Friday August 28, 1997
We arrived early at the boat yard, only to find that our boat had not yet come in, so while we still had the car we set out on a provisioning run to the local Waitrose supermarket, I had forgotten how much it takes to provision a bare boat for two weeks. The food stores in the UK put those in this country to shame, they are spotlessly clean,well staffed with people that will go out of their way to show you "what you are seeking, no, I think it may be in aisle X " nonsense.
The food and produce was farm fresh and the selection of wines and spirits was almost beyond belief. The poor little Fiat was stuffed to overflowing. The baby Ferrari (aka Fiat Cinquancento) is now parked at the mooring waiting for the hire company to retrieve it.
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Maidenline Marine
Wallingford
Mile 71
When we returned the Maid of Windsor was at the dock.
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Not graceful by any means but first inspection showed far more room that I would have imagined in 42'-0" boat. Then again this was decidedly an inland houseboat, which I quickly renamed the "Toad of Windsor 3 ".
Mechanically she was pretty fair for a charter tub with a delightful 2.5 Leyland diesel, heat exchanger and a massive accommodation plan. I hung around with the mechanics as they did their turn around service to ensure that I had a good idea of what we had taken on.
The Maid of Windsor was a bare boat. That means she had no VHF, not even running lights, but she is roomy and comfortable to live in. The forward cabin and lower helm measures perhaps 10 feet across and 7 feet long with he helm located on the port side separated by the forward door and table aft. A full 8 foot setee stretches alongthe starboard side of the cabin.
Along her port side the galley stretches separated by a good companionway the length of her. Immediately aft of the main salon port side of the stove lies the small cabin with upper an lower berths. Midships there is a raised area which serves as an excellent galley work space under which the engine lives. This arrangement allows extremely easy access for service, and an extensive head accessible from a passage aft of the engine
compartment.
At the aft of the cabin areas a sea berth provides welcome storage and staging space in front of the aft door. The master stateroom with a full double and washstand to port.
We took possession of our " Maid of Windsor 3 " which will forever more be tagged the " Toad of Windsor ", because of her less than pleasing houseboat lines. We made it under way with no great problems and my chore of training began. By 14:00 we pulled our lines on board, pushed off and turned our bow north towards Oxford.
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Saturday August 29, 1997
On the Toad
Days Lock,
Mile 77
Close to the abbey at Dorchester.
We awoke to a grey and overcast day with a southeast wind sending showers scurrying across the Thames. Un-detered Edgar was quickly established on the bow hunting the wily perch.
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To fish on the Thames from a boat, all that is required is a rod license that you can obtain at any Post Office at 16 UKpounds for the whole season.
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