Bye Bye Epiphany - she is in good hands!

Friday, 02 January 2009 17:07

This morning we moved along the canal and into Tooley's Historic Boatyard.

Before Epiphany could go into the dry dock it had to be filled to allow another boat to leave

We watched the whole process with interest. The dam of sleepers, bridged by planks, had to let in the water gradually. It came in slowly until the top sleeper was removed from the dam.

The dock flooded quite quickly to float Nb The Vision off the bottom

Once the boat was out it was our turn! We slowly approached the entrance and Martin and Matt supervised Epiphany in. Once the engine was off and she was stopped with her stern just at the entrance, we stepped off the stern with our bits and pieces. Epiphany's draft meant that the wood that the previous boat had been sitting on had to be moved so she would be sitting on the bottom of the dock when it was dry.

Martin and Matt then eased her in under the beams of the dock until they were satisfied she was OK to be tethered.

Epiphany was settled in the middle
and tethered by two ropes at the bow and the stern

The dam between the canal and the dock was then assembled again making a barrier. The roll up door meets the top of the dam so the dock is then closed off from the canal.

Martin then pulled the plug - literally!

The dock drains through a wooden sluice door into an old elm culvert and into the River Cherwell. The river runs on the other side of the canal from Tooley's. The dock has been emptied this way since it was built in 1790 and was restored in 1930. It is a very slow process, particularly if the culvert is blocked! Matt and Martin crossed on the lift bridge to check and had to "rod" it today!

We left Matt and Martin to it - once the dock drains they will pressure wash the hull ready for blacking tomorrow.

It is a small world - Martin used to work for Bath Narrowboats, mainly on the restaurant boat The John Rennie! Despite that (!) he said that Epiphany was "a nice boat"! We suspect he says that to all their customers to keep them happy!

I felt bereft leaving Epiphany there. It is a strange feeling and different from leaving her moored on the Cut! I suppose it is because she is Home and we left her in the charge of someone else. We also did not have to go through the ritual of turning things off, as we do if we normally leave her for a day or so. She will be "hooked up" to shore power in Tooley's. Matt will then check her electrics for us. He has a similar battery monitor on his boat.

John will be checking progress tomorrow and so I can report on the blog! There is a special album in our Gallery on the website which will have all the fascinating pictorial story of the "Tooley's Experience"! I shall keep it up to date as we take the photos (hopefully!).

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