Its probably quite common to have two lengths for a boat - the real length and the length on the licence. Zulu Warrior seems to have several.
Zulu was first licenced in 1973 at 49 feet, but examining the old log books and paperwork she has apparently grown over the years.
Surveyed in January, she was found to be 56 feet long.
Advertised by Yourmove in January 2007 she was 54 feet long. According to the web she was also a one bedroom house in those days, but then they are Estate Agents and definitely not boat brokers.
Advertised for sale earlier this week she was still 54 feet long, but she seemed to go through a 52 foot stage during the mid eighties according to her old log books.
I am relieved to say that now unencumbered by the undergrowth along her moorings I was able to run a tape measure along the towpath where she turns out to be a modest 49 feet after all. I do hope she doesn't grow again - I like her just as she is.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Monday, 7 April 2008
Zulu Warrior - my new narrowboat
Zulu Warrior is a 56 foot Harborough Marine narrowboat from the early 1970s and seems to have an interesting history. In case you missed my earlier posting, I have just purchased her today.
No ordinary ex-hireboat this; she was apparently one of two narrowboats attached to HMS Warrior and operated secret missions from Cowley Peachey on the Grand Union during the early 1980s.
HMS Warrior turns out to be an alias for Northwood Headquarters, almost on the doorstep of Rickmansworth, and of course the secret missions turned out to be a perk of those based there, who could take a break from playing with ships and turn their hand to narrowboating on their days off. More of which later, as I have uncovered the instruction manuals handed to crews on their busmans' holidays warning the professional mariners of "the difficult handling characteristics of a single screw, 50 ft long narrow craft which has little draft" Section 0307, subsection (c.).
No ordinary ex-hireboat this; she was apparently one of two narrowboats attached to HMS Warrior and operated secret missions from Cowley Peachey on the Grand Union during the early 1980s.
HMS Warrior turns out to be an alias for Northwood Headquarters, almost on the doorstep of Rickmansworth, and of course the secret missions turned out to be a perk of those based there, who could take a break from playing with ships and turn their hand to narrowboating on their days off. More of which later, as I have uncovered the instruction manuals handed to crews on their busmans' holidays warning the professional mariners of "the difficult handling characteristics of a single screw, 50 ft long narrow craft which has little draft" Section 0307, subsection (c.).
Today she is all mine - money has changed hands - Bill of Sale has been drawn up and signed and insurance has been arranged, keys handed over and after a quick engine check Zulu Warrior was prised off her Rickmansworth mooring of some 15 years, the remains of her rotton ropes falling apart rather than becoming untied, and the green slime still wont wash off my hands.
Yesterday the engine started for demo purposes - today it fired up instantly and as Zulu left her berth for the first time in months, if not years she left her smoky trail through next door's potting shed. Why did the neighbours smile and wave? Do they know something I am as yet unaware of?
Our first few hundred yards showed she hasn't forgotton how to be a boat - nice steady Lister SR3 note, stops in a straight line, even goes backwards in a straightish line. These old boats are great! Down Batchworth Lock we went - carefully trying not to bump her thin bits too hard - planning a good dump at the bins (green rope fragments mainly) we were foiled by BWB having "regrettably had to close the refuse point" for reasons unknown, and so on we went to Tesco Rickmansworth boldly completing our first mile without any known incidents.
And thats where we are right now - not on the Tesco moorings as this is now night and overnight mooring is banned there, but opposite where BWB signage informs us that mooring is restricted to 14 days per calendar year. That'll do for now!
Lazy Sunday afternoon - no chance!
Well its taken eight months to make my second post, so it better be a good one!
Sunday 6th April started with snow. Not the light sprinkling which the weather forecast for the North, but a good old three or four inches - whoopee! Snow! Its snowing!! What better thing to do than to turn over and go back to sleep.
Radio 4 reminded us that it always used to snow in April, so this isn't necessarily reverse global warming at work and the weather forecast reminded us that they had promised snow for the North. What about us in the SOUTH - its snowing here too, but apparently nothing worth confirmation by the Beeb.
Poking the stove to revive last night's embers I turned the TV on just in time to see the local news celebrating the weather by inviting us to mail in our photos of the chaotic aftermath of the blanket of white. We were shown "some we already have" which mainly consisted of a man and his daughter standing on a lightly covered patch of snow - certainly we had suffered worse than this.
Oh yes - I almost forgot. Just before lunch I took a look at some boats for sale on the web and by teatime I had bought one. Another one, that is; I already have one but something on this now sunny afternoon told me that one simply wouldn't be enough this summer. Zulu Warrior was about to be revived from its residential slumbers.
Sunday 6th April started with snow. Not the light sprinkling which the weather forecast for the North, but a good old three or four inches - whoopee! Snow! Its snowing!! What better thing to do than to turn over and go back to sleep.
Radio 4 reminded us that it always used to snow in April, so this isn't necessarily reverse global warming at work and the weather forecast reminded us that they had promised snow for the North. What about us in the SOUTH - its snowing here too, but apparently nothing worth confirmation by the Beeb.
Poking the stove to revive last night's embers I turned the TV on just in time to see the local news celebrating the weather by inviting us to mail in our photos of the chaotic aftermath of the blanket of white. We were shown "some we already have" which mainly consisted of a man and his daughter standing on a lightly covered patch of snow - certainly we had suffered worse than this.
Oh yes - I almost forgot. Just before lunch I took a look at some boats for sale on the web and by teatime I had bought one. Another one, that is; I already have one but something on this now sunny afternoon told me that one simply wouldn't be enough this summer. Zulu Warrior was about to be revived from its residential slumbers.
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