Hurley
Painting time is upon me again and in a major way! Hurley is a 52 foot GT boat that has not received serious attention for some time.
Rough isn't the word.. everything that shouldn't leak does, rust abounds, and I cant help but be aware of some strange goings on as I listen to the news whilst prising windows out!
The dreaded European Referendum is the talk of Stafford Boat Club... as in the rest of the Country. Cosily situated in the heart of the midlands it is very apparent that as a committed "Remainer" I am in the minority in my political views!
Trying desperately to concentrate on the job in hand I scrape, grind and sand away.
Perspective is crucial when attempting a job of this scale, and I'm reminded of my recent trip to London.
There's no better way to get a feel for a place than from the saddle of a bicycle, so recently I took up the invitation of blustering Boris Johnson (remember him!) to tour the grandeur of the Capital on one of his famous velocipedes.
It was a sturdy machine; both reliable, practical, and reasonable value to rent for the day..... In fact the complete opposite of Bozza himself as the events of the next few days were to demonstrate.
Hacking through the smog of the metrollopis is thirsty work i can tell you! The palace of Westminster has cheap booze, but no apparent means of entry for a humble self employed narrowboat restorer from the midlands to grab a pint, and discuss my concerns with the powers that be!
All perspectived up in terms of the inequality of the price of gin between the countries richest and poorest neighbourhoods.. I return to the west midlands, cast my vote to remain in the albeit imperfect, but most progressive humaitarian and idealistic alliance between developed nations in the world, and start work.
I approach the job with the qualities that seem to be being advocated by the political class; diligence, persistence, fairness and comradeship.
The trusty captain of the black pearl arrives to graft hard for his money. We rub the boat down in eight days whilst differing in our political views...
The campaigning from our parlimentary representatives unfortunately sinks to much lower depths and i wonder who should be paying attention to whom!
Cracking the paint open often induces hallucinations and delerium... but the day after the vote to leave the EU was announced the apparitions before me seem to be much worse than usual... Is it all just a bad dream?
The boat begins to take shape and visitors to the dock (always welcome) come to have a nose.
One comments that my name dosen't sound very English now they come to think of it, but where might i go home to?
The Jungmayr name came to England with my grandfather after the second world war.
The Irony of the situation is that you cant really do anything more perculiarly British than to paint a Narrowboat with a Brush. In a radius of less than 100 miles from the boat dock this is the only place in the world where this unique process happens.
"Hurley" is only being painted in this way because of my inherited immigrant work ethic and price structure.
luckily the work speaks for itself and I'm allowed to get away with it even if I am half German!
As the Shakespearean tragedy of our post Brexit calamity begins to intensify, another realisation drops on me like The Govesters' future in politics dropping from the top of the Shard.......
The Lady customers vibrant colour scheme of two tone purple with a striking lime green coach line is beginning to make the boat resemble the UKIP battle bus!
Even though I Begged with her in my solvent induced delerium to rename the boat "Nigel Th'Barge" in order to preserve my sanity, she refused. "Hurley" it is....(no hurling jokes please)
The boat has been transformed for the better (unlike the country). The colour scheme is bold and individual, yet feminine... and you will always be able to find the boat when you come home from the pub!
If this blog has interested/amused/entertained you then please feel free to share.
The prices have not changed depending on who voted how.... so any of my customers who are booked in (now till the end of 2018) need not panic... although i may not be able to keep my opinions to myself i'm afraid!
cheers Kris x
