This year promised to be one of the best yet, as I have one or two new enthusiastic friends to help with boating projects, however despite looking forward to one of the best seasons so far, sadly it has mainly resulted in disappointment. Both myself and my friends have suffered breakdowns, and Wud in particular seems to be telling me she's had enough for a while, and requires a rest.

I have however made two short videos. The first one was when I went with my friend Rick, who now has a very nice Searay with a large petrol V8. I was looking forward to a trip into the Wash with him, however he too has had engine problems, which resulted in him missing two months of the summer.

We did however have an enjoyable trip, getting as far as the low bridges would allow on the upper levels. The video is in two parts on YouTube

The Boston Navigable Drains .... Part One

The Boston Navigable Drains .... Part Two

We were planning on going up the Kyme for an early trip before the weed grew, however this had to be cancelled, due to the lock gates still being chained open. So we went for a day on the Drains instead. The Kyme is officially closed this year, as the lock gates are to be changed, along with the gearing on the guillotine gate, and proper moorings fitted above and below the lock. This work is now underway, and I have heard the new lock gates have been fitted. This is part of the phase one of the waterways link, being funded by an EU grant, and all work must be completed by early next year. Bottom Lock gates are supposed to be chained open for the low water winter months, but because of the proposed work, they were not unlocked until the third week of April. This meant I had to get on with the video I wanted to make, as I only had a couple of weeks or so before the weed grew, making passage difficult.

Rick had given me a video editor that is not the easiest program I've had to master, however I did get to use it enough to make these videos. Although I did the Kyme trips later, I made the video first, with the intention of producing the Drains one more of a 'home video' for our benefit. Rick had taken his camcorder as well, and I had to wait to get his tape before the final edit.

Three trips up the Kyme with my camcorder...

I had three trips in total up the Kyme/Slea to get enough footage to make this video. The first one was to go to, and through the lock in the evening. The second I took with my friend Martin, where we almost made it to the head of the navigation at Cobblers Lock, only being stopped a short while before by low water. The Sleaford Navigation Trust has permission to fit boards in the sluice to heighten the water level for the summer months, however due to the proposed work this was not done this year. It meant I could get Wud under the low road bridge at Halfpenny Hatch, but the river is very shallow for the last half mile. It would have been possible to go the last 100 yards or so, but as I've got photos of Wud in the lock, the effort wasn't worth it, so I just took some video of the lock. As it was, Martin was required to pour water into the water inlet, as running on the bottom had blocked the inlet with weed. Also running through the silt must have caused some wear to the cutlass bearing, as the play in this was substantially greater shortly afterwards.

As I required a little more video through South Kyme village I returned, again in the evening on my own, recruiting too locals to help as I passed by. They seemed to enjoy themselves. Later I heard of a funny story. One of the locals thought we were immigrants, taking a fishing boat up there, to catch fish to sell to their friends. This ridiculous story really made us laugh when we heard about it a few weeks later.

This video is in four parts and I hope you enjoy all the hard work it to to make.

The Kyme Eau/River Slea .... Part One

The Kyme Eau/River Slea .... Part Two

The Kyme Eau/River Slea .... Part Three

The Kyme Eau/River Slea .... Part Four

My boating actually started early this year in January, when I helped Steve, another good friend, move his boat from Dogdyke to Torksey in preparation for taking it to Grimsby for a fishing match. He is a very good fisherman, and had just sold a charter boat, which he owned with a friend. He then decided to downsize for a more versatile boat, so I had another very enjoyable 2 day trip with him from Grimsby to Newark, where he put it up for sale at a marina. He found a very nice, economical 20ft Colvic, and after a trip on the river Avon brought it back on a trailer, where he did a marvelous job of cleaning it, to a high standard. I helped him take it to Dogdyke one Sunday. First we brought it to the large posh marina near Lincoln on the trailer to use their slipway. After taking the trailer back and then taking my car to Dogdyke so we had transport to get back, we took his new boat from Burton Waters to Dogdyke. This was another very enjoyable trip with him.

Steve's Cleopatra he has now sold....

My first trip with Wud was in early April to Burton Waters from Chapel Hill and back again, as I took her to get a new safety certificate. I had seen the friendly inspector the year before, when helping him inspect a friends boat, as the owner was at work, and had asked him just to look over Wud. As he had done the original inspection, I did not expect to have to do much, however I had made and fitted the stove, so only 2 small lower door vents were required, with a small edging on the plate I had fitted on the floor for a 'hearth'.

This trip passed off without incident, however a short time later fate dealt me a few 'back-hand' blows. I had moved upstream to be closer to home, moving the boat between the moorings around Bardney. A kind friend had moved their boat to Boston as they were selling, and had offered me the use of their mooring, as long as it was free, for the time I was at Bardney. This is usual practise for many many boaters, who live some distance from their boat. I had been there for a couple of days when Steve suggested a weekend with them on the river. I arrived to find another kind person who helps me, had left a can of diesel for me on the roof of the cabin.

I had a very enjoyable couple of days in excellent company. Before leaving, I took Wud downstream to Kirkstead Bridge accompanying Steve for part of his journey back to his mooring at Dogdyke. After another enjoyable pint in the local pub, we returned to find 3 small smart fairly new Sealine cruisers had arrived. These had come from Burton Waters. One was just upstream on the bank, and on passing I enquired if they were ok. The man said he'd lost drive, so I towed them back to the pontoon a short distance away, struggling a little as there was a brisk wind blowing the boat onto the opposite bank.

A quick investigation showed the boat was jammed in gear. I've learned the problem was some jogging trousers jamming the prop, but more of that later. He thanked me, giving me ten pounds. I left them a DVD of the Kyme video as they might be stuck there for a day or two. One of his friends was also in trouble, his boat overheating. I had a look for them, eventually finding the engine water pump belt had broken, and he was very grateful, giving me twenty pounds.

So I set off back to Bardney, richer in finance and friends. Sadly though, things took a downturn and would only get worse. Wud was vibrating a bit more than usual, and I thought I'd picked up something on the prop while being next to the bank, however I discovered later, an engine mounting had shaken loose. Usually not much of a problem, but it was to be the start of a catalogue of disasters.

After getting back to Bardney I was in the Lock when Wud decided not to start, having behaved well so far this weekend. I managed to get some diesel into the intake, the priming bottle being empty, and motored to the mooring. The chap on the next boat came out waving. Thinking he was telling me to turn around due to the strong wind I did, coming into the slanting finger mooring from upstream. He got off his boat, and I thought he was going to help. Boaters are usually the nicest of people, so I had a really nasty shock when he grabbed the canopy, angrily swearing at me and telling me I was not going to moor there, I was not paying anything, unlicensed and so on; all totally untrue. I moved back to the visitors mooring, going home almost in despair, my weekend totally ruined.