Well after a breakdown, the calling out the river & canal rescue (which was fruitless) and a tow from some lovely boaters we finally made it to where we had booked the boat in to black the hull of our little floating home ' Badger the Narrowboat'
We manged to just about start Badger and get her to the wharf on time (we were only 250m away thanks to the people that towed us here the other day and it seems we have arrived before they have opened so......
We were at this wharf about three months ago as it was such a convenient place to pull in for diesel and we will be filling up here before we leave also.
It's a good job the slipway where the boat is going to have the hull blacked is a covered one as rain looks imminent!
And now we have been pulled into the covered area. This is where Badger will now be for 3 days while we wash off, prep and then paint the bitumen based paint onto the hull to protect her from corrosion. This sould be done every 2 to 3 years and it's been over 3 so glad we were able to book a space in here to do it.
And not forgetting the under side and rudder.
a few more helping hands have volunteered so it will speed things up a little.
Now believe it or not
And here he is dismantling the engine as we will have several things to fix and replace on her. He's already fixed and rewired in the bilge pumps and is now setting about replacing the head gaskets. Not a quick job but I am very grateful for the assistance with this as it's not within my realm of expertise. 
Other jobs being done are a couple of new sacrificial anodes being welded on and the stern gland having new packing rope put in place so we have a busy few days but all being well will be moving again very soon to continue the cruising of the canal network of the UK.
