Well the ice maybe thawing but it's still pretty thick down the arm.

I've just come back into the office from docking a boat with Paul and Fred. It's taken over an hour to break all the ice that has piled up in front of the dock, just to get the one boat out and the other in. So now that's done Fred and his steam cleaner have set to with the task of pressure washing the boat and cleaning the dock out. The boat that we have docked is Ember, which is one of the new hire boats that we have going into the fleet in 2011 (see www.norburyhire.co.uk). You'll probably be hearing much more about her over the coming weeks as once her bottom is blacked, she is going in the Wet dock to be painted.

The huge table top sized pieces of ice that were in the dry dock when we last put a boat in there, actually hadn't melted at all! Whilst the dock was flooded today we took the opportunity to float them all out into the arm.

Silhouette's coming along a treat in the wet dock. Her cabin top only requires a final coat of top coat and then she is complete. All she will need then is a clean before her next owners take her out on the 24th.

Bernard's busying himself with changing a drive plate and engine mounts on Willoughby. Then following an engine service and an clean through on the inside her winter maintenance will also be complete, meaning she will also be ready for her next owners at the end of the month.

Mick's working through all of our boats to get the gas appliances serviced, a gas check completed and certificate issued. That will be keeping him busy at least for the next month, but I am sure a few jobs will crop up along the way to slow progress down!

We've had two boats on the wharf for services today, so that proves that boats are moving once again.

I'm off to the German Market in Birmingham tonight, so will catch you all in the morning!

David