Jumbling

It's Newark boat jumble weekend. So as had become customary we will be trudging down the A46 to Newark on Sunday morning in the hope of picking up some bargains.

We need a few things like antifoul paint which we know we will pick up here but there are also a few things on the list which if we can't pick them up at a decent price it isn't the end of the world like new mooring lines.

We always enjoy this jumble it is usually filled with interesting items and useful items. With the boat coming out if the water in the very near future it is the ideal chance to grab some of the last minute items on our work list!

Black and white

We spent the evening after work last night cleaning the boat carpets. They were looking a little grubby so as part of our winter spruce up we have brought them home for a good wash.

They had their first scrub on Tuesday and the difference was instantly noticeable, the colour of the water that came out of them was quite disturbing. Then last night they had another scrub to remove any remaining dirt. Again the water was mucky but not to the same degree as on Tuesday evening.

The difference is quite remarkable from how they were to how they look now, they could be black and white in comparison. This weekend we will put the cabin carpets back in.

We have not done the cockpit rug yet. We will do this over the coming weeks but there is not much point putting it back on the boat until it is relaunched in early march. The hard standing is filthy so the rug would only get filthy again.

Before long now we will have the cabin ready for the cruising season ahead. The cockpit won't take long and the exterior will be finished by early march along with the servicing. Then Naughty-Cal will be ready to face whatever this summer has to throw at her, hopefully!

Chaos

Yesterday can only be described as absolute chaos on the streets of Sheffield. A morning of heavy snow created gridlock. Trips which would usually take minutes were taking hours as people struggled to drive the roads.

A little bit of forward planning would have avoided most of the problems. The picture below this post is a good example of the above. The stuck bus outside our house. There was no way it would get up the hill yet it tried anyway. Result one bus stuck outside our house for hours whilst waiting for someone trained to help it reverse back onto the bus route.

This was just one example. This was repeated all across the city.

Hot hot hot

Just in time for this latest round of snow showers we fitted a new thermostat to the heating at home.

The old dial type thermostat was starting to give false readings and was becoming a little on the unreliable side. So we have replaced it with a new digital version.

Wow, what a difference even in one evening. The temperature is much more static without the peaks and troughs and we can set it much more accurately. The result last night was that we had the thermostat set at 16 degrees ( in the hallway a cooler part of the house) giving a very comfortable temperature throughout the house. The old stat was set at 22 degrees!

Hopefully this should mean we make a saving on our gas bill this year.

A productive weekend

Whilst we didn't get everything on our list completed this weekend we did get a few other odd jobs sorted out.

The dinghy was emptied out and treated to a good clean before being fired up for the first time this year and taken for a quick spin.

The hob was stripped down and cleaned to remove some stubborn soot which was effecting the flame pattern. Again now sorted.

The over mats and cockpit may have been brought home and this week will be washed a couple of times ready for the cruising season. We will probably leave them at home until the boat is relaunched in early march.

The original carpets were treated to a good wash and clean which has freshened them up somewhat and now they are drying in time for next weekend.

All in all a fairly productive weekend. Hopefully in the next few weekends we will get more odd jobs finished which should see cal ready to go on e she is relaunched in march.

Oh what a......

Oh what a beautiful morning. Chilly granted but moored here in brayford pool it is simply stunning this morning. Surrounded by sleeping swans!

Shame we have to go back and get to work really.

Busy busy

Well we have something of a busy weekend planned this week.

Tonight we may take the chance to relax with a few beers in the boat club but then tomorrow the work starts in earnest.

First job is cleaning the carpets. We had planned to replace them but after thinking about it for a long while we have decided that they are not all that bad and a quick wash will sort them out. We will take the over carpets home and the cockpit rug to wash them at home and keep the damp at bay.

Whilst washing the carpets we may as well do the upholstery as well. With the carpets and upholstery looking and smelling fresher I will take the curtains and shower curtain home for a good scrub as well.

Whilst Liam is busy with the carpet cleaner in the cabin I will set about polishing in the cockpit area. All of the grp surfaces will be polished and waxed to ensure a gleaming finish.

With spring snapping at our heels it will be a race to get naughty cal ready for the up coming summer of cruising. The list of jobs is still far from finished but we are gradually working our way down it. Next week will be another busy one with a full engine service, polishing in the cabin and the annual trip to the Newark boat jumble.