In battle array

April 7, 2007

Clear instructions of Tourleader Paul this morning. Draw up in "battle" array before the bridge - just around the corner of Weert-mooring - at 08:30 sharp. Only such would make it feasible to have the bridge opened only once for the remaining 10 vessels - and the bridgekeeper ready to hold the traffic for some longer time. Amusing excercise to see ships struggle through the narrow harbour gate, and manoeuvring to get in line on the narrow Zuid-Willemsvaart this early morning. Glad, we had some British crews, used to proper line-behaviour (the Dutch are usally not). It took some time, after passing the bridge, to follow up on another instruction. As Linssen had paid the Belgium passe-partout (vignet) collectively, it was needed to enter Belgium on the exact sequential order as put on the list. So:

1. Amulette (GS 400 AC), tour leader
2. Indira (GS 299 AC), like ours
3. Filos (CS 400 AC)
4. Corvada (nowhere around)
5. Charming Molly (DS 380 AC)
6. Cómplice (GS 299 AC), us
7. Aadje Nooitgedacht (GS 430 S)
8. Sundowner (CS 400 AC)
9. Samba (GS 460 AC)
10. Carolina (CS 400 AC)
11. Baloo (DS 380 AC)

Once settled, we entered first lock on this day. All fitted in one time, but when leaving the excercise needed to be redone of course. And so with the next, smaller (and first Belgium) lock, that only provided place for each time three of us. I am afraid we need more practice.

In general not all part of this Saturday route can be seen as exciting. The rather straightforward canal with not everywhere exciting surroundings, combined with the chilly temperature this day, after half a day becomes somewhat boring. This changes when approaching Maastricht, our destiny for today, as terrain becomes more "hilly" (not in English or German terms!). The homeport of tonight - the old Bassin in the old Maastricht part of town - and the heartily welcome by the Linssen-favorable harbourmaster makes the travel however worthwhile!

At night the crew dinner at Grand Café De Perroen on the most famous Dutch square (except for the Dam in Amsterdam of course) Vrijthof (or let's say, the square with the highest pub density in the Netherlands). Restaurant owner - how can it be else - by the way Linssen ship owner as well. So all a big family, at our dinner table accompanied with the youngsters of a next generation Linssen-family. Good discussion, curious to learn their thoughts on their future related to the family-business. And of course, given them some advice (I am a business consultant after all). A rewarding day.

Next: Bunny & Eggs

Bright & shine

April 6, 2007

Relaxing wake-up after our first night sleep aboard in new season. We love the comfortable beds Linssen provides. In addition a bright, sunny & quit morning in Van der Laan's harbour we spend this night, though the crane starting hoisting more ships into the water as early as 08:00 AM. Fortunately no need to polish Cómplice - as we had done this just before leaving her before wintersleep in the shed. Brian & Alison, also arrived from England to make their Dirk ready, being less lucky because still to be polished on this beautiful day.

During wintertime, Cómplice hardly had collected any dust thanks to the fact that Harry van der Laan doesn't allow any work to be done in the hal - which can be quite different at other winter storages. We think this non-working policy in the shed is a very important selection argument.

Plenty of time to enjoy our ship, coming to grips with all technics again, and practicing manoeuvring in case we would have forgotten in the six months behind. And by doing so having a good sight on Dirk when hoisted into the water mid-day. Still a pity we weren't there to make a picture of Cómplice hanging in the "ropes"!

Early afternoon time to leave, heading for Linssen harbour, for a start of Easter Tour at 15:00 PM. Eleven Linssen's of all sizes and types collecting for departure, with a variety of nationalities of their owners: British, German, Swiss and Dutch. Paul Smits a the tour leader running around to provide last instructions - specifically for first lock, as not all would fit once a time.

Convoy waiting for lock Nederweert

Heading for the tiny municipality harbour of Weert, via kanaal Wessem-Nederweert and Zuid-Willemsvaart. How small the destinity harbour, we experienced upon arrival - with the 11 Linssen vessels really fully loaded, and quite some manoeuvring at the entrance to find a place. But all managed without a scratch, no hurry. Jolly good!

Cómplice in municipal harbour Weert

Next: In battle array

Early rise

April 5, 2007

Originally we had planned to touch water again end of April. But because of invitation for the Linssen Easter Tour, we asked Harry van der Laan, the owner of the Maasbracht hal we had stored Cómplice for winter, to make an exception on our and his planning. Though his crane seemed to be fully booked in these hectic days just before Easter - with excellent wheather forecasting - he pleasantly cooperated, and so did Erwin Schuller who had to de-winterize.

We hoped to be in time for watching our ship in the crane, but in vain. However this Thursday morning the rise was very early, our nearly 2 hours travel - because of the traffic jam around Eindhoven - made our arrival not before around 09:30. Too late, Cómplice just had touched water again, engine still running, everything working like we had left her 6 months before.

Erwin already done with mounting a new, and fresh new season impeller, and also taken care of some new antifouling on the nose (as we discouvered when we visited the hall one time in December, some missing because of our "mooring with the nose on the Maurik beaches), as well as he had polished the propellor (because of our hit of a shopping car or bicycle in Gouda last season). Also a new and better opening device of front window had been mounted - a modification on request of Linssen, without running the risk of getting ones fingers between.

Wondering what happened with the broken bolts of the (hand) dieselpump. We had message from Linssen, that they experienced simular problems with same Volvo D 2-55 type, and wished Volvo to look at it. We learned that a day before Volvo had looked at it and had fixed the broken bolts but obviously in same way they had been mounted before. Frankly we were not too sure it would work - no message about specific cause of this break for 2nd time, and the fixing looked the same.

But apart from this, all worked fine - and even the wheather cooperated beautifully, so making a start with loading the blankets, equipments, all the other household and not too forget our food and wine storage, we had not left behind when leaving the ship for winter. In a few hours we were ready for the practice tour. One hour max, not more this day as we still had to do some shopping, supermarket as well as schipchandler Wim Houben to visit. Apart from buying some cleansing stuff, we needed to pump the fenders - which Wim did in a few seconds with his compressor as a service.

That was all - ready to go - ignition. The sound and the feeling being very familiar when I turned the key..

Season 2007 has started!

Next: Linssen Easter Tour