Return From Exile

Well, not exile exactly, but we brought dear Patience home to the Lazy Otter after a week scraping and painting at the Earith boatyard.

She was craned in and out and now looks polished and frictionless. She would have sped through the locks at Earith had it not been for a power cut and the lock keeper's lunchtime ....
Bottom blacking is one of those things a narrow boat needs every two or three years. Economising on blacking is a false economy, but there are cheaper ways and more expensive ways of going about it.
We were charged for prepare and black = £7.50 per foot, to lift on crane £5 per foot  and to lift back £3 per foot. Then add the sacrificial anodes and welding them on (clearly seen in the top picture) and the total was £697 blacking plus £180 anodes.
So if you can get a cheap dry dock and DIY you get that relative sense of wealth as well as satisfaction, despite the bitumen in your hair and fingernails!
But we are at least pleased that Patience is in good shape. Now to install the berths John has so lovingly created. Next time, folks.