River, ice and my local town

My ideas about using the boat in winter have so far come to nothing. Either it's so cold I can't get anyone to join me, or it's impossible to get to the mooring, or the strong stream warnings put paid to any romantic ideas of a gentle cruise down to Reading.

Maybe I should have had the boat hauled out for the winter. At least I would have been able to check all the things I've been meaning to inspect since I bought the boat last summer.

But I'm hopeful I can borrow a trailer for a week or two. This will allow me to get the boat out, put some fresh antifoul on, and service the outdrive.

I live in Newbury. It's an expanding town with a shopping centre currently under construction, a newly opened cinema and the Kennet and Avon Canal running through it. All in all, it's a very nice place to live. But there are an extraordinary amount of people who still like to think of it as a quaint market town and want to freeze it in time, no matter what economic or social pressures it faces.





For instance, there's an opportunity to have an arts/community building, financed at little cost to the taxpayer, on the edge of the local park and overlooking the Canal. I think it's a great idea and lots of people agree with me. But lots don't like the idea of a building in the park. I struggle to see their viewpoint. A park is more than just grass and playareas for kids.

But my point is that connected to this plan, is a project to return what is now a car park back to the Canal Wharf, with moorings, a pub and a restaurant. I think it would be a huge boost for Newbury and would strongly differentiate it from, say, Reading or Swindon. Fingers crossed it goes ahead sometime in the future.

*The photo by the way is of Newbury taken yesterday showing Victoria Park, and the new Parkway development under construction. I've been told it's one of very few (if not the only) large scale shopping and housing development currently being built. It's a huge vote of confidence in the town and I'm very pleased to see it happening.

Holding Tank - Lesson 1

First, I had to get the old tank out. The pump out from two weeks ago ruptured the tank and the contents were everywhere (well, bilge at least).

Out came the battery, battery box and the top half of the wooden steps. Messy.

Unscrew the stainless steel screws holding the tank in place. Getting very messy.

Drain the tank as best I could. I lost the will to live.

Disconnect the inlet, outlet and vent pipes. The vent pipe was completely bunged up with calcium (?).

Unscrew the port side drain pipe (pictured left, just above the old tank), and lift up slightly, so as to allow the tank to slide forward, up and out.

Lots of disinfectant later, one clean area.

Disconnect the pump out pipe from the deck-fitting.

That's as far as I got on Saturday. Home to hot bath.

New holding tank ordered

I bought Jane Morris realising I would at some point need to replace the holding tank. I think the tank is the original one. It's made of aluminium. Every book and magazine article I've read says 'aluminium shouldn't be used'. So why did Sealine fit one back in 1990?

I've chosen a plastic tank from Tek-Tanks. Very nice people too. I've checked and double-checked the size I need and I've ordered a new vent, hoses and a tank level gauge. The existing vent piping is too small so I need to fit a new vent and wider diameter hoses.

It look like I'll have to fit the new tank myself. I've asked a few people to help me but, funnily enough, they're all too busy. I'm off to buy overalls and Marigolds. Wish me luck.