So I finally got one of my boats in the water and started my 2008 season ....

Water level is drastically low in the river at back of my house which meant the usual quick lever of the boat down the bank, turned into a mammoth effort of near 10m of 'swamp' to push her through.

She got there eventually and then it was check out the engine. Johnson 3.3 outboard. Stood in Cellar with fuel still in tank from late summer last year - last use. Good shake of engine to mix the tank contents ! Then lift into test tank .... turned on fuel .... 3 pulls of cord and away she went like a good'un.

Put on back of boat and we all went for a start of season hour on the river ..... last years fuel and engine running like a new one, not even a mis-fire or splutter anytime.

Now all I have to do is sort out the other boats and get those afloat as well ! It feels good to be back out there !

Well ... I'm just waiting for the crane and truck to lift my main boat in alongside above weekender ... Then it's sort her out after all the work done - get her ready for Baltic trips.

I need an escape - builders are working on house, barn and other - so it's a right mess at my estate.

Once ops completed - will post a few photies !

So finally got all together and got main boat lifted in ... What a day ......

All ready..........

Crane arrives ... where's truck ?

Finally ....

Negotiate the builders mess ...

Now crane decides he wants to be first - so truck detours across another bit of garden to let him past ...

Crane past and on its way ...

Patiently waiting for crane to be ready ...

Yours truly !! Happy man !

part 2 ... >>

part 2

Yours truly !! Happy man !

Crane gives thumbs up ... truck on way again ... MIND the flowers !!

OOOOPs !! Truck starting to lean dangerously ... grounds a bit soft in places .... truck has adjustable suspension - so driver ups one side to try and level ... but it's still Oh Dear !! Slowly edges fwd ...

Phew ... she levels up and moves on ..

part 3 >>

Part 3 ... 

OK ... time to sort lift ...

Up she goes ........

She's in ... silly billy on aft rope didn't control well and mast end clipped Lady Lou !

She's in and mast up ... (sorry about black edge to photo ... camera case for some reason came loose and clipped the lens ...)

Poor crane driver had a real hard job getting crane away ... the wheels sunk in and we had to dig him out ... stick wood in etc. to get him moved !

When the mast clipped the other boat - I didn't notice but the V of my wind-indicator is now 90 degrees out !! And I aint taking mast down now !! It can wait till I do for getting under the bridges later ....

So all I have to do now is clean up the boat before fit boom, sails, dodgers, sprayhood...

I ran up engine .... wow ! I pressed the button and honest - she fired and started immediately ... no cold start, no easy-start - no throttle even ! Must be my diesel blend !! AND no leak on manifold ...... so now question is do I disturb manifold and rebed ? Think I will give it a trial period on the river see if it continues ok.

Lift-in Luther style !! Oh and yes she's aground ! But she moves. Reckon she's probably about 10 - 20cms into the mud. Saturday will give a go getting out of canal !!

She's finally rigged ...........

and looking to river and her home waters .....

Yep - I can put up with this for a while !!