Firstly, there was work to be done on the boat.\u00a0 Until now, we have used standard portable outboard engine fuel tanks giving us a total capacity of 50 litres with a range, at river cruising speed, of about 100 miles.\u00a0\u00a0 This would be insufficient for the Tidal Thames as we would have to make 4 complete trips through London without refuelling.\u00a0\u00a0 We had previously\u00a0 thought about having a larger internal fuel tank fitted (when planning a trip to the Norfolk Broads) – and now was the time to get it done along with the usual routine servicing.\u00a0\u00a0 So over the Easter Bank Holiday we moved Grumpy Bear Too from Buckden to Priory Marina in Bedford where the work would be done.\u00a0 She would sit “on the hard” immediately outside Mike’s office at Walton Training<\/a>, where work in progress could be monitored .\u00a0 The engine would also get a good service, and the hull cleaned and polished.\u00a0 A clean of her bottom and a new coat of antifoul paint would finish off the operation.<\/p>\n There was also the small matter of getting the prepared boat to the Thames.\u00a0 However, we have done this before so it was an easy choice to contact David at Riverside Marine and Leisure<\/a> based at the Pike and Eel Marina, Needingworth, Cambs who had served us so well previously.\u00a0\u00a0 We booked our transport for Friday 25th May which would give us 6 days pleasant cruising down the Thames to West India Dock (on the Tidal Thames near “The Dome”) where all participating boats have to be inspected by the Port of London Authority and the Met Police.<\/p>\n We put Grumpy Bear in at Benson Waterfront <\/a>– again a marina we have used before who understand the meaning of “Customer Service”.\u00a0\u00a0 A phone call to them in January was met with the expected first class response and confirmation that we could not only slip in and out at Benson, but also leave our car there in secure parking.<\/p>\n To read the full story of our participation click on “Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant” in the top menu bar.\u00a0\u00a0 (Remember, this is in blog format so the\u00a0last postings come first).<\/p>\n As the tale unravels you will see that the plan did indeed come together.\u00a0\u00a0 Priory Marina Services in Bedford\u00a0completed all of the work in time and the service provided by both Riverside Marine and Leisure, and Benson Waterfront, at both ends of the holiday, was faultless in every way.\u00a0 Without all of their support the trip would not have gone as smoothly as it did – so many thanks to them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is our story of Grumpy Bear Too, our Viking 26 Widebeam cruiser and our participation in the 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant.\u00a0 \u00a0Now based on The Norfolk Broads, in 2012 she was based at Buckden Marina on the River … Continue reading ![\"Grumpy](\"http:\/\/grumpybeartoo.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IMG_0047_11.jpg\" "\\"Grumpy")
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