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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Thursday 9 May 2013

And yet another project on the go.


It seems as if we have had one project after another these last few months. It all started with replacing the cratch cover in April. Then we replaced the prop, next came my new cooker with a complete refurbishment of the galley and now we are changing our stove. To be fair it was really only the cratch cover that needed changing, mainly because it had been ripped and repaired several times, also there was my accidental spilling of a jar of used white red spirit over the inside after I had cleaned a brush, and then my long and frustrating battle with the constant mould appearance on the canvas interior. The prop was Ian's idea, kitchen was mine and the stove a joint decision made after returning from our boat Merlin in March. Not only did the glass stay clean on Merlins stove because of an air wash over the glass, but it could be riddled making it easier to remove the build up of ash, neither of which our Villager Puffin multi fuel stove did. So now we have a brand spanking new Aarrow Becton 5 stove sometimes called a bunny stove. Ian has fitted the back boiler and is now in the process of connecting the water pipes. We need a new flue and a collar to change the 4" pipe at the top to a 5". We didn't fancy having to buy new chimneys just to fit a 4" pipe. The flue only costs £35 and two new chimneys, (12" for traveling and 28" for when we are moored) would cost nearly £60. Only one other project on the horizon and goodness knows when that will happen. The paint on our roof is a disgrace and badly needs seeing to. We have the paint, we just need to find a couple of good days so Ian and I can set to and get on with it.



Villager ready to be lifted out of the boat.

old villager puffin with flue pipe next to it.
I took this photo with my Macro lens and was astonished to see a tiny bug in it. Flower is about 1/2" across.




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