Shakedown Cruise(New Boat).
Oct 10th 1995
Braunston to Sawley via Leicester
We had about two days to effect Canal Trials to find out any minor
faults. Our first minor fault came half way through boiling our first kettle
for a cup of tea. We ran out of gas ! Lacking a gas bottle spanner we employed
our trusty Stilsons. Our very first run was to Braunston from Calcutt and
back to Calcutt. On the Saturday we cruised up to Braunston again and all our family
came to the naming ceremony. Sunday saw us on our own. Going through
Braunston Tunnel we seemed to meet the world and his wife while following a cloud
of spent diesel fumes. The lock keeper was in attendance at Watford Flight
and we were soon flying at a heady 3mph along the top pound towards Foxton.
Two nights later we stopped at the top of Foxton Flight and had a very
decent pub meal and a pint in the village. Next morning we had a very easy
passage down the locks and went well until about four o clock when we came
to an abrupt halt. The lengthman had chained the locks due to water shortage.
Starting about nine the next morning we dropped down into our second lock
and were actually sitting below the cill. The British Waterways lengthman very kindly
provided us with water he could not really spare to enable us to run exactly down the centre line of the canal scraping
the bottom, and not daring to approach the banks. We shopped in Leicester and
that night we ran out to the countryside to moor. The weather was becoming
increasing frosty
and it became dangerous to set off very early in the mornings. When we reached the Trent we turned left for Sawley
Marina. We decided to stop there and berth for the winter. In fact
we stopped at Sawley for two years.It had been an interesting first cruise which proved our design was to say the least satisfactory.
HOME
Alan
and Maggie.