Readying and taking Sculptor to Crick

• 10-May Phil Kidd painted port gunwales while boat lay facing south
• 11-May Boat unloaded, marquee set up immediately on Museum Green for use of Museum while Education Centre is being rewired, staging and tables placed inside and the rest returned to store. Gang included DB, Trevor Allum, Bill Man, John Samuels, Lynda Payton, Kathryn Dodington, Ray Pollard, Alan Ricketts
• 17-May Boat taken down locks to A508 and winded by DB and KD. Left 11.15, back by 12.45, much interest shown and weather glorious. Engine ran 1.5 hours.
• 18-May Richard Cox tidied up white strings at fore end and dropped the planks ready for running to Crick next Wednesday (21st).
• 19-May More electrical work by Mike G. Cable runs in back cabin now sorted and agreement on how cabling should run in engine room so as to maintain the 'vintage' appearance.
• 21-May Left 08.30 for Crick. Crew DB, KD and Mike G. KD steered through tunnel, which was clear and we got through in 25 minutes dead. Beautiful morning, warm and sunny. Passed Steve Dean at Bugbrooke 10.40 and he promised to meet us at Buckby. Arrived bottom of Buckby 12.45, progress much held up by moored boats. Breasted with a single-handed boat at bottom, whose steerer remained glued to his tiller all the way up. Steve D helped us up the flight, but very slow going with two holidaymakers in front who were not to be hurried (one of them tied up at the top!). Out of top at 14.45 and then good run to bottom of Watford, arrived 15.15 and joined queue. Steve meanwhile had arrived at top and informed lockkeeper what was going on and we eventually got into bottom lock at 16.15 and left the top an hour later. Slight problem with finding which Marina entrance to choose, but eventually entered the right one at 18.10. Manoeuvred into allotted length and tied up by 18.30. Engine ran 10 hours.
• 24-May Crick Show – Sculptor team Mick and Catrina Butler, and Roger Hasdell
• 25-May Crick Show – Sculptor team Mike Gardner and Kathryn Dodington
• 26-May Crick Show – Sculptor team Trevor Allum and Steve Dean
• 28-May Still raining for third day in succession. Crew DB, Steve Dean and Trevor Allum. DB arrived in style by sliding down grass (or rather mud) bank to the boat on his backside.  Boat very full of water under cabin, what with rain water and slight stern gland drip. However, kept things as they were so as to have some 'fanhold' for getting out of Marina. Left 08.45 with wind attempting to blow the boat in the wrong direction so reversed up to the entrance and then came out head first. Tight turn getting out onto main line, missing fore ends of Nutfield and Raymond by inches. On main line at 09.00 and then steady run to top of Watford (10.00). One boat in front and so only had to wait ten minutes. Only fifty minutes in flight, round Norton turn 11.45 and in top lock by 11.55. Breasted with Girl Guides’ boat from Weedon and out of bottom lock by 13.00. Slacked at Weedon at 14.00 and away by 14.30. Raining steadily all trip. Through Blisworth Tunnel in 25 minutes, including meeting a single boat inside, and tied at Museum at 18.00 dead on. Pumped boat at Watford for 45 minutes and again on arriving at Stoke.  Engine ran 9 hours.