No boat work this weekend. We're up in Leeds having a cuddle with Daniel. He's getting to be a proper little boy now, and is still a happy little chappie.

I now have a working bicycle, thanks to Paul for letting me have one that was surplus to his requirements. Riding back from Kingswood didn't produce the sore posterior which I had expected so future riding shouldn't be too bad.

I now have to look into re-balancing the boat as carrying extra fuel on one side of the engine compartment produces the inevitable lean to one side. I have to find space on the other side to put some of the cans.

At last! After five years of having this boat I have gotten around to fitting the bilge pump. I bought this pump when I was first fitting out the boat but never got around to actually fitting the damned thing. Today I suddenly thought why don't I get this thing fitted so I went out and bought some tubing of the appropriate size, sorted some wire and connectors from my stock and presto at last one bilge pump. No more lifting of engine decks to pump out with a portable unit.

I'm replacing one of the several wooden boxes which I made to increase the outside storage. In the past I've varnished these as I thought that was the best way of keeping them looking nice but my experience has not born this out. Even when I've varnished the individual pieces before assembly the finish hasn't lasted. The final straw was the 'A' frame I made from oak and maple for the cratch cover. After one winter it was looking terrible and I had used what I thought to be good quality varnish, many coats, rubbed down. So from now on it's paint!

We do not actually start out until the end of June as Cath must serve out here notice. Meantime I am earning a last bit of money by doing some exam invigilation and in my spare time preparing the boat. The safety inspector didn't like the fact that I had fitted another land line hookup point at the front of the boat and not put in a switch to select which point was in use so I've fitted a two way switch.

Our boat has an integral water tank and this was due for cleaning and re-blacking which I wasn't too keen on so we bought a flexible liner and I've now installed it. What a job that was! But it's done now and that should be the end any water tank problems which could crop up.

This is to be the log of our next journey around the UK canal system