31st August 2013

Well this week has had mixed feelings. The excitement of seeing our boat and concerns about the build.

We came home last Saturday and had ideas, oh dear changes, well only slightly! With the EU wanting to change the duty on red diesel to full road rate, even on the proportion you use for heating and generating electricity, we'd been considering having a diesel tank solely for the heating. But it's looking likely that you won't be able to even buy red diesel if they get their way. So Mick spent time last weekend looking at alternatives, maybe a gas boiler. A few years ago we had a fortnight on a hire boat that had gas heating and we got through gas quite quickly as it was chilly.

But when we were out on Winding Down in March we had the stove going all the time and just occasionally used the heating . Boy it was cold outside, but toasty inside. So our thought is to go for an Alde boiler 3010 which can also be run off electric if we are hooked up. Just need to find somewhere for it. So on Thursday evening we sent Richard info about the boiler and our thoughts on the windows ready for when the cabin sides are done. Our email passed his in the ether as he was sending us an invoice for the next stage payment.


Mick last Saturday had asked if there was anything unique about the hull that we were shown that meant that it was definitely Oleanna. But at that stage there wasn't, the Brompton locker was their normal size. So after receiving the invoice Mick asked if they could show us that the locker had been enlarged or any other sign that meant it was Oleanna before we sent them the next wadge of money.

After a pleasant evening out with a friend in York last night we got on the train to come home and Mick checked his emails. There were two from Richard with photos. The first photos were of the Brompton locker which is now bigger and the others were of the weed hatch where they have welded my name onto it. Well Richard said Leckenby was easier to weld than Geraghty, but they have got my initials the wrong way round!
It actually says M & P Leckenby, so Mick is now Mr Leckenby. We were ecstatic and the other people on the train thought we were a bit strange as we guffawed and grinned at the photos.Yep that is our boat, we have been reassured that all is as it should be and Micks concerns have gone away.

So this morning payment 2A has been made. They have split the payments down, each into three, so that we are handing over smaller amounts at a time also helping with their cash flow.

We are happy even though our chimney stack on the house is having to be repaired by a builder who requires fewer cups of tea than Ron does as he brought his own mug, but they are three times the size!

24th August 2013

I've spent the last few days revamping my model of Oleanna, doing the adjustments and making doors work on cupboards instead of them just falling off, due to the age of the masking tape. She now has a roof and cabin sides with windows and portholes. I should have really been sorting things in my work room, but at least it's made me notice one mistake on the plan that I sent to the builders. One of the bathroom doors opens to reveal the loo instead of hiding it which would be better, but I'm sure that would have come up with the fit out.

 

Saturday morning, address in hand, Bromptons in the boot of the car along with the model and Houdinis cat flap, just in case any of it would be useful to have we set off almost half an hour after we'd planned, which is about normal for us! Bank holiday traffic wasn't too bad down to Ripley and we still had time to loose our way slightly before arriving at the right industrial park. We were helped in locating the right unit by there being two narrowboats sat outside. Richard was just arriving as we pulled up outside.

We were shown into the metal workshop and there she was, Oleanna, up to her gunwales. So far she looks pretty much like any other 58ft boat. The gas locker has been made, but now needs to be amended so that we can use it to store our Brompton bikes. This means a much wider opening than normal. A new lid had been cut to size and was laid on top of the existing one for us to see.

The stern was taking shape too, weed hatch, engine bay and fuel tank already welded into position. She seemed ever so long and ever so wide. But we were reassured with the use of a tape measure that she would fit through narrow locks.


Then had come the time to ask about what was happening with the company. Richard handed us a letter which should have been in the post to us a few weeks ago. He was very clear in his explanation that the original company had got into financial difficulties, the move to Market Drayton hadn't worked. All the owners are exactly that, they own their boats whilst they are being built and the building work was going to be finished by the new company (which has existed for sometime). Their working practices they are hoping to streamline, making their work more efficient. This all made perfect sense and was quite reassuring to us. Our first payment for the steel had actually been made to the new company and not the old one, we'd wondered why the account details had changed. They are also changing the way we pay the installments, breaking them down into smaller chunks. Therefore more frequent, but we'll be able to see where the money is going easier.

The move over to Ripley had already begun and was going much quicker than when they'd moved to Market Drayton. We were shown into the other space that they have just got. Much bigger than the draughty spot they'd been in, space to work on more than two boats at once, space to lay things out that they'd be working on. Infact there were four boats lined up waiting. There was a boat that we'd seen when we went to visit them in May, due to be launched in a couple of weeks. Here's hoping so.

As we counted up how many boats were in front of Oleanna (six), we asked the question, "So any idea of when our boat might be finished?" " Not this side of Christmas" was the answer. If they manage to get the new working practices sorted things would become quicker, but still we are really looking at early next year.
A bit disappointing, but we always knew we'd never have a definite date for completion and we'd sussed that our build slot had slipped a little too. So it might be a Scarborough Christmas not one afloat.

Mick sussing out the tiller position

After saying our goodbyes we headed to Ikea which is very close to look for possible things for the boat and fill up on Meatballs.

19th August 2013

Our first visit to see Oleanna is planned!
This saturday we are heading to Ripley to see the hull which is meant to be up to the gunwales. Very exciting!

13th August 2013

Today Mick has had a phone call about the share we have for sale in Winding Down. Someone wants to go and view her. Fingers crossed that they like her.

12th August 2013

Well we've been starting to get a bit twitchy. about six weeks ago we emailed off our final plans and spec for the boat. After hearing nothing Mick rang them to check that the builders had got the info from us. They had. Richard was needing to answer some questions on the steel before it could be delivered, this had been held up with Kevin having had his operation. Kevin was doing well, but had got an infection which was making his recovery slow going.

A few weeks later we heard that the steel had arrived but work hadn't started, at least we owned the base plate! A couple of weeks ago we decided to send hard copies of the plans through the post as Richard had had difficulty opening our plans. I called to check that they had arrived which they had and Oleanna was to be the next boat to be started. The metal workers had a few bits to finish off on the boat before ours and then they'd get started. They'd be in touch.

A very quiet time passed, with no news and us wondering if our plans for Christmas onboard in London should change. I've accepted two Christmas shows at Hull Truck, hoping that they won't scupper our plans. If the boat is ready before the shows are open, we'll try to move the boat to a suitable marina over weekends and then have her moored up and ready for the off just after curtain up. Winter stoppages may mean that we'd have to head north before we go south.

Mick was starting to get quite twitchy so I suggested that he rang them to see where we were at. A few things had been changing on their company records and we wanted to seek assurance from them that all was well. So Today Mick rang and had a chat with Richard.

Apparently Oleanna has been started! Possibly she exists up to her gunwales. The steel work is done elsewhere from the fit outs so Richard was a little bit vague as to the progress. But they would want us to pop down soon to see them. Just you stop us! They have been doing some restructuring of the company and Oleanna will no longer be taken over to Market Drayton for her fitout. They are going to lease a unit next door to the steel work and do her there. So after a year of them being at Betton Mill wharf which is a great spot on the side of the cut, but old, dusty, cold and very hot this summer they are moving back to near Hilton where we first went to see them. This is slightly closer to home for us, means that we'd have more of a choice of where to launch Oleanna when she is finished, so might be able to avoid some winter stoppages. But it is also a little bit worrying as Kevin seems to no longer be a director and they will be trading under a different name.

So the excitement of them having started is slightly tinged with concern.

The sorting of the house has slowed down somewhat with my summer shows keeping me busy. The new carpet in our living room needs replacing as the really hot sun has been melting it! We need to replace some original glass in our bay window before going ahead. But hopefully we can reuse some of the carpet upstairs in the bedroom known as The Shed. But that room needs redecorating before it gets carpet and at the moment it is full of things to go into storage. It's like a very big jigsaw and I just need to find a few days to sort my work room out so that the pieces can start moving into their final positions to free up space elsewhere. Maybe a container in the garden would help!