Half way though the season, and I am delighted to say, my boating year has started very well, possibly the best ever. I don’t use the boat as much as I did Wud, nor do the amount of miles. As I am now moored at Chapel Hill, which is ten miles from Boston, most of my boating is now downstream. In fact last year, I did not go through a lock until September, when I brought her back upstream to Southrey, and had my Lincoln trip.

We launched the boat at Roy’s slipway at Southrey on the Friday of the last week of March. The engine started first pull, just as if it had been started the day before, although I last had it running at the beginning of November 2009 when we took Alyson out, onto the trailer for the winter.

I have made a bow rail, and fitted an anchor on an electric winch in the spring, amongst a few improvements I wanted to do. I have also improved the steering, taking up the slack, much of it caused by a soft spring on one of the pulleys. Simply tying electric cable to prevent the spring from stretching has improved the steering at least 100%. I have also made a tiller from an old tent pole, so now have the option of sitting in the sunshine at the back of the boat, instead of under the wheelhouse. It literally takes seconds to swap from one to the other, so I now have the best of both world

On the Saturday after the launch, I took her to Chapel, to moor on Roy’s bridge mooring, the one he let me keep Wud on over the winter a few years ago. Steve brought me back to the car at Southrey on his boat, but before we returned, we had a trip up the Kyme to Bottom Lock, spending a very pleasant hour at this remote beauty spot. It was a very pleasant trip both ways.

A trip to Boston...

The next Saturday someone came for a trip with us. We (myself and Steve) had planned on going up the Kyme, but learning the water level was low decided to go to Boston instead. Another great days boating was had by all, including my new friend, who came with us. There was just one small incident. I have had to use the cables and controls I was given the year before, and the upshot of this is that I used the throttle lever for the gears, and the gear lever for the throttle. This was to enable me to get enough travel for the gears to engage fully. The throttle works fine, even though I don’t get full throttle, but the large engine is more than fast enough, without going flat out. The gears however are reversed, Push the lever forwards to go back, and backwords for forward. This is never a problem if you go almost straight from one to the other, however I try to drift in to moorings, using the steering of the outboard. I usually judge this being able to stop without requiring reverse, however wind or flow sometimes I need it just to stop. This means there is quite a delay before I have to select a gear.

Almost as soon as I had gone from the Bridge mooring onto the Witham I realized I’d left my boat licence in the car, so wanting to display it, as I was boating on BW waters, I returned to collect it. The Kyme is EA water and at present no licence is required. Instead of going to the bridge I moored on an empty one at the mouth of the Kyme, and while maneuvering I accidentally selected forward instead of reverse. Not a problem, we just bumped the jetty lightly.

We motored to Antons Gowt and moored for a rest, and a look around. I tried holding the front of the boat with the anchor on the winch, which appeared to work very well. My friend then went with Steve on his boat to Boston. Steve moored near the Grand Sluice, as we were not staying long. As I came to moor in front of him, either wind, or a slight flow meant I had to select reverse to stop again. I made the same mistake again, not only that but as I was not slowing down, I accelerated. Luckily the resulting bang into the wall didn’t knock it down, with me careering into the Harbour Masters office, nor flooding Boston LOL.

Now one mistake is acceptable, two definitely are not, but we had an uneventful trip back. The next week I reversed the gears, by attaching the cable to the lever with a bolt, doing away with the rack in the morse control. The gears now work even smoother, and no more mistakes.

Possibly my best trip up the Kyme/Slea...

The next Saturday we undertook the Kyme trip. Anyone who has read of my boating will know just how much I enjoy this little used waterway. To say the trip was perfect is no understatement. Possibly my only criticism is that the wind could have been a couple of degrees warmer…….that’s how good it was. Once in South Kyme, people appeared when they saw our boats, some armed with cameras. The boat rally was the next weekend, and the village waterfront was picture perfect. It’s not often you get such a welcome when you arrive on a boat, and the villagers remembered me, and my trips on Wud-E-Nuff.

Clic pic to see photos of this years boating...

We moored Steve’s boat, leaving it safely off the bank on anchor and mudweight, and motored upstream. Steve came with me, and his wife and 16 year old son went in the dinghy. Once again we had a great trip, both there and back. The only incident was when the dinghy outboard hit the bottom of the shallow water near Cobblers Lock, breaking the sheer pin. Rather than repair it, I simply towed them back. This was the first time I had been up the Kyme/Slea since the new lock gates had been fitted, with new floating pontoon moorings above and below. They had also halved the gearing on the guillotine so it now only requires 300 turns to raise it enough to go through, rather than the 600 it had taken to get Wud underneath.

A few short trips...

I had another delightful trip to South Kyme with a neighbouring boater, and another trip to Bottom Lock with Sonia. Both enjoyable and without incident.

The only problem I have encountered so far is that the outboard stalled when reversing out, and was difficult to start. Investigating the problem, I discovered the thermostat had stuck open. Simply removing and freeing the stuck thermostat has resolved this small issue.

I then had another trip in fine weather, with a friend I had met earlier in the year through the banger racing. We had another delightful trip to Boston and back, even going downstream to Tattershall Bridge before returning to my mooring at Chapel.

The first Boston overnight trip with my friends...

A few weeks ago I had the first Boston Tuesday night trip with my usual friends Gavin and Roy, where we sleep over, coming back Wednesday afternoon. It was a glorious summers evening, but I didn’t seem to be enjoying it as much as I should have been. Having been handed a cold beer when we set off, boating on the wide empty waterway, sitting in the warm sunshine, and drinking a cold beer…..well life doesn’t get much better does it. Luckily I soon got in the mood, and started to enjoy myself.

The only event worth commenting on was that we had our bikes stolen, from the usually secure moorings. Now my bike, a folding shopper that I had been given, and repaired had cost me nothing, so all I lost was a lock from the pound shop. I am not too worried about taking a bike to be honest. My boat isn’t really large enough, even for a small folding bike, and while at Boston, I’d rather spend the Wednesday morning pottering around the boat, and having a chat to anyone who is around, rather than buying more junk in the auction at Boston market.

We arrived shortly after 9pm and I went with Gavin to the chip shop on our bikes…..he had a similar one, but in really good condition. After our supper, and a chat over a whisky, I came back to the boat around 11.45. We heard yobs shouting about on the path alongside, little realizing they had been causing problems on the marina. At around 12.30 they climbed the fence and took the bikes we’d left on the bank at the front of the boats. This was discovered the next day, as someone on a boat saw them climbing the fence with them.

I awoke around 6.30 and went down to the toilets with Barney around 7am, of course noticing the bikes had gone. Sam, my friend the lockkeeper was on duty, and told me of the recent problems they had experienced. Anyway we looked in the river under the bridge but didn’t see ours, however we did see a mountain bike. So Sam fetched his grappling hook and fished it out. I wheeled it back, leaving it where Gavin’s had been.

When I got back around 8.30 Roy was stirring, so I told him what had happened. Shortly afterwards Gavin appeared and I told him my bike had gone. He also said his had, despite my pointing out he still had one……however he wasn’t amused LOL. The mountain bike we found did require a gear cable and other cables adjusting, but was in fact a much better bike than the one he had lost. However it wasn’t good enough for him, so he left it against the hedge at the auction, and bought another shopper, after waiting for it to come up for sale for a couple of hours LOL.

Work on my mooring...

When I took Alyson to my mooring on the Witham bank at the start of May, I altered the blocks I use to hold the ropes on the bottom of the river. With Steve’s help I held the front one with an anchor as well as a block, and he tied the other three together, and gave me a shackle for the rope to run through at the rear. I have also made a small platform from a pallet, on steel poles, so it is now much easier to moor, and get on and off.

The second overnight Boston trip...

Just had another midweek Boston trip with Roy and Gavin, all very enjoyable. Gavin’s Whisky in the evening helped me sleep well, and Roy’s great fried breakfast of eggs, bacon and sausage set me up for the day. My breakfast is usually my lunch, normally just a couple of sandwiches, or bread and cuppa soup.

Roy and Gavin went to town, while I stayed at the marina. They returned, their bikes laden down with their purchases, then mid afternoon we set off back to Chapel. I left a little before them, as we had planned to stop off on the riverbank shortly before Chapel, at a nice spot I know of.

I lent Gavin my GPS so he could check his speed. Their boats do 6.1mph on tickover, and although mine will easily do that, I like to travel a little slower. I hardly takes any longer though as Roy took exactly 1 ½ hours, and I arrived only 5 minutes later. But my engine is far more economical at about ½ mph slower and I required had to be first to show them the spot on the bank. I checked the fuel tank at Boston, and think I used about 3 litres, as I traveled at the front for part of the way. It was backwind, with a small flow and although I didn’t check, think I had to do about 7mph to stay in front. Not bad for a ‘big thirsty 2 stroke outboard’ LOL.

I was chatting to another boater the other day, and he had bought a new 4 stroke, as his old 2 stoke was uneconomical. However he said he still used 20 litres going to Boston. I assume this must be both ways, however it is still quite a lot. The reason is they quite innocently travel too fast, so push through a lot of water. I mentioned the correct speed is 1 kilometer in 6 minutes 15 seconds, just so he could check his speed, and hopefully save a bit of petrol.

I arrived at the place on the bank, and they were nowhere in sight, yet had only been there about 10 minutes when they arrived. I walked up the bank and waved, otherwise they would have missed me, as it is under trees. Rain had been forecast for the afternoon, so I left the sides and top of the canopy up. Sure enough, shortly after I left it arrived, along with a squally wind, however after about half an hour it stopped, along with the wind, a total change of weather in only a couple of minutes.

They arrived and moored under the trees and had a look at that tranquil spot. The only amusing incident was Roy’s old fat Golden Lab decided to take a dip. She likes water and often goes for a swim, however she is used to the water being shallow at the edge. Well she stepped in, and went under, coming up spluttering. We all laughed, especially at Roy’s struggle to get her back onto the bank.

After a coffee on Roy’s boat we returned to Chapel, moored and came home. All in all a good trip.

I've had a friend stay her for a week...

About a year ago, a young woman bought a boat to live on near Leicester, whom I met when attending the BBQ

A few weeks ago, I went to visit again and we had a nice short trip on her boat. She accepted my invitation to visit me for a short break at my house last week, and we both had an enjoyable time. She agreed to accompany me to the Banger Racing at Coventry Stadium on the Saturday night, an easy journey from Leicester to Brandon Stadium. I arrived around mid afternoon, then journed to the stadium in the early evening. I rarely attend meetings now, but am delighted to say it was an excellent one. We arrived in time to have a look around, the stadium was clean and tidy, the crowds not too large, and the racing excellent. She also enjoyed the racing despite it being her first time.

I stayed on her boat, coming back to Lincoln on the Sunday. During the week, I showed her around Lincoln and Lincolnshire. We had visits to Bardney Lock, a trip to the coast, including showing her my 'home' at Ulceby. We also had two boat trips. The first was just a short trip downstream, then upstream before going back to Chapel. Then a couple of days later we had a very enjoyable trip to Bardney Lock, the first time I have been upstream this year.

Weed in the river was quite bad in places, but I'm pleased to say Alyson coped well, with only a quick burst of reverse to clear the prop. While at the lock I saw some of my old friends and acquaintances, who were delighted to see me after a couple of years or so.

Also early in the week I took her for a visit to Bardney Lock in the car, where we met a couple of narrow boats. One had a problem with the water system, which I was pleased I could help with. She had an enjoyable if slow trip back to Lincoln on the boats, while I brought the owner back in the car, to try to repair the burst hose on his boat. I'm pleased to say this was successful, and along with helping to source a new radiator cap, which was the source of his problem the next morning. I'm delighted to say he has had no more problems on his journey home.

So I have another new boating friend, and an invite to visit him at his home mooring at Foxton Locks, also not for from Leicester.

A wet night at 'Cow-Pat' on the Witham bank...

Last Wednesday I phoned Steve, who said he was going to overnight at 'Cow-Pat' on Friday. This is his affectionately named, isolated spot on the riverbank, just a couple of miles or so downstream from Chapel Hill. I said I would go as well, as I have yet to have a night on the boat with him this year.

I went over to Chapel on Thursday, and went down on the boat to clear my own spot a few yards downstream. I took a small bowsaw and an axe to clear away any branches, however I found a spot just upstream that almost didn't require clearing. I cut too small branches to make mooring posts, and cut a few nettles from a clump. I only had a knife, and could have done with a scythe, however I only had around a dozen or so to do to make a cozy little spot. While moored there a large boat came past quite fast, causing a large wash. I rushed back to the boat, catching it just in time to stop being washed onto the riverbank. It's the only hazard being hidden behind the trees.

Friday however was becoming wet, with showers developing into heavy persistent rain, so in the event I moored at the front of his spot, leaving him plenty of space behind for his usual mooring. I was well prepared, taking a change of clothes as always, plus two raincoats, and even waterproof leggings.

Clic pic to see photos of this years boating...

I had gone to the bridge mooring to the car, having several items to load onto the boat, and arrived there in only light rain around 7pm. Steve had said he wouldn't be there until at least 8.30, and it was almost 10 by the time he arrived. He was late leaving home, as he was busy at work, and had extra to bring, as his son has bought a cheap 20ft Norman, and they had planned starting work over the weekend. His son's friend also came, and the lads were sleeping on the Norman, so there was only Steve and Sarah, his wife. Good job I phoned actually, as he thought I wouldn't have gone because of the rain.

I had passed the time profitably, having a couple of cans of lager LOL, clearing a few little branches from the overhead tree, bailing the boat plus a couple of other little jobs. I also changed out of my damp clothes, donning waterproofs when they arrived, which coincided with another monsoon. I was also quite hungry by that time as Steve had said not to eat as they were providing the meal......I hoped he had not forgotten LOL.

Well he did provide for me; a lovely meal from Sarah, as well as cider and strong beer. We had a right good sing song, with no one to disturb; there is even photographic evidence, which I hope will stay hidden LOL. Needless to say I actually enjoyed myself for once.

I returned to the boat and had a good night's sleep, waking around 9am on Saturday. After breakfast, also provided by Sarah (bless) they went back to Dogdyke to see how the lads were getting on with the boat. I returned to Chapel, mooring up after first taking the boat to the mooring by the car, to save several long walks putting all the stuff from boat to car......yet again. I then went to Dogdyke in the car to look at his sons' new purchase. I didn't stay too long, as I was still tired, so arrived home around mid afternoon.