If you have a cratch this seems like a really good idea

This boat came to moor opposite us in Rugby today. Jan pointed out how part of the cratch board folded down to make a table ...

... leaving a glazed triangle trapezoid in place. Very clever. Jubilee doesn't have a cratch - we didn't want one - and the well deck is too high and small to sit in comfortably. The boat we had for nine weeks in 2005, Lee Swallow, had a fold-out table and a low deck with locker seats. This made for congenial al fresco dining.

The Russell Newbery-powered boats continued to pass us on their way to the RN rally in Aylesbury. I talked to Ian Thompson, the owner of the company, as he locked up the Hillmorton flight in Temperence (I hope I have the name right).

Hillmorton Locks? What were we doing there? Well, we wanted to go back to look at something, so we winded opposite the entrance to Rugby Wharf and made our way to the bottom of the locks.

Later we went for a walk, which included a stop at the Old Royal Oak pub for a "Two for £7.99" meal. Which wasn't at all bad. (I had the beef and ale pie - huge - and Jan had the chicken New Yorker.) The half hour wait for the food was worth it.