I fancy a stretch. Not the arms up, arch back sort of stretch but the cut your boat in half sort. I didn’t even know such things were possible until we moored at Streethay Wharf for a couple of years. The stretch is a Streethay speciality and there was always a boat on the stocks with its bits hanging out whenever we went up there. I think it’s a fantastic idea actually. We’re very attached to the old girl and we know all her ways and foibles but as a future liveaboard maybe she could do with a few more feet. I haven’t looked at all the canal dimensions in detail yet but I’m sure taking her to 64ft would only rule out the Calder & Hebble on the main system. So would we trade the C&H for another 6 feet? I think so, so that leaves me with the issue of where to add the extra length. Most stretchers seem to plonk for somewhere in the middle but I was intrigued to read that NB Piston Broke are looking to extend their well deck.
"On our journey we stopped at Starline boats in Nuneaton to get a price to have the boat stretched. We want a few feet put in the bow section to make the cratch area bigger, our plan is to go to Streethay to get a price from them as well. "
I would definitely love a couple of extra feet in the cratch and maybe the rest the other side of the doors in the saloon. That should be easy then - just hack the front off and start again. To be honest, I would have been fine with 57ft but I’ve had to make concessions to A for our future liveaboard life which demand more room. He’s not coming without his keyboards. Great, more tat to clutter up the place. He’s only got two but god knows how many he might collect between now and D-Day (which incidentally is scheduled in our current life plan - Life plan No 36 - for March 2012). Maybe he’ll grow out of them as this key-bashing and knob-twiddling is only a recent thing – although a worrying sign is that he has started to cruise Ebay for old analogue synthesizers. Heaven help us if he spots a Hammond organ.
I suppose stretching her at the bow would be the equivalent of boat rhinoplasty?
2 comments:
If A gets the Hammond on board you could put in a 'sprung' dance floor and one of those revolving glitter balls.. Touring the northern canals providing entertainment Blackpool Ballroom style or, 'Friday night is music night'.
You and the dogs might have to move out though, how about a butty on tow?
I reckon 64 would rule out the Leeds and Liverpool as well.
Cheers
Bruce
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