Lionel...d'Antan Deck Tour

Barge Date:  09-13-2018

Lionel...d'Antan Deck Tour

Here are some comments and views of the deck of our barge Lionel...d'Antan.

Barge Date:  09-10-2018

Last Excursion of the Year

Making this a post for the short trip south of Strasbourg because I was so taken by the look of the canal and I took a good number of pictures.

The canal is referred to as Branch Nord (north) but it runs south from Strasbourg.  Planned to go to the town of Krafft or a bit further and turn around and return the next day.  It was almost a longer trip.

One of the features of many French canals is the line of plane trees along the way (similar to sycamores).  I would guess that 100-200 years ago this was a common sight.  Not so much today, or at least where I have been thus far. But this trip surprised. Leaving Strasbourg, very mature plane trees took their place along both sides of the canal. Because they are old and have been trimmed for maybe 200 years to make the shape of a canopy that covers the canal, on a sunny day you have shade.  Where much sun might result in heavy weed growth, the shaded canal has none.  And for this canal, the water was very clean. I just liked it.  So take a look at what I saw.

This will make a couple of good tables or perhaps turn it.

The Vosges mountains to the west.  We travel through them.

Sauerkraut

Woodpecker - all black with red tuft on head; perhaps white beak. Living in the hole.

Europeans, and the French more so, like to trim trees. Most of these planes have had limbs hacked off more than once and the result is a gnarly location that sprouts new branches and heals itself.

Fishing Derby

I missed the spot where I was going to turn around to head back.  Had GE unlinked with the GPS puck and was looking at the image upside down.  Of course the canal became narrower and I could not see a turn around for about 6k. So I did what I have been wanting to try - use the bow against a side and move the stern around with the bow as the pivot. Finally picked a spot that I thought was wide enough.  I did not want to find myself locked across the canal and stuck.  Just made it. Go slow. Yes, it works.

Lionel...d'Antan Inside Tour

Barge Date:  09-13-2018

Video Tour Inside Lionel...d'Antan

So again I have taken some time to do a video of the wheelhouse and the living quarters of our barge. About 30 minutes but perhaps you are interested.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Some have noted problems in viewing this video.  Don't know the problem but looking for cause.  On my Mac and the PC I don't see any problems other than a need to keep the cursor over the video window or it may not advance the video; audio continues.  Any suggestions?

I have loaded a new upload of this video.  Hope it helps.

Barge Date:  09-07-2018

The End (of the Season) is Near

I arrived at the basin in Niderviller and for the first time this summer, bad weather.  Cold, grey, wet, rain;  this when I need some sun to complete the paint work.  The summer has been, to this point, very nice, very sunny, very warm and very dry.

I liked Niderviller as a painting site because it has a low wall along side the boat.  Many times the wall for mooring can be 2 feet or more, so the side of the boat is inaccessible for painting.  At this location the wall was maybe 10 inches.  This allowed me to sit on the wall with my feet in the water to have access to most of the sides of the boat.  Sit, paint, slide down the way and do the next section. I could do up to where the hull would bend away.  I would do a second coat and then rotate the boat for the other side.

For the hull at the bow and stern I needed another plan. Some of this I could do by leaning over but at

Board is platform for the paint container.

some point I needed to be on the water.   There were 2 options: use the dinghy or try out the fishing float I had purchased in Strasbourg. Went for the dinghy first.  In addition to a slow leak, I had trouble keeping steady and I was too high.  Had lines over the rail of the hull but this was only marginally better.  I had attempted to buy large magnets to do the holding, but did not find any in any Brico.

So I gave the float a go.  Much, much better than the dinghy but still needed some way to hold steady. At the bow I draped a rope around the front and going down the sides; this was an improvement. Kind of worked out a system that gave me better control but in the long term magnets are the way to go. I end up sitting with just a bit of my bottom in the water; and low for painting.

The water was warm enough and when the sun was out, it was in fact comfortable.  Screw the dinghy, this is the method.

The canal company had an oil recycle container and I was able to pour out the cleaning spirits in the end.

While tied up, I decided to remove the balloon fenders from the boat and use only zigzag fenders low on each side of the boat. The balloons tend to bounce you a bit and, as you slide into a lock, they work themselves up the side to leave a mess.  The zigzag types have some weight and tend to behave better.  Also, my control of the boat has gotten much better and I want to see if this new option is something I can live with.  The goal is to return to Strasbourg without any significant "touches" to canal objects.

What do you think?

Was able to go through the 2 tunnels without a single touch. The longest of the two is about a mile.

Spent a day below the inclined plane, then headed east. Was in the lock by myself until Lutzelbourg where a misbehaving lock had created a back-up. But up ahead I spotted the barge of Andrew, an  Englishman that I had met earlier in the year back in Liege, Belgium, and later in Verdun.  He had come this way to pick up a friend he had made in Toul and they spent the weekend together. We tied on together for the hour wait and I was introduced to Virginie.  When it was my turn to enter the lock, a French boat was in with me to the stern.

This company makes metal carts for airports and supermarkets.

This is a stand of hops. Never a large planting but over the course of 10k I saw many fields this size up on the hills.

Now Marianne hit it on the head;  I worry too much about the other boat in a shared lock and not enough about ours.  So I made my first ever rope mistake.  These locks are going down and as I noted in the earlier video, you have to be mindful of the rope.  For this size of drop, about 2.5 meters, I use a line with an end loop over the lock bollard and the line around my center single bollard which has 2 sets of pins. The lock and boat bollards are nearly side by side prior to the water gates opening and in my attempt to make sure Lionel did not move back into the French boat (they were probably 2-3 meters behind me so not real close), I pulled the line too much around the boat bollard and did not notice - until too late - that the line, pulled tight, had the loop around one of the pins.  As the boat began to drop, the pin captured the loop and there was no way to recover.

The boat began to hang immediately.  There is just no time to think; you have to make something happen right away.  My trusty mini hacksaw was right there, just for these occasions. I began to hack at the rope and the mini nature of the saw was its failing; it snapped. All very quickly I was able to pull the emergency stop control and grab a second hacksaw and cut away.  Under tension, a rope parts very easily but when it lets go, the boat drops.  How far I don't know, but she rocked for some time before being steady.  A lock employee was on hand and was able to reset the lock.  The French wanted to know what happened.

This is how the line is routed at the middle bollard. Good tension and safe.

Now I have a rope to splice. A little shorter. I hope the last mistake like this. No more hacksaws;  a serrated knife will do a better job.  And some new rules - my boat comes first, and the splice of the loop must never come round the boat bollard.

Andrew and I spent some time together in Saverne and had dinner out.  He will head back to Toul to overwinter.

Have made a Captain's decision.  Will add two more days of steaming before I tie up for the year.  Will return to Strasbourg but will then go south for a short addition to this year. This will be on the Canal du Rhone au Rhin, branch Nord. Almost a straight line south.  Some concern with weeds in the canal but trying to get some information on this before I get there.

For the last leg to Strasbourg I fell in behind the hotel barge Lilas.  Forced to go slow, I found it enjoyable.  Got in a couple of plays of Mark Knopfler's/Dire Strait's Sultans of Swing, long version.  The number one ever rock and roll song.  From the Alchemy tour.  Give it a listen; Loud.  YouTube if needed; the video shows the boys having so much fun.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pa9x9fZBtY

Along the channel to the Rhine large tour boats were double moored.  Talking 3-4,000 rooms I would think.  Water is low on the Rhine too, so maybe that is the problem and they are forced to tie up.

My space at the marina was not available, so I tied to a wall just beyond.  Confirmed work on the boat to be done and I am scheduled to meet with some people on Monday.  Rode the bike up the channel to visit with John on Johanna.  He leaves the next day with his last boarders for the year. This time he has Canadians and a Brit.  Then it is back to India for his important work.

This is a part of town I have not seen but needs to be done on a bike.  Nothing special but there are always interesting touches to see. Here are some  pictures.

Cutting weeds.

Water animal. French say yum.

Johanna

This area had been for canal and boats.  The old cranes remain as a nice touch.

Everyone rides bikes and they always have their own lanes.

Young professional on the way home.

Barge Date:  08-20-2018

End of Season Boat Work

Marianne has departed the boat and Europe.  End of year for her.  Back to help Jinglei get ready for her first year of college.  Jinglei had a wonderful trip to China and I am looking forward to some details when I see her again.

Big sister LiQiong was also in China, living with a Chinese family in Beijing and teaching English to their 10 year old. When she returns, she will have missed seeing her younger sister and she will soon head off to do her last year of college.

So I will just sit on the boat watching other boaters go by. Or maybe not. Marianne says "what is there to do?" A boat is a living thing and it needs constant care. If I lived just down the road and could visit over the next 6 months, I could get everything "ship shape". But since I don't, the care of the boat must be handled in some way and staying longer seems like a good idea to me.

Marianne took the fast train to Brussels to visit family, then flew home from there. I purchased
supplies for the work.  Had a little go around at the Brico.  I was wanting to use the US card to pay for paint but it was rejected.  Called the card company while in line and they say they don't even see an

attempt to purchase.  Tried another cash register.  Same thing.  OK, use the Belgian debit card.  Rejected.  What is going on?  I was told to go to a cash machine across the street.  Rejected.  Tried several others with same result.  Remembered I had my US bank debit card and, lo and behold, it worked for cash.

Don't know what the problem was with the credit card;  it works elsewhere.  And yes, the Belgian card was low on funds, so that was explained.  Makes you feel like a crook to be in line and have this happen.

Was out in the suburbs of Strasbourg to purchase a fishing float tube that I think will help me paint the boat.  Picture and results to follow.  But as I am waiting for the return train, several pass not needing to stop. If you don't pay attention they can really sneak up on you. The platform is maybe only 8 feet wide and these trains go zipping by.  Take a listen and look.

On the boat, I installed an outlet and a switch in the forepeak.  The switch to power a new LED floodlight at the very tip of the bow.  Our last trip through a tunnel could have used good lighting. This is a 220 volt line but wired like we would do in the US for 110 volt.  The light works.

Not wanting to paint while in the marina, I plan to retrace some distance back west.  I scouted out suitable painting sites as we headed east so have an idea where to do some of this.  Can't afford to have my paint get on some nervous boater's boat.  Will take it slow, practice my single handed boating and move on when I want.

Did some painting in the spring but most of the hull needs to be done as well as the wheelhouse. Also want to varnish wood in and outside the wheelhouse. Varnishing comes first and I have to say it makes everything look better.  The wood was in need of several coats.

As I need supplies, I venture into any town of size and stock up.  All this year I have made a commitment to try to add info to the mooring guide our barge group has available online. Let me make a plug for the DBA, The Barge Association (the D is for Dutch but we don't use that anymore). If you are doing anything on European waterways, this is the group to join.  Take a look at the site:  barges.org. If you have a problem with your boat, someone will have the answer.

So I also scout out stores, restaurants, bars, bricos, etc. as I bike around.  This info is then added to our online database.  Here is an example:  http://barges.org/knowledgebase/waterwaysguide-k/waterwaysguide-search   It is nice to know what is available at each stop along the canal.

One tie-up had the benefit of having a shooting range just beside the canal.  Makes you feel you are

back home in the US of A.

As I moved to tie-up in one small town, I made the suggestion to the boater just in front of my approaching bow (he is just standing there) that he take my line and put it on the bollard. You never know what language to use, so I did a little movement with the rope and pointed to the bollard.  He gives me this "what" look, like he has no idea what I could possibly want him to do.  So I say in English "Hey, you're a boater, it has to be obvious what I want". Since I didn't back down and further, had thrown the line to his feet, he had little choice to do what a boater should do.

Turns out he is German and explains, in German, that I am doing it all wrong.  I should make the first tie to my center boat bollard. I said, in English, that that may be fine with a little boat like you have, and then powered against my forward line letting the line stop my boat before it sinks his.  Then I tie up stern and middle. Some boaters are reluctant to lend a hand in circumstances that they understand.  I don't understand it.

I think I stayed one night.  There are lots of rental boats on the water.  You can easily ID them by the

multitude of fenders that are hanging all around the boat. Most of these boats show a lot of wear. Saw one that had the bow totally caved in;  but still working.  They get to take out the boat after 15 minutes of instruction;  I had to pay to take a test and needed to pass. So in the morning I try to let most of the rental boats get moving before I venture out. It is also easy to see/hear boats rented by 8, 10 or 12 men/women as a party boat. Do not get close.

I end up with another boat in each of the locks I am going to pass.  Turns out they are Kiwi and are living the dream. Always had boats in NZ, bigger than what they are on now. We had time to talk as one of the locks just did not want to let us out. We were both headed to the basin below the inclined plane.  That evening we shared some drinks and learned about how our lives crossed. They are in Europe for 6 months. 

Ready to paint

Time at the basin seems well spent. I did take a bike ride over the hill to Niderviller to scout out possible food stores.  Not a one.  Don't want to be unable to buy supplies but there does not seem like there is any to be had.  Running low on some items. I did visit a new restaurant just below the basin.  Very nice and I added it to the DBA info.

And all work and no play....  so I visited the glass blowing shop which has a small eatery.

Funny thing happened with 2 hotel barges.  I was asked by Lilas (notice the small swimming pool at the bow) to save a place for Madeleine that would arrive soon;  beat off anyone else trying to use the space to my stern. When Madeleine showed up, they did not like the space and preferred in front of me but it was not big enough.  So I had them put someone ashore and we pulled our boat back.

Guess that made me a friend because around 7pm the lady from Lilas wanted to know if we used propane; their tanks were empty, someone had failed to take note and they had arriving guests. So we confirmed it was the same style of tank and I gave them my spare with their promise to return it in the morning. But in the morning I see them take off to go up the inclined plane only to come right down and set off down the canal. I yelled to not forget me and they promised a new tank in the evening.  I never saw them show up but after thinking about it, I checked the gas cabinet and a new, full tank was in place.  Then the following morning as I prepared to paint I found a bottle of French Rhone wine under a drop cloth. Nice of them.

My next leg of travel has me going up the inclined plane to Niderviller and through 2 tunnels. I was able to test the new floodlight at the bow and it did a fine job of illuminating the tunnel. There was a hire boat behind me on the lift and I suggested he pass me by in order to avoid the diesel fumes in the tunnel. I was able to talk with him as we needed to hold at the entrance to the tunnel. Just his wife and two kids on board. Later, in Niderviller, his kids came over on a paddle board to make an offering of a small ball fender they recovered. Offer accepted. The young boy's English was very good.  Several days prior, I was able to recover another type of fender that was floating alongside my boat.  Always useful.

First bad weather day this summer.  Woke to grey sky and rain. No painting today. 

 

Lionel...d'Antan Engine Room Tour

Barge Date:  09-03-2018

Below in the Engine Room of Lionel...d'Antan

I have been wanting to do some videos of the boat and now have figured it out.  So the first go at it will be of the engine room on our barge Lionel...d'Antan.  There is a lot down there and I have to say that this view of the boat almost made me go home without buying.  What the hell was I doing?

But when you break it down into pieces you can see that it is much like a house: heat, electric, water, plus an engine.  The engine is a 125HP DAF 575 with a turbo charger.

So let's take a look and you can see what I saw that first day below.