Edwin wades in to fix rudder

At The Taft, a canalside house on the Trent and Mersey just north of Rugeley, for a Boaters' Christian Fellowship weekend. Yesterday, Friday, the main thing was to erect the marquee.

This is like a giant gazebo, but is not a one-person operation to put up.

The method is similar: make the roof structure ...

... pull the roof "canvas" over it ...

... get at least five helpers to lift each side in turn while attaching the side poles ...

... and it's up.

Well, almost. Just the small matter of securing the roof with bungees, putting the side panels in and staking the whole affair to the ground.

And I wasn't just standing around with my camera - I did my share of pushing, pulling, lifting and securing.

"Buff" joined us for lunch on board.

Then nb Ichthus cruised past, intending to moor on the piling just beyond Taft Bridge. A little while later a flustered boat owner, John, appeared in the garden asking for help. His wooden tiller had snapped off. A small posse of willing volunteers immediately went back to the boat with John. In time the boat appeared, being shafted along backwards to tie up alongside Ferrous.

Ichthus's rudder post had somehow rotated beyond its normal limit to end up at 90 degrees from straight ahead. There was only one thing to do,and that was for Ferrous's builder and owner, Edwin, to get into his drysuit and investigate from below.

Having felt the position of the rudder Edwin asked for a hammer to persuade it back to its rightful position.

After a couple of blows the rudder came free.

Edwin climbed back out of the canal and out of my wellingtons which I'd lent him.

Ichthus is only five weeks old; the builders are sending a spare tiller over on Monday.