Comment: Cant see much of a boat yet!

Comment: Hi Mike, It's good to see you've managed to get things moving at last. Hope it's all going well.

Comment: A very interesting read! Good website, Mike - look forward to seeing the boat progress :)

Comment: Well Mike, I'm impressed... it's about time you stopped taking breaks for the NCOTAASD and got cracking!Good luck with this adventure, don't forget to keep focused with a properly planned schedule. Summer is looming so lots of time for your outdoor work. Can't wait to see regular updates on progress. (Don't let another 8 years pass before you reach stage 2!) ;-)

Comment: I'm looking forward to seeing the results of your late, late nights. Pace yourself and keep at it, your month will fly past! See you at the weekend.

Comment: Wow, 9 tons of steel and a 60' narrowboat! Very impressed with your web site, vision and many talents. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have printed it out to show my Dad, Ken who I hope you remember. Good luck and I will be regularly checking your website. Wishing you lots of sunshine. Angela x

Comment: Well done Mike. I didn't realise you had been so busy for so long. You're a dark horse.It is a brilliant site and Andrew will enjoy watching it. Scrap Yard Challenge for real. We will be over to see you soon.

Comment: Back to work and fighting fit???? Well look out or it'll be A & E for you! Take care Mike, see you Friday.

Comment: I'v been on a few narrow boat holidays with family and scouts etc. I agree, they are very relaxing, and can't wait until you start doing 'guest' trips to show off the finished article.

Comment: Wow - what a difference a day makes.

Comment: Do I get a prize for being the 100th guest to sign in???

Comment: What a fantastic project and a very interesting read. I look forward to reading your progress and looking at the excellent pictures. A really great blog - glad I found it.

Comment: If you have welded it correctly you had better get a roof over it quick or you'll have a swimming pool in a scrapyard. Great site and you have certainly got a move on since I was with you in January. Try to take a couple pictures in daylight so We can see more detail.see you sometime

Comment: Thats better looking good

Comment: Good to see you had a good break and that now the work continues. Hope it stays dry for you to carry on the good work. I'll be checking back often to see the progress.

Comment: Did any one tell Julie the old maxim never ever buy (or build)a boat that is too big for your partner to paint

Comment: Mike,Very impressed by the website and what is even more impressive is the massive project you've undertaken. Now that I have seen the digital pictures I can finally understand why you are so busy all the time! Good luck with the boat build I am sure it will be a success and thanks for all your help over the past years.David & Sophie

Comment: Hi MikeHave had a few looks at your build as it's progressed and take my hat off to you mate. How on earth do you find the time to work full time, weld half the night and then keep this up to date. Shout when you need a hand.

Comment: customers at the green man braknell have been arguing late into the night the correct key to whistle solveigs song in...any suggestions ?we all wish you well with your project, but are somewhat suprised and disappointed to see no mention of a bar in the plans.

Comment: Good to see the build is going so well. Am very impressed that the front end has gone in will little problems. Thank goodness for the long weekends and light evenings eh! Look forward to the updates.

Comment: see message 14

Comment: Thought as I'd not seen all this hard work for a few days I'd leave a message. aint the boy done good and I will be back to red oxide soon aghhhh!

Comment: Many congratulations on the progress of your narrowboat. With the effort you are all putting in to it you deserve a launching by no less that royalty. Champagne supplied free of charge !!

Comment: hi mike i am so impreesed with what you are doing and would like to see or hear about progress. i am in london from 28th till 31st may 06. may even come to visit if that ok. just give me a clue where you are. speak soon M.

Comment: Hi Mike, hope all is well, wish you all the best of luck.

Comment: Hi to you and Julie (remember us ? NB BASS).Enjoyed reading the web site- keep up the good work, how is welding in the heat wave suiting you! We owe you a bottle of wine from the raffle, so hope to see you again ( perhaps we will both be crusing!). The contact for the brass portholes is a character called LOLL tel no.0162 3835456 / 07710618889 from Newark Notts. If I can be of any help, please get in touch.

Comment: enough holidays already,get on with some work!

Comment: Hi Mike, Forget your boat - have you fixed my lawn mower,computer or curtain track yet.lol Debbie x

Comment: I've just been the 666 person to log on and take a peek, hmmm 666 isn't that some sort of devil child number......I have been slacking of late for one reason or another and it looks as if it will be another couple of weeks before I'm there again. Good job it's not me that has to get it on the water isn't it. Take a well earned week off next week! Yes Chris, another holiday.

Comment: Hi again MikeJust thought I’d say well done. Can’t begin to imagine what it might have been like to weld in that heat we had – bet you’re dodging raindrops again now. I look forward to your updates and wish you good welding.

Comment: Still all going well I see mate. Bet the welding has improved big time since you started - shame the first ones are the ones underwater. So will you ever do it again from scratch????

Comment: I know you've been busy!, but how about an update?

Comment: Had a look at the site. It is interesting, but too long to read in one sitting. My, you and Julie have worked hard. I was interested to see how many ladies have posted messages on your site! I was struck by how much you resemble your father who must have been about your age when I last saw him!I adore the idea of the boat and hope you and Julie have a party when it is finished. Please invite me. Good work.

Comment: Great website, now we know why you are so busy! Merry Xmas and all the best for 2007.

Comment: 'Looked in' this morning to see you were posting at Midnight! We've got a nice brass bell you might like for the boat - you can take it when you service the boiler!

Comment: Need more pictures. Have you welded in the most important piece yet, the door to the cabin (you may remember I spent a day cleaning off the rust and red oxiding it)Are you still in the yard or have they thrown you and your boat out? that I would like to see. I mean them throwing the boat out, not you still sounds wrong but I'm sure you get what I mean.

Comment: Please visit our website/forum; it is a BRAND NEW WEBSITE and forum for, boaters, Sailors, canal & water lovers alike.Set up for individuals, families, clubs and groups, many who don’t have a forum to interact with.The website/forum has a section for everyone, from chat, posting photos, to letting users & groups advertise their events and info for all sailing/canal lovers all around the world, not just Britain.Please post our link on your personal website if applicable, in return do like wise on ours.Please use the forum and pass the link on to as many members, friends and groups as possible. We are a very friendly forum, who welcomes new members, you can relax and enjoy a good laugh and chat with our members, many are world wide with one thing in common, the love of our waterways.www.boatsandcanals.comhttp://canalsandboats.informe.com/index.phpThanks John

Comment: A very good job, extremely well done your hard work is certainly paying off with dividends - the only thing wrong is it's not my boat

Comment: Can't get over how near to the end you are now. Have you got a launch date yet. Look forward to seeing it on the water.

Comment: Congratulations Mike!!! I hear you've been issued with all the relevant paperwork for it to go on the water. You'll have to let me know the launch date, and we'll try and get down for it!

Comment: Congratulations and well done, We are most impressed.Looking forward to the end of the next and final stage. Regards N & J

Comment: well done daddy, i am very proud of you and of what you achieved.Thanks julie for supporting my hero over the last couple of years and also for taking those lovely pictures of me with the boat at croxley green. :) x

Comment: Just seen the pictures She looks lovely on the water (The boat does too)I hope you have many happy hours tootling up and down your favorite canals I'm just off up the Scottish Islands for three weeks (my canals) will be in touch when I get back

Comment: well done looking foward to seeing more on the fit out.

Comment: Thanks for fixing my computor. I did the curtain track myself and I gave up with the lawn mower. Anyway the Boat is great. I have been singing your praises to all who would listen.Very proud of you mate. Don't forget I promised you a mop and bucket so when you are ready to swob the decks, let me know. Anyone fancy going on a cruise with me? Queen Vic looks impressive! or I'll settle for Solveigs-song? I'll bring me own booze.

Comment: Hi Mike. Just stumbled upon your Website and was wondering whether you could answer a few questions about your boat and the build. I'm happen to be building a 60FT narowboat and have now assembled the sides, bow and stern. Have you started fitting the boat out yet. Were your drawings accurate, as i have found mine arn't, luckly I found out when developing parts of the boat in CAD.

Comment: Hi Mike. Must say I'm more than impressed with what you are undertaking. given the current climate it looks as though a lot of us may need to become modern-day Noahs. Keep at it and can't wait to see the end result. So hope it works out for you.M.G.

Comment: Great work Mike - you must be very proud. Hope to see you again on a Company of Cyclists week before too long - I'll race you on my Bike E......

Comment: Mike I am so impressed with what you have achieved. More power to your welder, so to speak.

Comment: Mike, from one self builder to another, credit where it's due......what a great job. AKA PistonBroke.

Comment: Hi Cousin Mike, hows the boat progressing, havn't visited the site for a while. I'm guessing it's all interior fittings now. If we come up this year we will try to come and have a look, (prog get roped in to help!!)

Comment: nice to see an update.the cabin looks very good and its great to know the engine runs after all the modifications. The gearbox is probably rusted up after all this time get out the wd40. May I say an English ton and a metic tonne both seem very heavy when your carrying them from the trailer to the boat. Good boating or or near as I can translate in my new venture of speaking french "bon faire un tour en bateau"

Comment: Hi! I was wondering if you'd like to exchange links with me? If yes, please leave your blog url as a comment at: http://www.boating-equipment.org or e-mail me on webmaster at boating-equipment.org. I'm linking to you first, then when you have time link me back, ok? Thanks, Felipe

Comment: August 13 last update, about time we had another one.Any panelling on yet? Has the gear box stopped dripping? Has Julie had her maiden voyage yet? get blogging!!!!

Comment: Gawd blimey! Kudos to you!!! What a mammoth task but I very much suspect it was a huge pride prize too. Well done Captain :o)

Comment: Congrats on maiden voyage You didn't smash the proverbial bottle of plonk on the bow for luck maybe this is why she powered up and wouldn't stop

Comment: Wow....excellent Mike! What an achievement!

Comment: It,s looking impressive,just a friendly tip,get a move on!cheers,Chris.

Comment: Can I book a week in August 2013? It should be nearly finished by then,cheers for now,Chris.

Comment: second trip even better than than the first, still runnning out of diesel but a lot warmer this time (central heating working well)cooker fridge all working well. Finally the bar-be at the end with a quiz thrown in was great, did we win? cant recall the latter end of the day must have been something I ate (or drunk)I had a bit of a headache next morning though. thanks again for a great days cruising. from Pat and Bob

Comment: I think there may have been some slacking? Was hoping for a cruise,early August, (whilst in the area).Are you around? cheers, Chris.

Comment: Looking good :) All we need now is for it to start paying for itself. 2012 look out!!!!