Ready for the Off

It’s been a busy sort of a weekend with plenty to keep us occupied along the way. Despite not working the whole weekend we managed to get Naughty-Cal ready for next week’s holiday with plenty of time to spare.

The weekend was kicked off with a pleasant evening cruise to Saxilby. We had not intended to go out but the weather was pleasant and the pontoons in the marina unusually quiet so we upped sticks and set off. The cruise was very relaxing and a fitting start to the weekend.

Surprisingly the visitor moorings in Saxilby were quite busy and we had to sneak into a small gap just large enough for Naughty-Cal. A quiet evening followed with a few beers and some good music, before retiring early ready for the next day’s activities.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny and after a brief stop at the shop to buy bacon, eggs and black pudding, we set off back to the marina. The first job of the day was to service the engine. To get the oil out it needs to be warmed up so the 4 miles back to the marina helped out no end. With the oil and filter changed, the supercharger oil changed, air filter changed and belts checked the engine was declared fit for the trip.

Next up was the outboard bracket. This proved to be the most difficult job of the weekend. We tried it in various locations on the boat before almost giving up on the idea of taking the dinghy next week. With the last chance looming we finally found a suitable spot to mount it, where it would be secure for the sea trip and safely locked up to keep the thieves at bay. It isn’t ideal being in the cockpit but it’s a compromise we are happy to make.

It was getting a little late in the day by now, so we had to start to get ready for the evening wedding reception we had agreed to attend. The evening went very well with all concerned enjoying a good night with the beer flowing freely. Somehow we ended up in charge of taking the wedding balloons back to Cal for safe keeping until the following mornings BBQ breakfast party. It made for an interesting taxi ride home.


Sunday was a decidedly windy day which wasn’t ideal for transporting a load of balloons across the marina by dinghy. Still with a little effort we made the special delivery without a single casualty along the way. The breakfast party went very well and we would have stayed much longer barring the fact we had yet to clean the boat. So with a fond farewell we departed but not without a show for the guests. Asbo the dinghy made a showpiece exit by going under the Chinese restaurant on the way back to our berth.

Cleaning the boat didn’t take as long as expected. A couple of hours had her spick and span, then it was time to hook the dinghy on the davits and the outboard on the bracket, ready for the mad dash on Friday evening. By now the wind was blowing a gale, but we had to take Naughty-Cal out with the dinghy attached for the very first time. This short trip highlighted a couple of minor visibility issues but never the less was a successful run. Now it was time to relax with a couple of beers and some good home cooked food. Another successful weekend.