Michael Tyler

As June draws near, Bonnie needs to travel North.

This year, she’s going in for blacking. The last time I had this done was July 2022. Getting on for 3 years ago.

As I look at the hull, it looks kind of weedy…. The anodes, which prevent the hull from rusting are getting low, which is of more concern.

Hull blacking

Supposed to be every 2 years. I guess that’s a good timeframe.

Bonnie will be lifted out of the water, jetwashed and re-painted with bitumen paint.

They’ll put some more of these on….

It will take a week for which I won’t be allowed to stay on Bonnie due to insurance obligations.

Some boatyards do let you stay on your boat whilst it’s being blacked, although they may get you to sign an insurance disclaimer.

This time they won’t, so I will be leaving Bonnie and doing a bit of travelling around and about the country.

Weekend in Spiceball Park

Thought I’d spend Saturday and Sunday in the middle of Banbury, enjoy the bright lights.

Getting up there was more difficult

Blockage at Grant’s Lock

The first lock you reach between Twyford and Banbury is called ‘Grant’s Lock‘. It’s a deep lock. Maybe 20 ft deep. One of the features of Grant’s Lock is that it often gets debris stuck behind it’s rather tall gate.

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Or close to.

The weather is warm, the sun is shining. Spring has sprung. Birds are on the wing.

I even spotted a pair of these very close to the canal.

It’s an Egyptian goose. Initially, I asked Gemini ai what it was. I described it pretty clearly, cream brown body, dark brown wings. Brown ring around the eye. 1st answer from our trusty ai helper…. “It sounds like you might have seen a female mallard. They’re pretty common ducks, and the females have that mottled brown plumage you described. Is that a possibility?“. Obliviously not a mallard, I said, much larger than that. Have another go… “Barnacle goose” says ai. Again, a pretty dumb suggestion. A barnacle goose is black.

Ai bird identification skills 0/10. AI really hallucinating pretty hard on this one.

Like the black swan I spotted in Cropredy, initially they were kept as domestic pets on ornamental lakes, non native and non breeding. As the climate has changed, black swans and Egyptian geese have spread their wings, as it were, and taken to the UK countryside

Also heard a Cuckoo. It was in the tree behind the boat coo cooing until the crows came and chased it off.

Boat painting

With the improved weather conditions, I’ve had time to be given over to carrying out some boat renovations. Namely painting the roof.

Over the course of the last 8 years or so since it was last painting, it’s seen a little weather damage and the appearance of rust welts around the mushrooms.

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Wharf area now.

The mobile signal has improved since my last visit and I can actually access the internet and do things I do normally.

Last time, it was abysmal https://www.michaeltyler.co.uk/somerton-and-9-hours-in-aynho/

Boat work

The weather has improved slightly, to the point I can think about doing jobs like painting the cabin.

This has been needing some attention for years, literally. Due to the inclement nature of the UK weather, it’s very difficult to put time aside to do it as the weather may change at any time and render your planning useless.

Fortunately, I have no work at the moment and I plan to do nothing, for the moment. That is apart from do those jobs that require that you have nothing to do of which is paint is one.

I’ve done some of the preparation on the side panel. Sanded it down, primed and undercoated it. It needs it to be a) Not windy. b) Not raining c) Not going to rain, for me to be able to put on the topcoat.

Over the coming days, there’s no doubt I will achieve this.

Victron Smartsolar

On installing the Lifepo4 batteries and encountering some teething errors with the Battery Management Systems on the Fogstar‘s, I’ve found out that Lifepo‘s and Peak Wave Modulator solar controllers don’t mix.

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As you can see from the above picture, torrents of water have widened, depended and scoured the edges of the mill stream in which the duck is sitting.

Well at least it was at the time of writing this (Mid April).

I read on their website that the wetness circumstances were causing them trouble. Eventually, they gave up and closed the place down.

Here’s my boat.

Pigs down the river

The pigs have all gone.

As the weather improves, I expect they’ll open up again soon. Word is the pigs won’t be there. Circumstances have changed with regards to their supply chain meaning they would have to drive a lot further to slaughter. To Buckinghamshire which kind of takes away the ‘local’ aspect to the business.

What happens to the diner and shop, which used to stock some of their piggy products? Who knows.

You’ll have to watch this space. But for now, the Pig Place is closed.

Job – Over

Now I’m officially unemployed. My employment has finished. I was made redundant on Friday 11th April.

There were no alternative roles offered.

I’m going to take a holiday and think what to do next.

In the mean-time

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Last stop now finished in Heyford. Upper Heyford to be exact.

I’ve been here before in this post

Upper Heyford

Cruised through Lower Heyford.

It has a terrible mobile signal amongst other things, not, to recommend it.

Mo Barley

The Pub I went to a few times last time I was here, (Barley Mow), has gone downhill. Stopped serving food. A ‘wet’ pub nowadays.

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