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Very well cared for by previous owners, Ill health has forced them to give her up, just planning a paint job and a new rear cover is all for now..

We have "Nostalgia" our 32 (well.. she's now called "Ayup Miduck".. Steves favourite phase) at her new mooring at Preston Brook.

As new boaters, the trip from nr Goole to Runcorn was a bit hairy for Steve and his intrepid crew, comprising our youngest daughter, eldest grandson and his GF..taken along for their youthful energy and keeness to work locks (I think they should be permanent) .......they quickly got the hang of things, going from the eh? team to A* in no time at all

The first time was near summit, on the Rochdale, in the pouring rain with a booking to go through the next morning, so they chilled out, waited for the engineer, who said the steering was cobbled together with cable ties, and did a repair that he said should get us home..by then it was too late to go on, so they went to the pub..what else!

The second was part way through locks 65-83,another booked passage where boaters are allowed 8.30am prompt until 4pm..b****r sez Steve....luckily a narrowboating couple were coming through with them and offered to breast up with them down as far as Castlefield basin, where RCR could be called again how very kind :))

All went well except that in one lock, being side by side, and having had to lift the fenders, our boat was stuck between a rock (wall) and a hard narrowboat, suffering minor damage to her port rubbing strakes, and pulling off a 2ft length of the stbd strakes.. but thats what strakes are for, and they were very grateful for the help

At teatime they arrived at Castlefield Basin, thanked their rescuers with a nice bottle of wine and got sorted,arranging for RCR to visit the next morning and chilled out..

Next morning .the engineer from RCR, told us that the problem was that the fitting on the steering wheel is different from the fitting on the cable, he did do a good repair on it but told Steve that it could do with the whole thing replacing, thought maybe just a diff.steering wheel would be ok but he knew a man who could replace cable helm and steering wheel for approx £600. A bit shellshocked we decided to look around for better quotes or sources to buy parts while saving up!

Apart from the breakdowns the journey was mainly uneventful, though slowed down more than they had anticipated, by a lock breakdown, carrier bags, a huge builders bag, t-shirts etc getting wrapped around the prop, and helpful "winos" at locks in Rochdale, though to be PC I think we're now supposed to refer to them as "colourful local characters".....not to mention torrential rain and discovering that the tunnel light didn't work!

having looked her over we intend to do more than at first thought, so enclose some "before pics"..obvious things to start with are re-bedding most of the deck hardware, pulpit, cleats, fairleads etc..the front and rear hatches need repair, the front hatch upstand around the opening being wet and completely rotten ,hence it being sealed.. the hardwood windscreen pours in water and need stripping down, fill re-seal, re-paint etc ..and a new paint job, portside rear corner fenders (lost them when the steering went). and rear cover...she doesn't have one.

Inside, priority is to find someone to move the gas water heater.. it vents into the cockpit!.. new front cabin floor (it has been done in very thin ply) re-bed the front windows, and maybe alter the side dinette..

we have already removed the wall carpet and glue from the back cabin walls and rear bulkhead and latex/wool table protector from front cabin walls

on the whole she is sound and dry, it seems to be little jobs that have built up when her previous owner fell ill.

Interestingly I found out on removing her nameplates that though she came all the way from nr Goole, she had "come home" as it were. On the reverse of her rear nameplate was the name "Imagine" with Preston Brook as home place..also Imagine was on the reverse of the side nameplates.... and under them, etched into a wooden plaque, the name Dart.. so she's been about!

I will update as she goes on, the last to do will be to hopefully find a hardstanding nearby early next spring for a liftout and paint