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Cribblog 2017

   October 3

News from Cribbit is that at the moment she is standing on the hard at Aldermaston Wharf, care of ABC Marine. Moved her from Great Bedwyn by myself as far as Hungerford and then finished off the difficult bit [for a single hander] from Hungerford to Aldermaston with Jim.

Floorboards and starboard wall cladding still damp but on the whole she is drying out well. I have been running the fire at full blast with the door and all windows wide open. This regime generates less condensation on board than usual and gives the feeling of boating in the tropics.

Many of the locks are suffering from neglect and lack of maintenance. It is not just the gates that are worn but the lock chambers themselves are falling into disrepair with cills leaking, odd streams of water from the side walls and poorly functioning paddle gear.

Bedwyn church lock.

Taking on water at Great Bedwyn wharf

Note the new 'flat' hosepipe.

Needed help with this lock.

Despite the leaky top gate, the bottom was letting water out quicker than it was coming in.

Fire going full blast.

Spent the night at Froxfield.

Then on to Hungerford to await Jim on the morrow.

Moving down with hire boaters also heading for Aldermaston.

Moored up double breasted until they were ready to crane her out.

Dave says she is weighing out at 12 tonnes.

Full tank of water moves the centre of gravity forward.

Well I had imagined that I would be just posting a few pics of Cribbit flying through the air and being re-launched in this post, and indeed, that is exactly what what you are about to see.

Errrr what's that sound of running water?

There by the side of the fuel tank on the left.

A closer view.

So out she came again and is back on the hard.

Its leaking at the point at which the swim joins the main hull. This may be as result of corrosion formed when the stantions were welded in place for the fuel tank to rest on or it may be a longer fault all along the weld. Either way, a bit more welding is needed.