Catching up and spending too much
Zulu moored in London, taken from Lapwing
There’s not much happening on the Zulu front at present hence the silence. Since Cavalcade at Little Venice I took Zulu back to her moorings in Uxbridge after work one night, travelling into the moonlight and arriving for a food stop at West Drayton at midnight, starving and freezing cold. I pulled in to the seldom used bollards by the bridge near the station and went off through desserted streets in search of food. Never has a KFC tasted as good as that – well it was the only option at that time of the night!
The other big event of the month was passing the Boat Safety Scheme examination with only a warning about strapping up the gas cylinder (even in a locker which is not much bigger than the cylinder itself), which was easily put right on the spot. That’s Zulu’s BSS sorted for the next four years then – and with the certificate in hand I was able to renew the licence by emailling a copy to BW and the new licence discs were posted by return (excellent service from the BW licensing office). An expensive month, but not restricted to paying the best part of 800 pounds for the BSS and licence, but the other boat is having its annual battery crisis and I have spent a total of 500 pounds on that too, plus a promise to get solar panels as soon as possible.
The bank balance certainly doesn’t look too healthy at the moment, so I took a look at what I may be spending money on without any particular benefit and cancelled the following subscriptions which I had been paying but never using:
1. World of Warcraft account – £9 per month. I used to play this but seem to be far to busy now – its 6 months since I logged on, so its not surprising Blizzard, the distributors, are making a fortune.
2. Experts Exchange account – £9 per month. Taken out to solve one particular string of IT problems with intention of cancelling before the free period ended (last year). Hmmmm.
3. A spare online database which I never use, £30 per annum.
Its actually amazing how easy it is to sign up for something online and then just let it automatically renew month after month. So I feel a bit better for making these changes, potentially saving almost £250 per annum, which should be enough for a couple of tanks of diesel. Easy come easy go I suppose!
I name this boat Zulu Warrior!
The newly named Zulu Warrior at Little Venice
Zulu is not one of the smartest looking boats on the cut, and like many older boats its a long time since a name of any sort was painted on the side.
However when I bought Zulu, the previous owner presented me with ready made sticky backed names for the cabin sides. I had more imporant things to fix at the time and so they have remained in a cupboard until today. Spurred on by overhearing a couple of walkers looking at the name on the licence plates and asking if this was the ex Royal Navy narrowboat I decided to investigate whether the old name decals would still be usable.
I originally planned to paint the cabin before using them, as they are green and the cabin is green too (nothing of course to do with the dozen shades of green) , but today I decided that painting the cabin sides has already taken over two years and is unlikely to happen this month.
And so out came the fairy liquid to clean off the grime and on went the decals – the first time I have applied these, and very successful it was too. Within 15 minutes I had one side done, so quickly turned the boat around and did the other side too. Why it has taken me two years to do this I don’t even understand myself.
So if you are in Little Venice this weekend, for the Cavalcade, then you will now have a much greater chance of identifying us! See you there!!
Viking Warrior – was that Zulu’s long lost sister?
![Viking Warrie]](http://www.zulu-warrior.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/p1070184.jpg "p1070184")
Viking Warrior at Lapworth
In the 1980s Zulu Warrior belonged to the Royal Navy as one of two narrowboats based at Uxbridge on the Grand Union. They were basically hire boats, available for Navy personnel attached to the nearby “Stone Frigate” HMS Warrior, otherwise known as Northwood HQ near Rickmansworth. The staff at Uxbridge Boat Centre still remember having Zulu based there.
Amongst the paperwork which I inherited are the old hire boat inventory, handling manual and some of the log books. I never found the actual “brochure” for hiring Zulu, but I do have a glossy A4 leaflet with the details of the other boat, purpose built for the job in 1975, as opposed to Zulu’s history as a former hire boat.
This sparkling new all steel boat was called Viking Warrior, and was apparently 50ft with 8 berths. From the faded photos it isn’t clear whether Viking was a cruiser or trad stern and I have no other information about her. Searching Jim Shead’s boat listing for Viking Warrior came up with only one GRP boat which couldn’t possibly be the original, so for the last two years I have assumed that she no longer exists.
Potentially rare shot of Zulu Warrior and Viking Warrior together for the first time in 30 years
This weekend look what I found, on its mooring just above Bridge 28 at Lapworth on the Stratford on Avon Canal. Viking Warrior, all very shiny, and a traditional stern but remarkably similar bows and window pattern to the photo in my brochure. Could this really be the long lost partner for Zulu? Searching Jim Shead’s boat list by the index number comes up with Viking Warrier (sic) which of course is why I couldn’t find her in my original search, and the index number 60553 could well be from the 1980s but isn’t exactly datable as it is from the era where all existing boats were handed a sequential number regardless of their actual age. The length is given at 45 feet, but there again Zulu was sold to me as 7 feet longer than she is in the real world.
UPDATED 24-FEB-10
I hope to do some more research so if you know anything about these two boats it would be really great to hear from you. I would especially like to see old photographs of Zulu. Meanwhile I have been reminded (Thanks Brian – see comments) about an article Royal Navy Narrowboats on Grannybuttons.com published shortly after I bought Zulu – indeed published because I bought Zulu. There is already a wealth of detail about Viking Warrior contributed by Noel Durkin, and mentions Dick Pryce-Jones as being in charge of the naval narrowboat project and apparently still has his own narrowboat, nb Juniper, at Upware. So if either of you read this, or anyone else with more information, I would love to hear from you.
Although Zulu and Viking have long since been decomissioned from the Navy, there are still at least two Royal Navy narrowboats, so you never know who you may meet in the next bridge hole. The most recent, the Warneford VC, was added in March 2009 as covered by http://www.hmforces.co.uk/news/articles/608-royal-navy-launches-new-vessel-a-narrowboat and will be based at Hilperton on the K&A and I believe at least one more, the Emma is based in the Midlands. These boats are, like Zulu, used for recreational and occasional team building exercises.
BW Mooring Auction – Zulu is on the move
Middlewich no more!
Last month I tested the new BW Mooring Auction system for the first time and as a result Zulu will soon have a new mooring at Uxbridge Lock, Grand Union Canal. Even though the Middlewich mooring is much cheaper, the cost of getting there is quite prohibitive, and we have had our fun after over a year in Cheshire, so its time to move on, with the added bonus of now having a West London mooring.
Winter stoppages, including one at Middlewich Big Lock itself mean we can’t start the journey south until 18th December, so Christmas and New Year is going to be a crazy mixture of family visits and boating. I hope to get past Braunston before the January stoppages commence, otherwise we will be stuck there until the end of March.
Check the closing time!
The auction system itself is certainly an improvement on the old tenders trial, where you only got one chance to guess a price, but I was almost caught out by the new system. At 13:00 hrs I was the high bidder and assumed that this meant I had won the auction. To my horror another bid was accepted after the deadline, and I had to log in and bid again. In fact I thought there had been a mistake, as I had scrutinised the Terms and Conditions document which clearly states that the auction ends at the closing time.
What it doesn’t mention is that the closing time is extended beyond the original deadline until no bidding activity has taken place for 5 minutes, as an anti-sniping measure. Whist this is an excellent feature I was very annoyed to end up losing the auction on a technicality, which is not even mentioned in the Terms and Conditions for Bidding but according to BW the website FAQ section must be considered part of the T&C, and it is here that the anti sniping is mentioned. So be warned - if you are bidding make sure that you watch for an extended closing time in case anyone tries to jump in at the last moment.
Fate was on my side though, as 2 weeks later the original bidder had not met their obligation and so I was offered the vacancy, as the next highest bidder. I have paid more than I intended, but I have a superb mooring to look forward to in one of my favourite locations on the canal network. Zulu was actually based in Uxbridge in the 1980s when she was one of the Royal Navy’s own hire boats, and when I bought her she had been moored for years in Batchworth, so to all intents and purposes, Zulu will be coming home.
Only 182 miles and 163 locks to go!
Water water everywhere – the pump’s broken
A visit to Zulu this week started badly. She was definitely down at the stern more than normal, which immediately starts the heart racing, as the last thing I need is to find the engine bilge flooded.
But all was well in the engine department – an automatic bilge pump sees that the rain water is removed and so I relaxed for a moment, until putting the kettle on and finding no water in the taps. I optimistically refilled the tank so I could check for leaks and have a cup of coffee.
It didn’t take a genius to work out that with an empty water tank and a tail heavy appearance, the contents must have moved from the front to the back – and indeed this was confirmed when I opened up the water pump cupboard and found the newly refilled tank pouring its contents back into the newly dry cabin bilge. The Sureflow pump had failed spectacularly – how are these things constructed so badly that they can burst open and flood the boat (this is the third boat with a Sureflow pump and the third time I have had to mop up a leaking Sureflow pump).
I really don’t understand why I then went out and bought another one the same – at least it fitted back into the same space without replumbing too. At least it has a three year guarantee.
So Zulu you well and truly got your revenge for being neglected last month. I promise not to leave you so long again.
Marston Doles to Claydon
Marston Doles to Claydon, South Oxford Canal
Woke up to a lovely morning, although as usual it had been raining through the night. Took Seth for a walk all the way down the Napton flight, hoping to find some fresh bread and milk at the Canal Stores adjoining the Folly pub, but despite the “open early” signs there was no sign of life, other than three or four other boaters also milling around before doing as I did and heading up to the village stores, which is actually not as far as I remembered.
Fresh bread was available too, albeit “Cuisine de France” brand, frozen dough but baked on the premises. So many local shops seem to have replaced the traditional English baker, getting up before most of us go to bed, with an electric oven and deep freeze, but at least it is still freshly baked bread and I will happily take that in place of sliced white any day.
Returned to Marston Doles via the lanes which pass Napton Water Buffalo farm and sat in the sun for a while and trying to spot a gap in the more or less constant traffic of passing boats so I could do the last couple of locks in the flight without a crowd.
Last time I did Marston Doles top lock there was a most horrendous road accident attended by the air ambulance which landed in the field beside the lock, but this time the only disturbance was the wind as I slipped past the queue waiting to descend the locks and headed out into the long summit pound. The weather simply can not produce a normal summers day at the moment, but it was very pleasant despite the breeze.
Ended up just outside Cropredy for the night – no point in rushing there yet.
Rugby to Marston Doles
Rugy to Marston Doles – Oxford Canal
The weather forecast was pretty accurate today. Rain, no rain, rain, sun, rain, no rain etc. And freezing cold at tea time too – that wasn’t so much the forecast as a general observation from the tiller.
Hillmorton locks were all but desserted today, and between showers the day was quite a pleasant relief from yesterday’s scorcher. In fact the showers were quite pleasant too – even warm – until one particularly vicious one which caused us to do an emergency parking manoeuvre beneath a large tree until it passed over. Not too far to Braunston from here, so Seth got a nice three mile round trip to the supermarket and back. Naturally the gentle rain wasnt wet enough for him, so he simply jumped into the canal on the way with a “That will teach you to keep me on a boiling hot boat all day” look on his face. I gave him a “That will teach you that wet dogs have to stay off the sofa” look in return, but he didn’t understand. Such are the innocent pleasures of being a dog.
After so many miles and so few locks it was actually quite nice to do 9 in a row, especially with the cold evening turning into a lovely warm mellow summer twilight and not a soul to disturb us.
So pretty much on schedule for arriving at Cropredy tomorrow. Just one slight problem – we have no food on board!!! Eeek… the South Oxford without food. Planning was never my forte. We may even have to resort to pub bistro food, such are the facilities en route. Still I guess the village stores in Cropredy will be taking in bumper stock this week ready for a 72 hour festival sized queue next weekend, which hopefully will not have materialised by the time we arrive.
Hawkesbury to Rugby
It was all part of the plan. A few days in Newbury and then back to Zulu, who has been on the 7 day moorings at Hawkesbury Junction for 6 days now.
With two boats we now play the car-boat-boat-car shuffle. No car and one boat is the most simple variation, but we are doing the more complicated version of two cars and two boats. Except today I thought we should take the train instead.
Newbury to Coventry – £34.00 single.
But lets do the train fare shuffle.
Newbury to Banbury – £22.10
Banbury to Coventry – £7.90
Total Newbury to Coventry with two tickets, same train – £30.00 saving £4.00
Now lets use my Network Rail Card which gives 30% off off peak fares for only £20.00 per year.
Newbury to Banbury – with 30% off – £14.60
Banbury to Coventry – £7.90 (no railcard discount)
Total Newbury to Coventry with two tickets,same train – £22.50 saving £11.50
Unfortunatley part of the journey – Oxford to Coventry was with Cross Country Trains – formerly operated by Virgin, and a common sight when boating on the Oxford canal as the sleek modern trains zoom past the boats at a rapid rate. What you cant see from a boat is the inhumane conditions passengers are expected to tolerate inside these trains. Today we had nine people and two dogs, a pushchair and two of the biggest suitcases known to mankind, not in the carriage or even on the train itself – this was in the vestibule area before even getting into the carriage which had obviously been completely full before arriving at Oxford. So we had to stand and sweat and put up with stupid people who obviously thought that the nine of us were too stupid to look in the carriage ahead, dragging their bags over the dogs and squeezing past the suitcases in the doorway only to find that the carriage ahead was also crammed full, and also was first class, and then they had to come back past the cases, and the people, and over the dogs before doing similar to our alter-egos in the next vestibule, while their counterparts made their way from the back to the front of the train. God how I hate Cross Country trains. Why cant they add more carriages – it would not be amazingly complicated to provide a service compatible with the demand by doubling the number of carriages. Or maybe they should stop selling discounted advance tickets for a tenner for a ten hour journey.
So we got tipped out of the opening door onto Coventry Station platform, took the bus to Longford, which I now know to be pronounced Long … Ford, and walked the fifteen minutes up to the boat, stopping for lunch at the Greyhound and savouring yet another gorgeously poured pint of Mild.
The weather forecast today was for cooler weather than of late, with rain moving in from the west. Excellent – it won’t do that then! In fact it was somewhere between boiling and unbelievably hot with not a cloud and certainly no rain, as we set off for Rugby and tonight, many hours after leaving the train we are just outside Hillmorton.
Braunston to Sutton Stop
Its funny how first impressions can be so lasting. I have long intended to venture up the Ashby but once on the Coventry canal I have gone past Marston junction in “next time” mode. Somehow it just didn’t seem to fit my criteria for being interesting enough – possibly something to do with when I used to live in Shardlow and took the odd day trip to walk the towpaths which were, to say the least, remote.
And so it finally dawned on me that with the boat in Braunston and the prospects of visiting a new canal it would be no great hardship to pop up the Ashby for a week or so.
Leaving Braunston was emabrassing. Heads popped out of hatches as I tried to nonchalantly reverse several hundred yards to the junction to save a lengthy trip to the first winding hole towards Napton but the wind decided to have some fun with us causing a rapid change of plans and direction. Once at the winding hole I had a bit of fun with the wind and made the turn in one. Nice one wind! Pity nobody witnessed this manoeuvre instead.
Braunston was much busier than last week but the North Oxford seemed pretty quiet as we headed towards Hilmorton. Predictably the wind played havoc with the queue as we hung back with half a dozen other boats and crazy though it sounds, everyone was being so polite with each other that nobody knew who should have the next lock – you know the “… no – you go first; no please, YOU go first…. no, no no no…”. So we we were waved through ahead of couple of others and soon clear of the third and last lock for many miles to come.
Boy was it busy too – each pair of locks surrounded by a dozen or more windlass-weilding hire boat crews all eager to do something but not quite sure what. This is, after all, the first set of locks experienced by hundreds of hire boats each weekend.
Despite the wind (why do you always meet an oncoming boat in the narrowest sections) we made good progress looking forward to a pint of Mild at the Greyhound. Rugby’s moorings were very busy and Newbold visitor moorings were virtually empty. I bet that wouldnt have been the case if we intended to stop there!
And so on to Hawkesbury where despite being after 7pm we found a lovely mooring just under the pylons.
Beer at the Greyhound is amongst the best in the world – it is a sheer pleasure to watch it being poured through a tight sparkler, first fill half the glass, then let it settle and then fill it to the top leaving a thick creamy head. Oh boy if only the Newbury bar staff could be brought here to learn the art of pouring rather than the one handed pull resulting in not a single bubble on the top of a freezing cold flat pint being gently warmed at the edges by the glass. Why do we have to pay £3.00 a pint for such crap, when at the Greyhound a pint of Hansons Dark Mild comes in with 10 pence chance out of two pounds.
We ate a huge plateful of home cooked food for a very reasonable price and left as very satisfied customers.
I note with great interest that there is to be a beer festival at the Greyhound on 15-17 August and decide that whereever Zulu is that week, we will be returning.
Two months hard labour
Time passes so quickly – I didn’t want to tempt fate by blogging about the day to day repairs. Suffice to say that they were done, albeit over a longer timescale than I had first imagined. Zulu spent just over two months out of the water giving me a chance to get to know her a lot better.
Her survey, commissioned by the previous owner, was very thorough and required that urgent repairs were undertaken to the steelwork, so we lost no time in having the anodes removed and new 6mm plating to the front 10 feet – new sides and bottom, and around the stern. Thank goodness I didnt hit the front anodes too hard on the way up, as the survey proved accurate and there was actually a hole the size of a ten pence piece where the welders torch burnt straight through the non existant metal.
What a relief therefore to see the new shiny steel plating being fitted. That should give another thirty years service, I hope. WIth steelwork completed I was able to spend a couple of lovely days wire brushing the rusty bits back to shiny metal and then three coats of blacking. What a transformation!
Turning our attention to the other points on the survey, the diesel tanks looked pretty thin and required further investigation. When I say looked thin, I really mean it – the holes in the top of the starboard tank allowed daylight through so with great reluctance I heard myself agreeing to have the two tanks removed and new steel tanks made up on site.
We baled out 140 litres of diesel into every spare container I could find. It was everywhere but at almost a pound a litre it was definitely not going to be wasted! The old bilges were foul full of oil and mud. Now they were topped up with a layer of spilt diesel as the old pipework was removed. Harborough boats had a port and starboard diesel tank with a balancing pipe connecting them, which is impossible to remove without a mess. To cut a long story short, I spent a lot of time myself, and paid a lot of labour charges too, to have these old tanks removed. The whole aft deck framework had to come out and overall the mess was unbelievable as we baled out buckets full of diesely gunk from the bilges followed by two bin liners full of soil, wood, screws and worse. It took a weeks worth of pressure washing and more baling before the mess was gone, but the good news was that the engine bay is now largely free from the years worth of mess which had accumulated on every surface and most of the metalwork was relatively rust free after years of oily coating.
Would I do it again? I guess if needs must, but I can’t think of a worse job. The cost was also quite enormous – the boatyard made a splendid relacement tank for a reasonable price but it cost a lot to fit it, so in damage limitation mode we have only fitted the one tank. It took every drop of the 140 litres of recycled diesel, so I can’t see this being a problem in the future.
Other work was more pleasant – a bit of painting, some electrics – in fact quite a lot of electrics – to be continued later. And the last big job was finally completed when the metal front well deck was returned to cover up the old water tank and welded in place.
And so it was with great relief that on Wednesday 11th June – two months after being lifted out, Zulu Warrior was returned to the water.
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