Well, more like a two hour trip but this is the first time in nearly two years that she has been off the property.

Here she is ready to go. The types have been pumped up a little, the flue removed, the trailer lights checked, the tow hitch greased and everything double checked twice!

Exciting and nerve wracking, hence the double checking twice!

Here we are being lifted at Cathedral Marina in Ely after a slow trip down the back road from Littleport to Ely.

Just high enough to clear the trailer and the concrete lip.

And back she goes.

I'm always tense when a boat of mine is in the slings and over hard ground. If she were to fall she would be damaged. It's irrational, I know, the staff at the marina have been doing this for years without an accident.

From here it is better. If she slips now she will just be wet.

The repair is quite clearly visible. Interesting to see it from this angle.

And there we go. In the water for the first time in over two years. Time to get onboard and check to see if there are any holes where the water is getting in.

Having check inside the boat I sat in the cockpit with my coffee and this is the view downstream...

And upstream.

I have to say that it was a bit odd being on the water. I've become used to clambering in and out of the boat and around the cabin and not have her move around. This time, while I was checking to see if there were any leaks, the boat moved in the water as I moved around inside her and it felt just a little odd.

Having checked the entire inside of the hull I sat the the cockpit drinking my coffee for about 20 minutes, occasionally checking below to see if any leaks had developed before she was lifted out of the water and back onto her trailer and we drove back home.

So the result is that she is watertight. There are no leaks and I can proceed with confidence knowing that when she is finally launched I'll not find that I have to make repairs and ruin the topside paint and or the bottom coating. That would be very expensive.

And it was great to have her on the water even for just a short time.

Hopefully the next time this happens it will be for just a little longer.