ALL FIRED UP
Canal Boat|September 2020
It’s not all plain sailing for Louis Darling but an engineer partner makes it happen
Louis Darling
ALL FIRED UP

I found a white fibreglass boat on Facebook for £1,000. It was not attractive but the idea was to enjoy days with a picnic offExmouth beach in the hazy sunshine.

It felt lovely and a little exciting. I dreamed a little dream then spoke to my partner, Dawn. “No, why do you want a boat?” was her reply.

I was not to be put off, after 15 years together I know a little about Dawn’s manipulation. I waxed lyrical about the sun, picnics and wine in the afternoons, we had those ‘what if’ discussions, the lazy ones fuelled, occasionally, by wine and dreaming.

We researched, we looked on sites far and wide then went to look at our first boat. Following excited and animated discussions during the hour-long trip, we stood in front of a 42ft narrowboat. Dawn gazed at it with longing. She had taken my idea and run with it, a narrowboat was what we needed.

Dawn is a HETAS engineer and has been a chimney sweep for 11 years, owner of Chimney Sweep Devon, where we live.

There are many things to get excited about as a sweep; thatched roofs, inglenooks, ingenious and creative chimney design. Dawn loves her job, she loves the challenge of installations, overcoming obstacles and leaving safe in the knowledge that the carbon monoxide alarm is fitted correctly.

So the first question, before we were even boarded was: “Is there a stove and what is it?”. No attention was paid to anything else, she homed in on the stove. Dawn’s first words about the boat were:

“The stove is okay but not screwed down and the carbon monoxide alarm is in the wrong place.”

Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Canal Boat.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Canal Boat.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA CANAL BOATSe alt
HIGH AND MIGHTY
Canal Boat

HIGH AND MIGHTY

Acorns make the perfect store food for jays’ larders

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2020
TAKING THE PLUNGE
Canal Boat

TAKING THE PLUNGE

Why Chris and Sarah Atkin will never forget tying the knot

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2020
LABELLED WITH LOVE
Canal Boat

LABELLED WITH LOVE

Helen Tidy enjoyed one weekend moored next to The Beer Boat ... simply the perfect solution to collecting bottle tops for her next project

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
MIDDLE THAMES
Canal Boat

MIDDLE THAMES

In the second part of our guide, we follow the Thames upstream from Reading through the steep sided Goring Gap and quieter countryide to reach Oxford

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2020
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Canal Boat

THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Robert Davies recalls childhood memories of a popular holiday destination and uncovers a reminder of the golden age of canals

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2020
FIT FOR PURPOSE
Canal Boat

FIT FOR PURPOSE

Terry Hibbard from Harworth Heating offers his expert opinion following our feature on onboard stove safety

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2020
BUCKING UP...
Canal Boat

BUCKING UP...

We join Waterway Recovery Group’s first canal restoration working party in six months - as WRG’s volunteers help the Buckingham Canal Society get the project back on track after lockdown

time-read
10 mins  |
November 2020
ART ON THE WATER
Canal Boat

ART ON THE WATER

Graphic artist Katie Ruby lives and works on 32ft narrowboat Poppy

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2020
Canal Boat

GO WITH THE FLOW

What makes a boat truly stand out from the crowd? Sometimes you just need a little finesse and a taste for adventure

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2020
Canal Boat

A GLASS HALF-FULL AT BUCKBY WHARF

Tim Coghlan raised a glass on the Grand Union Canal as The New Inn reopened to the relief of regulars

time-read
10 mins  |
November 2020