We’ve been felling a bit soggy!
Our hall carpet was developing some water marks, and we were notably damp on one side of the boat.
Unable to track where the water was coming from, we called Russ Hubble, who made the boat, for plans. They came down to see us. Sure, they made a small charge, but tell me which house builders would care that much six years after building a house!
Russ and Claire Hubble
(Perhaps it’s because she was finished on the eve of their wedding, making her memorable? I digress)
Anyway it transpires the previous owners had dinged the boat just a few days after having her – dramatically, under a bridge, and with enough force to make the dividing wall of the end cabin pop out. This explains the fact that our cabin door doesn’t close smoothly, which was slightly at odds with the high quality workmanship on the rest of the boat. It’s easily fixed, and we are now conscious that we overlooked a tiny, almost imperceptible, dent, when we purchased her.
We’d still have bought her: she’s a beautiful boat and frankly I’d put money on ethe boat surviving better than most bridges!
Why the verbal detour? We*think* what’s happened is that the earlier accident dislodged the cabin window slightly – which was exacerbated by her rather rough ride being transported here.
The hole in our cabin floor
So Russ and Claire (Hubble) helped us seal all of the windows. We’ve lifted floor boards to dry her out properly, and have been resealing the shower just to ensure that we’re not adding to the problems there.
The boats drying out, but it’s back to showering in the communal shower block while we dry out, and we’re living in the boaty equivalent of a building site. At least this has happened before the spring, when we’ll be putting down new carpet through the lounge and cabin areas. And ripping up the carpet in the galley/entrance area to replace with something a little harder wearing.
Fingers crossed that sorting the dislodged window will mean, once we’re dried out, that we can confidently hit the open river and find our perfect spot on the river bank to see us through the spring. Whether we’ll be capable enough, or brave enough, to stay off marina next winter, only time will tell.
One thing’s for sure though, we’ve met so many lovely people living here, it’s getting harder to think of moving on.
Hole in cabin floor, alternate angle
[...] winter we had water coming in. In the efforts to work out why, we have had a visit from the boat’s maker, sacrificed the hallway carpet and lifted [...]