Going into Dry Dock at Stourport

Going into York Street Lock

We are off into dry dock today so we left our mooring above the lock before 8am and chugged off to York Street lock.  We were soon through there and moored in the basin and filled up with water.

Into Dry Dock we go

Getting ready for dock to be emptied

The chaps from the boat yard said we could go down to the dry dock so we headed off through the basin to the staircase lock which you have to go through to get to the dry dock.

Down onto the chocks we go

There were two boats in the dry dock waiting to come out so when the dock was full of water they opened the gates and one boat came out and went into the staircase lock.  We did the lock for him and soon he was out and it was our turn.  We went down the two locks and Kev took the boat into the dock.

Kev hard at work

This side now has a coat of paint

The other boat in the dry dock came up the locks and then I helped the other boat that was sharing the dock with us come down and then he went into the dock. They put a plank at the  front of the boat and one at the back from the side of the dock to the boat to keep it where it needs to be and one of the chaps from the boat yard held a rope at the back and Kev held a rope at the front and then they slowed emptied the dock and the boat went down on the chocks. They then put the gantry in place so we can get on and off safely.

This side needs to be painted

They powered washed the bottom of the boat and after we had lunch it was ready for Kev to start work.

He sanded it down and then put a coat of paint on all round the boat.  There will be several more coats put on over the coming days so that will keep Kev out of mischief, I will be supervising!

It is a really good dry dock very light so it will be okay staying in here for the next seven days and the chaps here are very friendly and we can get TV and internet in here so all good.

In the Dry Dock