking around in the bowels of many a damp and neglected bilge, I have finally made an offer on a boat.  Southern Star (to be renamed) is a 45' trad stern Narrowboat built in the late eighties.  I am guessing she was a hire boat and judging by the many dents in the bow, she was well used!

There is welding to be done on the counter where the steel work is a bit thin, but the survey showed most of the hull to be in pretty good shape for a 25 year old tub.  Originally built 6/5/4,
she still has 6mm-5.2mm with a few 1mm pits on the base plate and 5mm-4.6mm on the sides.

She also has a rather cute little Lister SR2.  The insides need a re-fit but that was always the plan anyway.  I know what I want and only I can do that.

Welding will be happening Jan/Feb so she should be home on the GT Ouse in early spring.

Hunstanton

Had a spur of the moment ride up to Hunstanton on Sunday.  Loads of bikes up there and some interesting military vehicles on display too.  One that caught my eye was this side car which featured most of a C90 frame.

Suffered a puncture on the way home which was a pain.  I really must sort out a spare tube, levers and a pump.....

The Chair of awesomeness

Ok, so it wasnt cheap but it is certainly awesome!

C90 camp at Reedham Ferry

Last weekend was the East Anglian ride out for the C90 Club.  I left straight from work and got to the campsite in just under 3 hours.  Plenty of time to get the tent up and get the kettle on before the light started to fade.

The Saturday ride was a very gentle bimble down to Southwold and back.  A meal at the pub and a beer or two around the camp fire.  The evening was cut short by pretty spectacular thunderstorm, but I for one was not too sory to get to bed.

I had a good ride home on Sunday until I got to the Quy roundabout when I suffered a broken chain and had to go the last 4 miles by AA van.

A great weekend, with lovely weather and despite a poor turn out, some good company.

The blogger's paradox

The trouble is, the busier you are, the less time you have to write about it.  Moving house can be described as busy so I will have that as my excuse for now.

There will be more soon, now that the dust has settled a bit.

Barmouth 2014

The Bank Holiday weekend was spent in a very wet Wales for the C90 Barmouth bash.  Despite the weather it was a great weekend with some brilliant roads and equally good company.  It was good to get home to a hot bath and a warm bed though!

Stick cools his bits and Prickwillow Pump House

So its a mini heatwave!  Took stick for a good long walk on Saturday, but I think the poor old man was feeling the heat.  I've never known him have much interest in water but he found a nice pool and lay down in it for a good ten minutes.

Sunday was one of those days when despite not having any plans, it turns out to be a great day out.  I went out on the bike with the intention of riding a few fen roads, but the bridge at Prickwillow was closed.  While I was wondering where to go next, I noticed that the Pumping House was having one of its days when they run the collection of engines.  Not only that but there was a Morris gathering too.  Cars not men.

A couple of old bikes.  And Peanut.

Starting the VP 95 litre 2 stroke bu heating the 'hot bulbs' with blowlamps.

Wonderful British built engines all run by volenteers.

Then it was on to The Ship for a quick orange juice with my old mate 'Tiddy'

Sold

A bitter sweet moment but at least it sold quick and we got the full asking price.

Birthday and Wells

We had a belated birthday BBQ for James on Sunday and I baked him a cardiac cake!

On Monday I took the bike for a run up to the coast.  I have put a couple of hundred miles on the new engine now, so I thought it was time to give it a decent run.  Its not running perfectly yet; the carb needs adjusting but I had a good 130 trouble free miles.

At Blakney I saw this rather nice steel barge.

Then it was on to Wells-Next-The-Sea.  I had hoped to get my fish ans chips from French's but the queue was far too long for my rumbling stomach.  I went to the 'Captain's Table' instead which was ok but not really the F&C experience I was after.  The town was packed and there were loads of bikes parked up on the quay, including another couple of Cubs and some Monkeys.

Dirty dog of Upware

After several hours of rubbing down, filling and painting the crumbling window frames at home,I got fed up so Stick and myself took ourselves off for a walk.

We walked down Burwell Lode from Upware and back.  Stickie found a lovely pile of goose poo and decided that it would enhance appearance no end if he rolled in it.  There followed an improvised dog wash beside the river.

Before we could continue.

A nice walk in the sunshine followed by a delicious pint of Abbot at the No Hurry

Higgins

Once again it has been too long since I last posted.  The thing is, there is so much going on at the moment but it is all personal stuff and really of no interest to anyone else.  One casualty of all this is Higgins who has developed a need to constantly escape.  He has broken through the fences, burrowed under fences, nearly got run over and nearly caused numerous accidents.

We tried shutting him in the house....

Yes, thats the 32amp supply to a storage heater he chewed through.

Much as I dislike them, I bought a dog crate......

That took him only a few hours.

He is perfectly happy when there are people about, so after a rather stern letter from the Dog Warden, the difficult decision was made to have him re-homed.  The Lhasa Rescue people provide an excellent service to owners in difficult circumstances such as us and he has now gone to a new home where he can get all the attention he needs.  He has a new best friend in the form of a Jack Russel too.

Dogs!

Would you belive Stick and Higgins took them selves for walkies on Tuesday.  The terrible twosome ended up being taken away by the dog warden and I ended up paying a £55 release fee to get them back!  Were they worth it?  Only just.....

Malden

If one ever finds ones self in Essex, you have just got to stop in Malden, take a stroll along the water front and have a dream over the sailing barges.  Its the law isnt it?

No posts for a while

Once again I have neglected the blog.  To be honest, things are not going too well and I have very little that is worth sharing.  However, I am sure things will change soon.  I can see 2014 being a challenging and eventful year.