Final Green Lane Update

From the following sequence of pictures you can see Green Lane Aqueduct on the Lower Peak Forest Canal in Romiley after repair work to fix a serious leak. As you may recall two separate attempts were made or the second visit was planned as the pointing of the wall where the most water was coming through was not done until after the first visit. There is still a small "weep" in the arch of the aqueduct

The spot where most of the remedial work was carried out.

Looking North towards Woodley Tunnel

Looking South towards Hyde Bank tunnel.

As I pass this spot quite regularly I will watch for further activity and report if there are any significant changes.

Back in the water

We relaunched the boat earlier today after a week of cleaning and blacking the bottom. It is a very satisfying feeling to see the boat gently slip back into the water, now all we have to do is get the rest of the boat ready for the summer cruise.

On the Slip

Disaster! the engine water pump failed as we were running the engine last Sunday. We had stayed on board overnight and were recharging the batteries when all of a sudden a cloud of steam from the engine compartment. A quick word with our local mechanic and a new pump was on order. I decided to replace our existing 45 amp alternator at the same time for one with a higher capacity whilst work was going on in the same area.
We had decided to black the bottom of the boat before we go on our extended summer cruise and a slot was booked on the NCCC slipway for early May. Last week I had a call asking if I could move to the slot for Monday 19th April (today) as the boat due for this week couldn't be done and needed a little more time before it would be convenient. A quick call to the mechanic to check that the water pump and alternator could be fitted for Monday was met with a sigh and a promise that it would be done in time to move up to the slip by 11 am. As it turned out the water pump proved to be more difficult a job than anticipated and the work was still being done as the boat was polled from its moorings to the slipway and during the pull up.

On the slip with the bottom just having been pressure washed

The alternator is still being fitted at this stage hence the engine space hatch cover still being up. What looks like a flying bridge on the roof is really the step/seat we have at the back of the cruiser stern deck.

I decided that as most of the wear seemed to be around the waterline some extra priming should be done in that area. Hopefully the first coat of bitumen paint will be going on tomorrow after the hull has been sanded

Easter

We went to Bugsworth Basin at the head of the Peak Forest Canal for Easter along with about 25 other boats from the NCCC
We moored just outside the small basin on the Middle Arm


The main Basin was almost filled with Club Boats


We had set up the marquee on Thursday afternoon and had a full programme of entertainment over the weekend including a fine performance from Braunston Pickle, a folk band and a 60th birthday party on Sunday evening. One nice thing about staying at Bugsworth is visiting the Navigation Inn and another is visiting Buxton, which is only half an hour away by bus. We did both this weekend - more times to the Navigation Inn than Buxton.
The trip back to High Lane this afternoon was uneventful and took around three and a half hours.