Videos

Non-slip adhesive matting and other jobs

Non-slip adhesive matting

Took me about 2 months to get hold of this stuff. It’s a large sheet of non-slip adhesive matting for the roof of the narrowboat.

It’s like gunwhale tape. But much fatter.

It’s got and adhesive back.

It takes 3 people to fit this sheet. I know because I did it with 1 person, and it’s completely full of bubbles. You need a roller also, to be fair. This stuff will tear your hands apart if you try and smooth it with your hand, or anything with else for that matter. You need to lay it with 2…… and roll it with one!

Too late now.

Fairleads

Simple 5mm tapping out into the roof.

Got some medium thread lock and put it onto the zinc bolts.

Felt fairly happy about the finish.

Battery bank

Finally added the two batteries to the battery bank.

Now got a full complement of batteries. Fit for watching TV on cold winter nights in front of the fire.

Mooring in Wootton Rivers, Wiltshire

Tried to stop in ‘Clench’. The water bankside was just too shallow. Lots of overhanging trees, and a thin towpath.

Didn’t bother, after a couple of minutes pushing myself out of the mud, took the 2 mile or so journey to Wootton Rivers.

Wootton Rivers

Wootton rivers - Royal oakThere’s some winter moorings here, water points and disposal.

There is also a pub.

Civilised compared to Milkhouse Water.

For some reason, it seems much brighter, less dank and oppressive, which Milkhouse Water sometimes felt.

Visitor moorings

I’m moored in the visitors moorings, which are usually 1 day, but under winter mooring rules convert to 14 days.

I’ve got rings to moor to and the towpath isn’t too muddy.

It’s 50m or so from the road and 5m from the waterpoint.

Now going to cycle back to the car, which according to googlemaps is 2.2 miles down ‘un-named roads’.

Facilities

  • Parking
  • Water point
  • Waste disposal
  • 1 Day visitor moorings

Visitor mooring basically means you’re on rings, ie. you don’t have the complications of mooring to the bank, which on the Kennet and Avon means a ‘boarding plank’ and mooring pins.

Measuring the draft

A new and sophisticated method of measuring the draft.

I once measured the draft; most marinas ask for it along with insurance details, length, safety certificated and other details.

However, this isn’t much good on the cut. Mooring up in somewhere more permanent, you want to get a decent depth so your not run aground which will cause your boat to sit awkwardly, and may cause damage to the hull.

Clench

Seeing as my walk was not far, I measured some of the depths with this new device I have developed.

Looking for moorings around Wootton River/Clench

Spent the rest of today, totally windy, looking for moorings around the vicinity.

This would represent my shift of ‘neighbourhoods’, which has to take place every 14 days according to the rules of the river.

Clench

Clench is the closest. At a bridge up, or around 1/2 mile.

I’ve been out today and checked the place out.

TBH, it doesn’t look any good. If I am staying here, it will only be for a very short period, and the reasons why are contained in the video. Continue reading “Looking for moorings around Wootton River/Clench”