Photo (27)

Throughout the last few years of boat ownership. I have been taking a number of photographs around the canals and rivers system. Obviously the subject would vary depending on where we were and what we were doing.  The photographic images are taken using either a Canon 550d or Canon 80d which is my new camera of choice. 

I use Coral Paintshop Pro X8 photo editing software for adding the logo and creating a smaller thumbnail image.  There is no particular theme, other than most of my photography is waterways inspired. With sunrise and sunsets also being in the mix. It's whatever that caught my attention at that moment in time. 

So I thought why not include a few of my photographs into the blog. 

Stenson Lock on the T&M

I take photographs for my own personal pleasure. Whilst I reserve copyright ownership of the photographic image. You are free to use the image for your own purposes as long as the logo is not removed and you give credit to where the photograph came from. The image provided on the blog is a thumbnail of the original photographic image. 

Boat Improvements (5)

As always things in life undergo gradual change. This started me thinking about what changes I could make to the boat to improve life aboard.  Because our requirements have changed with retirement. From long weekends and occasional holidays. To spending a great deal of time on the boat but not quite as full time live-a-boards. I would never make a change to the boat just for the sake of it. There would always need to be a tangible benefit from making any change. 

However, since we purchased the boat, we have made a few small but significant changes. Following on from my previous postings on Boat Improvements, I shall describe some other changes that we have made to Rosie while we have owned her.  

The boat has like all boats do, the odd little things that annoy. Over our ownership we have made a few changes ranging from piddling small to medium in size. However, last year we combined three big jobs into one.

The first was to have the boat repainted. This meant back to bare metal and windows out. New colour scheme and new colour layout meant that the boat would take on a totally new appearance.

The second was to improve the drainage on the back deck. As a semi trad we were plagued if the boat went off level, by small shallow puddles forming. Which in wet weather were not a problem. But in very cold weather could mean slippery ice underfoot. The last place to have ice underfoot is on the back deck of a boat. So we has two drainage slots cut into the hull. Now the puddles have gone.

The third was that during heavy rain the roof scuppers were being overwhelmed. This meant that rain water would cascade into the seating area. Two new scuppers were cut further along the boat roof towards the mid-line. With two small 'dam walls' added which deflect the water towards the scuppers. Now the original scuppers discharge very little water even in the heaviest of rain.

Photo (26)

Photo (26)

Throughout the last few years of boat ownership. I have been taking a number of photographs around the canals and rivers system. Obviously the subject would vary depending on where we were and what we were doing.  The photographic images are taken using a Canon 550d DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) which is my camera of choice. I use Coral Paintshop Pro X8 photo editing software for adding the logo and creating a smaller thumbnail image.

There is no particular theme, other than most of my photography is waterways inspired. It's whatever that caught my attention at the time. So I thought I might include a few of my photographs into the blog. 

Autumnal Dudley Number 2 Canal

I take photographs for my own personal pleasure. Whilst I reserve copyright ownership of the photographic image. You are free to use the image for your own purposes as long as the logo is not removed and you give credit to where the photograph came from. The image provided on the blog is a thumbnail of the original photographic image. 

Boat Improvements (4)

As always things in life undergo gradual change. This started me thinking about what changes I could make to the boat to improve life aboard.  Because our requirements have changed with retirement. From long weekends and occasional holidays. To spending a great deal of time on the boat but not quite as full time live-a-boards. 

My old boss had a rather interesting question that he would bring up in staff meetings. It would go something like this - "I know that we may not all be happy working here. But if there was one thing that you could change to make things better what would it be." Over the years some changes were made to working practice as a result of ideas being expressed.

Like my old boss, I would never make a change just for the sake of it. There would always need to be a tangible benefit from making any change. Since we purchased the boat, we have made a few small but significant changes. Following on from my previous postings on Boat Improvements, I shall describe some other changes that we have made to Rosie while we have owned her.  

A few years ago we stripped out what was a built in sofa bed and replace it with a couple of captains chairs. We were never completely happy with the new arrangement. Mainly because it meant using a couple of small folding tables to eat from. 

A rethink made us choose to fit a two place dinette that also folds down into a bed. Though visitors staying on the boat are few and far between. What this has given us is a a semi permanent place to sit and eat. It has also created an additional two under seat storage areas. We also managed to retain a captains chair - that seems to have been taken over by the first mate!