WINTER IS HERE

Don't forget now winter is here try and be near civilisation for water and general help, although the coal boats will be running up to Christmas there will be at least a week when they wont be, so make sure you have enough fuel and coal to see you through, at some point the canal will freeze and you will need a plan B, so take care and keep warm.

P&S Marine at bridge water basin in my opinion the best boat yard in the south east on the grand Union canal, as you can see the lift out is provided by the on site Andie's crane which will lift up around 30 tones, the on site work shops can deliver to you the boater a very high level of engineering skill and fabrication to the highest standard, a real boat yard with real engineers who know boats.

BALDOCK IN DOCK

Baldock was in the dock during June for her 5year insurance hull survey and all in all came out well a wee bit of welding here and there all done by a superb welder Pete wakeman then a good coat of bitumen to match the upper paint work , re floated and is looking pristine on her mooring .

RICKMANSWORTH FESTIVAL 2010

This weekend was the rickmansworth canal festival and was in my view one of the very best the boat tug of war was the highlight of the weekend with all the high jinks of cheating with boats tied to other boats as they tried to pull them self's apart, in a blaze of soot and wash its was over seen by our compares chris and adrian , who took no pitty on the poor boater passing through while this was going on , oh and he had his stern rope hooked on his tiller pin this proverbial was taken as they passed judgment on his boating lack of skill it was funny and the poor bloke was on his way then probably fouled his prop and might of thought ( OH THAT'S WOT THEY MEANT ) then on Sunday night as we where leaving some bloke who had had far to much to drink decided to try and make his way out of the site by flying his car over the bridge needles to say he came a cropper and was taken away good job too as someone could of been killed by the idiot but apart from that this was a fantastic weekend

VICTORIA

A fine view of the restored victoria turning in the pool on sunday prior to leaving a super sized boat with a fantastic profile and is a credit to her owner .

PRESIDENT LEAVING

Sunday afternoon and president leaves heading towards limehouse and the Thames in a blaze of steam nostalgia and noise .

LITTLE VENICE IWA SHOW 2010

Some photos from little Venice this weekend from the basin and some from camden showing Archimedes chiswick Victoria and kestrel having a race back to the show was god fun to watch Archimedes was fully loaded and looked good low in the water but i think tom had trouble stopping her at speed didn't get a chance to get pictures of kestrel and chiswick as they went of at a fair old lick although i did get wet feet all in all a good weekend , we also entered middlesex in the boat handling comp with robin on the helm i was caught giving base ball type hand signals a got some flack from my mates on there boats but think robin did well as its the first time the boat has ever been entered , in the novice class will post the result later next year it will be my turn any way hope you have all had a good weekend , all the best ralph see you all at rickmansworth in two weeks