Diary of a wharfinger: 9th - 10th May 2026 | SLIPWAY REPAIRS & A WALK AROUND FOXTON LOCKS🌞💛

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Good morning. Check out the fancy hat made to me by a made for me by a hire last year. Um I only tend to wear it when I'm abroad, but I just thought what a beautiful day. Keep the sun out my eyes.

[00:00:15]So it is Saturday the 9th of May and uh I was still in April yesterday. So you'd have noticed that when I was at Welfford I said it was still April but it's not. And I think he even got the date the date wrong as well. So, what's happened to my brain? Um, yeah. Good morning. Beautiful, beautiful morning.

[00:00:40]How still is that?

[00:00:46]It's lovely. So, let's turn the camera around. So, sort of behind the scenes, there's been so much going on. It's difficult to film everything, but we've made some good progress with malum on the engineering side. There was that awful awful clatter going in and out of gear. Um, and we pretty much eliminated it with we we had some help from R&D regarding drive plates and gearboxes. We actually the the the the spline on the gearbox was slightly worn which is so we put another gearbox in our spare gear box.

[00:01:34]Why I'm aching today from my fall the other day.

[00:01:40]So it's bearable now. There's a little bit of a rumble in reverse.

[00:01:49]This is the boatman's cupboard is pretty much staying as it is.

[00:01:55]Um, it's got all the old traditional features.

[00:02:01]The bed here, we've we've remade all the cushions, so they all go in there.

[00:02:10]And yeah, she'll be pretty much turn key, ready to go. If you remember, there was that awful way of getting through there that you should actually chop out the bearers of the engine and move the box. It's that great reflex stove. Keeps it all lovely, roasty, and toasty.

[00:02:30]Um, oh, he's really some more tiles there. machines.

[00:02:47]Yeah. And then we'll have the new hob cookers in, fridge is in. We're not a million miles away, chaps. Well, she'll be going up on market in the next week or so. Big one was just getting the engine.

[00:03:05]I'd love to invite the old owners or or give them a tour around or let them see.

[00:03:14]We'll have to do something there. Maybe curtain.

[00:03:22]Yeah, lovely lovely boat this time. I'm not sure who who this will suit.

[00:03:32]Perhaps a young chap perhaps go to London because with the with the tug deck.

[00:03:44]She's something that someone will be very very proud of. And of course it was it was leaking like an old colander before.

[00:03:57]So I trying to get my shadow out of it.

[00:03:58]I'm not trying to be a bit professional.

[00:04:01]But look at that lovely tug deck. Couple of chairs on there. Glass of wine.

[00:04:15]So that's good. So lazy days. She had a boat safety this week. So we're pretty much on board with that.

[00:04:27]We I was a little bit nervous, truth be known, just that it's new with the with the hybrid engine and everything. So, I wanted to make it well, obviously, it has to be perfect and perfectly safe. I was worried that it was going to be major structural, but there wasn't at all. Now, there was there was a slight bump in the road regarding the clutch in the electric motor.

[00:04:52]Um really it it the instructions I was giving were wrong and the instructions we were given were wrong with regards to the engagement.

[00:05:06]Good morning.

[00:05:08]All right. Don't be shy. Oh, you go enjoy your girlfriend.

[00:05:13]Um so we were trying to force it to engage while it was moving.

[00:05:20]And to be fair, Andy had actually picked this up from the start. So, we should have had it Andy standard. We're looking at a way of make it so that you can't I've got a couple of things I'm going to do this morning. Uh like put a ne neutral position on the throttle and make sure it's in neutral when they engage, when they switch between them.

[00:05:35]But also, what we have noticed is she goes a lot further than we initially anticipated. And I think she'll certainly get all the way to the Foxton and then perhaps run the regeneration on the on with the diesel engine and then we'll be able to have enough power to bring her all the way home. So, but they're they're friends of the wolf today again that hiring it. So, they'll be able to help us with our bit of data gathering.

[00:06:10]It's all good on the electrification.

[00:06:18]This looks good.

[00:06:22]This is obviously Sam working out how we could eventually put planks in here and pump all this out so that we could repair the rails underneath.

[00:06:43]They've been in here a long old time.

[00:07:06]So that's been welded there.

[00:07:09]So what we had to do was we had to cut out that whole section, build it up with concrete and resin.

[00:07:17]I believe we'll still be injecting some resin down the sides here, but that's actually substantially bigger bigger gauge than what we've used. And this was always the crucial point. It's like the transition point where it goes up the hill.

[00:07:44]And then this one today I must say he has done a fantastic job.

[00:07:49]Morning guys.

[00:07:52]I hope you'll be making babies or eggs.

[00:08:00]Said we bloody would if you weren't keep putting the camera on us.

[00:08:05]Don't birds expect a little bit of privacy?

[00:08:13]There is more than these two.

[00:08:17]I think there's another family living down here as well.

[00:08:24]Oh, they didn't like me coming down.

[00:08:39]Anyway, let's go and see what Tristan's been up to.

[00:08:44]Oh, Tristan and Darren.

[00:08:49]That means strictly no entry to the paint shed. But that would have been from yesterday because he would have painted should have painted the flashes, I believe.

[00:09:12]And obviously with them being near the door and I'm very careful. I move like a ninja.

[00:09:22]Yes. Look, he's been painting those flashes and these big reveal.

[00:09:34]Yes.

[00:09:44]Damn. Drum roll, please.

[00:09:48]Drum roll for the reveal of the signw writing. Oh, let's check out those doors as we're coming past.

[00:10:04]Stanley, that's gorgeous.

[00:10:13]I love that blue. It makes it pop.

[00:10:23]There we are.

[00:10:24]Deb is just wiping away that tear in the corner of her eye.

[00:10:32]This is now Are you kidding me? I've just watched.

[00:11:25]What's that cat?

[00:11:29]Climb up that ladder.

[00:11:32]Hello, puss.

[00:11:34]What are you doing up there?

[00:11:38]I hope you're not going after those lovely birdies.

[00:11:46]I wonder if that ladder needs moving.

[00:11:50]Right. Lazy Day is full of water.

[00:11:57]She took a lot. She got a big tank. So, she's really I'm just giving a quick quick down to the marina entrance and turn around. But she's just so nice on electric.

[00:12:10]It's not it's not just the noise. It's the it's the smoothness of the train, you know, of how it I there's a little bit of the water movement and there's a little bit of a wor of the electric motor, but generally it's just so much more tranquil.

[00:12:30]I can see that swan ahead. He's thinking, "Oh, is that another swan behind me or is that a bone?"

[00:12:38]Well, if it is, it's a big swamp. So, I'm going to get out of the way.

[00:12:46]You see, we won't even wake up Andy.

[00:12:50]In fact, Andy's snoring is making more noise than the electric boat.

[00:13:03]>> Oh, no. It's not him. I lied.

[00:13:05]>> Just coming off the test.

[00:13:07]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:13:10]So, look at these confused swans.

[00:13:14]What is that?

[00:13:16]Why isn't it funk funk th fun funking along?

[00:13:23]Morning beautiful.

[00:13:26]We should call you Graves after my friends Martin and Penny's daughter. They were here yesterday.

[00:13:40]Morning.

[00:13:42]Morning.

[00:13:45]He's a bit grubby.

[00:13:48]Sorry. You are a little bit grubby.

[00:13:57]Hard port.

[00:14:13]That's just a lovely maneuver.

[00:14:20]Let's go and grab that ambi standard.

[00:14:25]this tricky tricky maneuver that's been perfected by Somalian pilots. Pilots pirates.

[00:14:36]Do I need to get you a bit further?

[00:14:46]Oh, he could have fallen in for the channel. Very disappointed that was me, right?

[00:14:57]See, I've put a neutral sign on there >> just as that I can >> you like that's an Andy lot of approval.

[00:15:05]That gets me very excited.

[00:15:07]And also, so the plan is they're going to cruise to Foxton. I think they're going to get there probably and use between 50 and 60% charge and then they're going to moore up and they're going to put this into neutral plus with revs. So they're going to pull it out, put it into neutral, leave it for half an hour, get back, turn the electric on, turn them diesel off, turn the electric on, and continue their journey back. And if they haven't got enough, then they can put it into neutral and start the diesel engine.

[00:15:44]>> Oh dear, there's a bit of duck gay porn going on.

[00:15:49]Warts and all on this channel.

[00:15:53]>> Hey boys, you having a little bit of fun there? Bit of fun in the sun. Dare I say it? A bit of bum fun in the sun.

[00:16:08]Well, I think some naughty little chappies have decided they want to come and make a nest in Andes.

[00:16:24]You guys want to be in Andy's workshop?

[00:16:28]Hey, what you saying?

[00:16:35]You think your You think your nest will be handy standard?

[00:16:44]>> This is what it's about.

[00:16:46]>> Do you want me to put that in one of my bags?

[00:16:48]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:16:49]>> I did say that when you found it.

[00:16:54]>> So much.

[00:16:56]>> So, we all good, ladies?

[00:16:58]>> Have we got Should we switch the motor on?

[00:17:03]Oh yeah. Motor on.

[00:17:06]>> So that region that's when >> that's when you're at Fox then. Yeah.

[00:17:11]>> So who's going to Are you in charge?

[00:17:13]>> Holes.

[00:17:14]>> Holes.

[00:17:15]>> I don't know how you might you might topple back there. But good job you got the armbands on.

[00:17:22]Okay. Holes.

[00:17:24]That's it. Just keep till you feel a pick up.

[00:17:28]>> Keep going.

[00:17:30]>> That's it.

[00:17:34]Okay. To you with the tiller, Holly.

[00:17:37]Tiller over.

[00:17:39]>> That's it. Stand in front of the line.

[00:17:42]That's it.

[00:17:43]That's it. You move out way. Over towards you. Towards you with the tiller.

[00:17:51]>> Okay, >> that's it.

[00:17:55]And remember, crews on the right. So if someone comes the other way, you move over to the right.

[00:18:02]You can turn it down a bit if you want.

[00:18:03]Holly, >> have a lovely time.

[00:18:09]>> Thank you. See you later.

[00:18:10]>> See you later.

[00:18:15]>> So, an empty wolf is a happy warf.

[00:18:25]I can't actually remember. In fact, I don't think it's been since October, November last year that we've had an empty warf, a fully empty warf.

[00:18:37]So, I'm going to go down to Foxton now and go have a check on the the higher boats cuz we got all four going down today. So, just got lazy days on the way. So, Foxton locks, it's beautiful again.

[00:18:52]We've got lots of friends down here, but I know Dennis had asked that we film the the boy with a boat.

[00:19:02]Morning.

[00:19:04]How we doing?

[00:19:08]So, this is the the boy with the with the horse.

[00:19:16]I don't know.

[00:19:20]Oops.

[00:19:28]Say cheese.

[00:19:32]>> It's a video, not a photo, but I just wanted to get me say cheese a joke out.

[00:19:36]How are we doing?

[00:19:38]>> All right. How are you?

[00:19:39]>> Good.

[00:19:40]>> Say cheese.

[00:19:41]>> Team cheese.

[00:19:43]Oh, look at this. Oh, we had some of these. They kindly gave us some of these and they were so so tasty.

[00:19:54]Look at all these things.

[00:19:57]Oh, what a lovely day. Oh, look at lovely days. There's a lovely K.

[00:20:04]We'll go and do then. Look who's here.

[00:20:09]Look who's here.

[00:20:13]Look at this.

[00:20:15]Good morning.

[00:20:17]>> Morning.

[00:20:18]>> Yeah, good. Look at this oodles and oodles of sweeties >> at just the right height.

[00:20:29]>> Do you Are they allowed, Lizette?

[00:20:33]>> Yeah.

[00:20:34]>> Should we get three?

[00:20:37]>> What should we get?

[00:20:45]Come on.

[00:20:46]>> I'm going to go and speak to K. You go and choose some bags of sweets.

[00:20:53]>> Hello, Kay.

[00:20:55]Oh, it's so lovely.

[00:20:57]>> Thank you.

[00:20:58]>> Oh, the canopy works really well, doesn't it?

[00:21:01]>> Yes.

[00:21:01]>> It's not often it's a sun shade, though.

[00:21:03]>> No, not normally tipping.

[00:21:05]>> Oh, it looks lovely. Have all our boats gone through already?

[00:21:09]>> Yes, I think so. It was They were all lined up on the rock landings, >> right?

[00:21:14]>> We might have to, in fact, I might have to go and catch them halfway through hopefully. Oh, it looks like we've missed the boat.

[00:21:29]They must have got them through early this morning.

[00:21:36]That's nice.

[00:21:39]That is fantastic.

[00:21:42]>> Talk fantastic. There's the fantastic Niko.

[00:21:44]>> Huh?

[00:21:45]>> Hey, >> there's a boat here.

[00:21:59]Never.

[00:22:09]Is that that phraser? Fras famous Fraser Gilbert.

[00:22:13]>> How we doing?

[00:22:14]>> Right. You >> good.

[00:22:16]>> I think we've had your entire fleet down.

[00:22:19]>> I know. Have they all gone?

[00:22:21]>> Yeah.

[00:22:22]>> Ah.

[00:22:24]>> How you keeping?

[00:22:25]>> We have the entire fleet.

[00:22:26]>> The entire fleet.

[00:22:28]>> That's good.

[00:22:28]>> I watch your blog every week.

[00:22:31]>> Do you?

[00:22:31]>> Yeah.

[00:22:32]>> Oh, this is my friend Lzette and I.

[00:22:35]>> So, did you see me fall in then? We see the video last night as well.

[00:22:37]>> No, I didn't see you last night.

[00:22:38]>> Okay.

[00:22:40]>> They're always lovely to to visit Foxton and say thanks thanks to guys who do a cracking job.

[00:22:48]Oh, Lizette's up there. And I just met Troy the postman and he said, "Oh, I know you wolf diary." So, that's good.

[00:22:56]It's nice. We don't do it for that, but it is nice. Let's uh turn the camera around. Look at this. Look, >> look at that.

[00:23:11]Nice features on that. It's a well-made boat.

[00:23:38]rest.

[00:23:38]>> I think so. Yeah.

[00:23:43]>> With a like a mag.

[00:23:45]>> Yeah.

[00:23:51]I filmed the barn swallows for my channel and it's so popular. Look, >> that's brilliant. Here's a lovely boat.

[00:24:22]>> Morning, Belle.

[00:24:24]>> Good morning. How you keeping?

[00:24:26]>> Good, good, good. How you doing? Long time no see.

[00:24:29]>> Nice to see you.

[00:24:30]>> Oh, she's looking great, isn't she?

[00:24:32]>> Beautiful.

[00:24:33]>> Beautiful. Where you How far you going?

[00:24:36]>> Um, dead.

[00:24:38]>> Oh, okay.

[00:24:38]>> Bottom.

[00:24:40]>> You getting a bottle on it?

[00:24:41]>> No.

[00:24:42]>> Blasted.

[00:24:43]>> Um, it had two pack four years ago. So, >> old traditional to the new.

[00:24:52]This is gorgeous as well. It's just all different.

[00:25:01]So, we painted the back cabin on that prior to YouTube.

[00:25:07]>> Sometimes it's difficult to make a decision, isn't it, Nico?

[00:25:11]>> Yes.

[00:25:12]>> Does Niko want one of everything?

[00:25:14]>> Yes.

[00:25:15]>> Look at this.

[00:25:17]>> Thank you very much.

[00:25:19]>> That's it. That's your bag.

[00:25:20]>> What's it?

[00:25:21]>> Just remember there's a gap there. Is there >> If there's a gap away, Nick will find it or I'll find it.

[00:25:26]We know a lot of people.

[00:25:28]>> Well, this is a first for the war.

[00:25:50]I'm not sure that it's keeping it back.

[00:25:57]There it is.

[00:26:16]What we're trying to achieve is we're trying to Trying to get it lower here.

[00:26:32]The resin's been injected.

[00:27:07]Good morning. Sunday the May the 10th.

[00:27:11]So I'm going to go and uh Tristy's in.

[00:27:14]So, we're going to do a few last minute things on Stanley uh solar panel and hatch, which I should go and get my hand with. And we've been trying to still working on the rail. Big day tomorrow with boats coming in and out and moving. So, we're we've put these stock planks in.

[00:27:40]We're just having to get a more a more substantial pump.

[00:28:20]I mean, the rail repair looks great.

[00:28:32]We're going to need a bit more over on that side.

[00:28:39]Right, let's turn the camera around.

[00:29:10]Heat. Heat.

[00:29:45]You having a good time?

[00:29:47]>> Lovely. The weather's held off as well, hasn't it?

[00:29:50]>> Yeah.

[00:29:51]>> Great. You off to Alford?

[00:29:53]>> Yeah.

[00:29:53]>> Yeah. You've got plenty of time for tonight's Sunday lunch.

[00:29:57]>> Have a fantastic time.

[00:30:05]>> Well, I'm trying to drain my slip way, but >> it's not really working at the minute.

[00:30:19]So, we're definitely going down, but Heat.

[00:30:54]Heat.

[00:31:23]I'm not sure what the collective now for pumps is. An army of pumps.

[00:31:47]Heat.

[00:31:49]Heat.

[00:32:20]100 cars on it. £189,46.

[00:32:27]>> What's that for?

[00:32:28]>> An air filter.

[00:32:32]>> Just in case anybody likes to look at an Andy standard motorbike.

[00:32:41]It's looking very loved at the moment. I don't think I've ever ever seen it look so clean. And he's got not enough work to do.

[00:32:52]There we go.

[00:32:55]So, see where they put the channel out before?

[00:33:03]So, you can see where the concrete's rotten rotten away. This is where it's breaking. So, I'm going to pack all this concrete.

[00:33:14]Weld it on there and there.

[00:33:20]should very good. This is the problem.

[00:33:22]You can see what's here.

[00:33:53]Look at that.

[00:33:56]>> I'm loving the hat.

[00:33:58]>> No one falling off either.

[00:34:01]>> That's great.

[00:34:03]It's astounding.

[00:34:12]Brilliant.

[00:34:13]>> And then if you just turn the pumps off, I think it'll >> So there was quite a lot of footage from over the weekend. So although this is my closing video done on Monday night, we we have got more footage from today, but that will be out Wednesday night. So, it just goes for me to say thank you so much for all your support. Thank you so much for all the kind comments.

[00:34:43]And may the warf be with you.