Date: 29th January 2024

Canal: Oxford

Round Tuit is launched at Dunchurch Pools Marina

Launching our boat:

Our initial plans began to take shape just before the Covid-19 pandemic and started in earnest as soon as the restrictions were lifted.

The boat build itself was 1 and a half years in the planning and took 6 months to complete. Then a frozen marina, followed by storm Isha delayed the process slightly, but she was ready to go into the water on Monday 22^nd January 2024.

John, Boasley and I travelled up to Dunchurch Pools Marina the night before and stayed in a local hotel, because the launch was scheduled for 09:00 and there was no way that we were going to miss this once in a lifetime event.

The winds were still very strong, and it was nerve racking to watch the boat being lifted however in the end the boat lift was surprisingly stable. But as soon as the boat hit the water and floated the wind became more challenging, and the marina team found it really difficult to move her across the marina and onto the designated pontoon.

Finally, we were relieved to see Round Tuit securely tied up.

The boat builder needed a few days to do the final fixes (trimming the boat, testing the motor, fitting the cratch cover etc.) so we went home and anxiously waited for another week.

Launching the boat

Moving onboard:

The boat builder had arranged for us to stay moored in the marina for another 3 weeks. This gave us time to move our belongings on board, get used to our new lifestyle and take the boat out for some short trips. It also allowed Chris and Adam to carry out any minor snagging that was needed, before we moved out of the area.

Over the last 2 years we had slimmed our belongings down to almost nothing and so we packed what remained of these into one small van and drove it to the boat. But, no matter how little we thought we were bringing with us we still spent the next 3 weeks traveling to and from a local charity shop to dispose of much of it.

The first few days were very strange, and we frequently swung from feelings of elation at having achieved our goals to wondering what we had done (as the rain fell, the winds blew and the mud on the towpaths increased).

There was a surprising amount to do before the boat was truly ready to live on. We needed to find a place for everything (that we needed to keep), put up shelves, find mats to fit the narrow floors and still find time to enjoy this lifestyle.

I’m pleased to say that by the end of week 2 we had the boat (mostly) ‘ship shaped’ and we were able to sell our car.

Now the adventure really begins.

Leaving Dunchurch Pools Marina and turning onto the Oxford Canal

A new life:

The wind raged within the marina, and this made it challenging to move the boat in order to get water, diesel and to pump out our toilet tank, but John managed it (with some difficulty).

After the first week we plucked up the courage to take the boat out for a few short trips however we always returned to the perceived safety of the marina at night.

During the 3^rd week we took the boat out for another day trip (a little further this time) but found such a nice mooring that we made the momentous decision to spend our first night out on the ‘cut’. And I’m pleased to say that we loved it. Now we knew that we preferred being away from the marina and in the middle of nowhere.

From this point onwards we just haven’t looked back. Cruising along the canals is our favourite part of this lifestyle (especially when the sun shines), but finding new rural moorings is also wonderful and the fact that every day is a new adventure is what keeps us moving onwards.

Links:

Dunchurch Pools Marina, Dunchurch

Smithwood Narrowboats, Ansty