Look what the Viking brought to Crick

Sue said, "Come and look round our new boat." So we did. Built by Viking Canal Boats it must be one of the cheapest ways to get a fully fitted new narrowboat: the "from" price is £55,000.

Proudly standing at the stern was the Polish man who built it. I asked him if he'd done the steelwork, he said yes. And the fitting out? Yes. I didn't ask him about the painting, but he probably did that too.


One surprise inside was the Aga in the galley; another was the dinette/study, devoid of any furniture.


Here's Sue talking to Jan. Sue's first cruise on her new boat - she's calling it Spring Water, I think - would be from Crick, immediately after the show.


According to the website all these Polish boats have a dragon's head at the bow, a sort of scaled down (and scaly at the same time) figurehead.


Another curiosity is what appears to be a storage bracket, welded to the roof, for the anchor.


How annoying it would be to find that the only thing preventing you from getting under that low bridge was a piece of metalwork which probably shouldn't have been there in the first place!


It appears to be remarkable value for the price, though. (But I wouldn't have chosen that colour scheme!)