A Year on the River Lee 2014

To tempt you to a trip or holiday on Challenge during 2015 take a look at our short film of activities last year.

We are happy to talk to you about any combination of trip, holiday or special event. call us on 07511 622747

New Bunks & Bench Seats for Challenge

When the technicians at British Ship Builders embarked on the construction of MV. Challenge, they must have spent many hours designing and building the configuration of bunks on the boat. They used top quality marine ply, some melamine faced board, and a whole load of timber. The main problem was the screws they used; they were a hot-potch of brass, steel, slotted and cross head. Something you’d get from your old screw jar.

The most dismal area of the old bunks was the four-bunk set up at the rear of the cabin. It was a dark area shut in by walls and plagued by leaking windows and spiders.

In October 2013 we embarked on Operation Long Boat 5, the final part of our five year refurbishment plan for MV. Challenge

This phase of the project was to rip out the old and outdated interior of our central and front cabins and create a lovable warm environment. The key to this was flexibility, not easy when the volunteers were all set in their ways and extremely inflexible!!

 

Most of the walls and a lot of the timber was not recoverable and was sent for recycling. The marine ply was still in good condition so this was used in other projects.

 

Within a few days we had ripped back the bunks to bare steel walls so we could assess the problems and agree the reconstruction.
 

The first thing to sort was the leaking windows that had been badly fitted during the construction. We’d like to know where the supervisors where when the window holes were being cut?

Before long we had repaired the damage and refitted the windows with no leaks. Now it was time to start rebuilding, which included:

• A new stronger framework
• New insulation
• New moisture resistant board
• New wiring and light

Once we had clad the walls and fitted new lights we started building the new bunks/seating. For this we would need to call on the extensive widget whittling skills of our resident wood whittler George to invent some gadgets to hold the bunks in place.



We did some cladding on our new walls and windows and
started building the bunks



Both bunks are built, varnished and waiting
for new cushions



The final stage was to fit professionally made cushions that would give us years of service and double up as seating and mattresses. For this we called on the expertise of Foam for Comfort of Leeds who had previously made a bespoke mattress for our crew’s cabin.

http://www.foamforcomfort.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foam-for-Comfort/116766215141475

https://twitter.com/FoamforComfort

Once we agreed the design and materials it took no time at all for the new cushions to be delivered to the boat.

 

The top cushions and bunks were fitted with Velcro on the slats to prevent them falling forward when in the seat position.

 

All done and dusted and 4 fabulous bunks to sleep in

 

 As we said previously, they are just not bunks; they are also seats for our day trips and various educational events we hold throughout the year.

 

With the widgets removed and the top bunk lowered
they convert into fantastic bench seats

Don't forget to have a look at Foam for Comfort's work on the web site at

www.foamforcomfort.co.uk

 

The Lea Needs Some Extra TLC

Well we’ve seen it all this week, thousands of dead fish, black putrid water, aerators that are not aerators and now a river dyed green.

The dead fish – This is well documented in the thousands of tweets, conversations and on the telly. From our perspective the amount of dead fish is a disaster for the ecosystem of the Lee/Lea. The river system is already under tremendous pressure from pollution and any more incidents like this week’s could push it over the edge.

The black putrid water – This now stretches from the pool below Tottenham Lock down to the weir at Lea Bridge. I personally can’t ever remember seeing a stretch of river so bad. Even the industrial canals of my childhood were never as bad as this stretch of the River Lee.

We have inserted this short video to show you the source of the problem:

 

 

The Aerators - The solution to all the problems, in your dreams maybe! When we heard about these on the BBC News we were a bit confused. On the day they were supposed to be in place we left Lea bridge at 11:00 and they were not in place. We arrived back at 15:00 and they were not there. On Friday they were not there at 10:00 but were there at 11:00. unfortunately they were gone by 15:30. Most importantly they are just small water pumps sucking out polluted water and pumping it back in. A bit like peeing into the wind!

It needs a lot more than this to create a haven for fish or to have any real benefit to the system.

 

Dying The Lea Green - Okay guys what's this all about? Don't you have enough colour in the Olympic Park with all the overtight Lycra and fancy trainers. The Lea needs TLC not gimmicks. The only green we want to see is reed beds and Lillie's. Use your dye to colour the hair of the organisers if you want more green!

The Litter & Rubbish - On Saturday as we were entering the Limehouse Cut from the Basin we picked up a duvet cover around our prop. This stopped us dead in the water for over an hour whilst we cut it free. This is not the only thing we have to avoid on the river system. By far the biggest cause of frustration is the sheer amounts of litter left by users of the tow path or green spaces. Even when there are litter bins they rarely get emptied. most of the rubbish ends up in the river.


The saga of Deephams - This is fairly simple, the River Lee doesn't want your overflowing sewage. It has enough to cope with from litter, misconnections and pollution from the roads. Use the money you get from water rates or wherever to sort the problem before this river finally dies.

 

The 'Lovers of the Lea' have got their work cut out to get this river back on track.

 

 

New Gearbox for MV. Challenge

Our Gearbox Storyboard
Just as our 2013 season got going we were faced with a major breakdown with our old but reliable gearbox. On the way back from refuelling at Bow we started to loose forward thrust. At first we thought that this was something snared on the prop, but that was clear. As the weekend went on the situation got worse and we lost reverse thrust.

On examination of the oil we could feel small metal particles and smell burning. As such we had no option but to remove the gearbox for stripping down on the bench.

Gearbox and drive plate removed for closer examination

Once stripped down we found that a number of components were beyond repair and no longer available from stock. This would have meant rebuilding the gearbox with a combination of new and old parts, with no guarantee how long it would last. Also damaged was the drive plate, which is fortunately still widely available.

Our committee decided that the best course of action would be to fit a new gearbox, even though it was not a cheap option. Our gearbox of choice was a PRM 750, which was compatible with our prop and the pitch.

The new PRM 750 Gearbox is lowered into place

Also fitted was a new driveplate

 

 

Once the gearbox and drive plate were fitted all we needed to do was take Challenge for some sea trials to ensure the gearbox was working in unison with the engine, propshaft and propeller. 

 





The new gearbox works a treat

 

Want to help? See our box below on how to volunteer with Docklands Canal Boat Trust and participate in the excitement and joy of working on Challenge. You may even get your hands full of grease and sample our wonderful ‘Pottage de Challenge’, a patented soup developed in our galley for volunteers and supporters of our charity.

 

Volunteer & Trustee Recruitment

Have sleepless nights and get your hands dirty on MV. Challenge. We can offer you something  exciting and invigorating with very few perks and you’ll probably never meet a celebrity! However, what you will gain from joining us as a volunteer on Challenge will stay with you for the rest of your life and will bring joy to our numerous disabled users. If you want to consider becoming a volunteer or trustee then follow our recruitment drive on our Blog at http://www.mvchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MVChallenge   A full recruitment and information pack is also available on our website at http://www.dcbt.org.uk/publications.html

Why We Love The Lee Navigation



The last ten days has seen unprecedented communication on social networking sites regarding the litter and pollution on the River Lee Navigation.

Canoeist struggles with rubbish at Lea Bridge Weir

For a brief period during the 2012 Olympics the river sparkled as daily cleaning was undertaken before and during the games. Unfortunately this all stopped when the games were over. The river then became dirtier than we have ever seen it in the past 30 years.

When the original Trustees of the Docklands Canal Boat Trust set up our charity in the early 1980s, they chose the River Lee Navigation as their home as it was one of the nicest, vibrant and healthiest rivers running through London.


Our Boat at Lea Bridge back in the 1980's

Everyday, and particularly at weekends, the banks were thronged by anglers catching all forms of prize fresh water fish. The only anglers you see now are the un-knowledgeable who think the methane bubbles rising to the surface are actually fish. The fish have long gone!


Even today our clients love their cruises and holidays along the river, even though it is under such pressure from pollution.



2012 and our client still 'Love the Lee'

Let’s go back a few years to a different part of the country. As a lad growing up my local river was the Mersey as it flowed through South Manchester and Cheshire. Goodness me, that was a dark, uninviting and lifeless river that was virtually an open sewer. Back then it was classified as the most polluted river in Europe.

After 25 years of concentrated effort from all agencies they now have salmon back in the Mersey and it is a haven for wild life. Click or copy the link and download the Mersey Life PDF Booklet:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/wildlife/102362.aspx

The Mersey’s success is The Lee’s loss as it now as the unenviable title of the most polluted river in Europe.

To say the River Lee is on the brink is an understatement. It is being attacked from all quarters which has rendered it on a bad day an extremely unpleasant environment.

Follow https://twitter.com/TheoJThomas or https://twitter.com/Thames21 for daily updates on pollution and the work that is being undertaken.

Thames 21 Volunteers on the Lee

All is not lost as yet. We still have all forms of wild life on the river and numerous groups and individuals who are concerned about the welfare of the river and the Lea Valley Park.

Still plenty of wildlife on the river to build on

As a small charity that relies on disability groups for our income, we are concerned about pollution on the Lee and have our own environmental policy to ensure as considerate boaters we do not pollute the river.

We also have a long term plan to remain on the River Lee as it still has one of the most vibrant communities in London, is still a beautiful environment and a river we continue to love.

 

Besides, if t'people up t'north can get their river back than surely we can do it down here!

A Year on the River Lee in 2012 with MV. Challenge

As we prepare our boat ready for our new season we'd like to share with you some of the wonderful sights on the River Lee during 2012.

We are now taking bookings for your 2013 boating adventures on the River Lee. Book now to avoid disappointment. Email: bookings@dcbt.org.uk

Volunteer & Trustee Recruitment 2013

As January comes to an end and our 2013 season is fast approaching we are undertaking a volunteer and trustee recruitment programme.

Over the next nine weeks we will be preparing Challenge for the first of our residential cruises and putting the finishing touches to our winter refurbishment programme.

Volunteers are required to assist with this programme and join us as crew members to run our river boat.

We can offer a full induction and training to achieve nationally recognised certification.

What will I be doing?

This will depend on the role that you carry out but may include:

• Skippering the boat*
• Crewing the boat
• Providing hospitality to guests
• Fundraising
• Maintenance of the engine, boat and electrics*
• Marketing of the organisation and our work

*Depending on skills or training

Email us for a full information pack and application form at chairman@dcbt.org.uk

Serious Damage to MV. Challenge

Over the past three years the volunteers at Docklands Canal Boat Trust, who all have disabilities, have worked all hours to modernise our community boat.

 

Over the past few weeks we have shed blood to put in a place an energy management project which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund. By last weekend we had finished phase one of the project and were preparing to move on to phase two.

 

Sometime on 5th November some scumbags broke into the boat and destroyed all the work we have undertaken. As well as cutting out all the new cable and copper pipe they caused untold damage by ripping out sinks, wash hand basins and the boiler. Not content they then set about trashing the place. The photos below detail some of the damage caused:

Cables cut from the distribution board and ceiling

 

New Cable and batteries ripped out

They ripped the boiler off the wall just to get the copper out

Everything thrown everywhere

The sad thing about this fiasco is that the £000s of damage they caused will only get them about £30 at the scrap yard. In the mean time we have had to cancel our volunteer programme for the winter where we support young people with disabilities.

 

The scumbags who did this to us will not win as we won't let them. The police have prints and DNA and one day they will be brought to justice. In the meantime our board of Trustees will move forward in the spirit that makes our project unique.

 

Our boat was named Challenge because it was a major challenge to raise the funds and get the boat built in the first place. This is just another challenge in our long history and we will WIN...

 



Energy Management Project

NEWSLETTER

We are now several weeks into our Big Lottery Fund project and we now have in place the electrical framework to expand and complete our energy management project.

Since our last blog posting we have taken delivery of the equipment for the first phase of this project and installed it in the partially rebuilt engine room/crews cabin. Before we look at this new setup it is worth taking stock of what we have undertaken so far in this essential project.

Planning Phase

When we took over the charity in 2009 we had been made aware that the previous year there had been a major power failure as a result of a whole section of 50mm cable breaking down.

Once the new team had taken a good luck at all the wiring, how electricity was generated and all the associated problems, we knew we had no option but to develop a new system and replace the bulk of the equipment and wiring.

The first thing we had to do was to reduce the reliance on the generator as everything on Challenge was electric and linked to the generator. Hence, no power, no cooking, no battery charging, no pumps, no lift and no lights.

The first thing we did was reinstall gas as part of our galley refurbishment. The cooker, toaster and kettle were slung out. The next thing was to design a system that provided us with energy 24/7 and the primary battery charging came from the main engine and not the generator.

Funding the Project

Funding was always going to be a problem as estimated costs put this project at around £10k. This is more than twice the annual income of our small charity, which essentially is just enough for our annual running costs.

Fortunately we were successful in being awarded an ‘Awards for All’ grant from The Big Lottery Fund, http://www.awardsforall.org.uk This grant has now enabled us to take forward our project that will now put our charity and our activities on a firm footing for the foreseeable future.

What we have done so far

• Stripped out all the old panelling, timber framework and old insulation.
• Strengthened the floor and substructure for the new battery bank.
• Rebuilt the port side walls with higher grade insulation.
• Stripped out or rerouted all the 24V and 240V wiring.
• Installed a new 240V distribution board with RCD protection.
• Installed a new 24V distribution board.
• Replace the old 2x110amh battery bank with a 6x110amh bank.
• Installed a new Victron 24V Inverter/Charger & associated controls.
• Resited the main engine and generator batteries.
• Replaced all the 50 & 70mm cables to batteries, equipment and main busbar.
• Installed new fuse carriers/fuses & battery isolators.
• Replaced the 12V alternator with a 24V model and splitter system
• Drank loads of coffee and consumed copious amounts of cup-a-soup
 
 

Although it's nice to see pretty photos with any project, we've decided to pull them all together in the short film above.

 

Where to next?

The frozen kettle

Because winter’s fast approaching and we’ve ripped out the walls, ceiling and insulation, we need to ensure we get the insulation back ASAP. Our past experience of an uninsulated steel boat has not been a pleasant one. Icicles hanging from the ceiling, frozen water in the kettle and dripping water every.

Over the next few weeks we will be getting the rest of the walls/ceiling rebuilt and insulated. At the same time we’ll be putting in place the plans and work programme for the second phase of the project, the solar and wind power charging.

Nearer Christmas we may even treat our volunteers to an economy brand mince pie, and, if they play their cards right, we may even consider letting them have Christmas Day off.

 





Spotlight on our Trustees - Part One

Sean, our Treasurer and Senior Skipper.

Sean joined our Board of Trustees in early 2009 and has been very active in the development of the charity and refurbishment of our boat.

Sean was actually a child of the 60’s. In fact the year the Beatles first went to the USA. (A free photo of Sean if you can guess the year)

At the age of 5 he was dragged screaming from his home town of Romford to live in Barking, where he stayed until he met and married his wife Hazel. They now live in Dagenham where Hazel has been happily baking cakes for Sean for the past 25 years. Hazel has even baked cakes for the crew of Challenge.

Sean has got his own challenges as he has been disabled for the past 22 years. In late 2011 he underwent extensive surgery on his back and wallet. That has not stopped him though, he has a daughter and apprentice son-in-law to keep him busy and on his toes.

Sean first got the bug for real boats whilst holidaying on the canals and has undertaken significant training. He holds the Certificate in Community Boat Management.

Sean assists with all the refurbishment on Challenge, but has taken specific responsibility for the painting programme. He is currently working on the roof of the boat and replacing all the vents and fitting new pole racks. He loves it when the work involves using a club hammer.

Sean has extensive experience working with other charities and with adults and children with disabilities.

George, our Partnership Liaison Officer.

George is also a Senior Skipper and holds the RYA Helmsman’s Certificate and Certificate in Community Boat Management. He is also a Trained Chippy, Gas Safe Registered and a million other things too.

 

George joined the charity in early 2009 and has worked diligently to upgrade and keep challenge running. He has led on Operation Longboat to keel haul Challenge into the next decade. He is the only man that we know who has crawled through the inaccessible parts of the bilges to have a look. He also has the reputation of being the only person brave enough to stick his head inside our effluent holding tank! His work on the boat also includes:

• Creating a larger saloon area
• Build a new disabled access wet room/shower/toilet
• Installing a new galley

He is currently working on our new energy management project which is funded by The Big Lottery Fund.

George, has extensive experience working with other charities and with adults and children with disabilities.

Brian, ‘BriDev’ - Chairman, Blog/Twitter Editor, Tea Boy, Bread Pudding Maker, and Fund Raiser.

Brian joined the team in late 2008 when the charity was struggling. Six months later he had pulled together some like minded people, got some funding from Newham Voluntary Sector and the charity was on a roll again. He has developed all new policies, operational and marketing plans and our vision for the future, which includes Operation Longboat, our four year refurbishment programme. He has also been successful in attracting funding to enable our developments to go forward.

Brian has been around boats most of his life and holds the RYA Helmsman Certificate and Certificate in Community Boat Management. He is also a trained charity professional and has spent over 40 years working with organisations such as International Voluntary Service, Age Concern, MS Society and Lea Valley Cycle-Ability.

 

We are currently developing role descriptions and an information pack for the recruitment of new trustees. Follow us on Twitter @mvchallenge for more information.

Big Lottery Energy Management Project

NEWSLETTER



Blue skies on Saturday morning
and a full team of volunteers

First cuppa for the Treasurer
or he's useless!

After the torrential downpour on Friday night we arrived on Challenge Saturday morning to blue skies and warm sunshine. Once the kettle was on we set ourselves the task of completing all the demolition work during the weekend and starting the rebuilding process. We need at least half of the engine room wall built so we can start installing the framework for the new power system.

 

All weekend volunteers rip out
the old framework

By mid morning on Sunday we had completed our demolition work and were ready to start building the new framework for the walls. Whilst this was going on we took delivery of the timber, wall boards and insulation. Also our specialists were busy stripping out the old wiring which are like a London tube map!



We have ordered all our signs and logos for this project, which we are expecting in due course. In the meantime we mounted a temporary sign on the door. This created local interest and we shown around two local groups and one from Australia. The later kindly donated £20 to our charity.



Temporary Big Lottery Fund logo fitted
by Skipper George

Week commencing 8th October we will be continuing with the construction phase and taking delivery of the first stage of our new equipment.

 

Follow us on Twitter for daily updates @mv.challenge or email us at dcbt.challenge@gmail.com. To speak to a real live skipper Skype us at mv.challenge.

 

About The Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund distributes half of the National Lottery good cause funding across the UK.  The Fund aims to enable others to make real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need.

 



Big Lottery Funding for Challenge

Yesterday The Big Lottery Fund, Awards for All, published their latest round of grants. Amongst them was your very own Docklands Canal Boat Trust. They have awarded us an amazing £9,488 to take forward a major Energy Management Project.





Overview of proposed power management

This important development includes:

• Ripping out all the old power cables
• Replacing the 2 x 110amp battery bank with a 6 x 110amp battery bank
• Replacing the 12v alternator with a 24v model and splitter
• Replace the small charger with a new inverter/charger
• Install new energy management controls
• Install new solar panels
• Install a new wind generator
• Using the redundant leisure batteries and charger, create a separate battery bank for the wheelchair lift


There is a tremendous amount of enabling works that need to be undertaken before we can put the initial framework in place. All this work will be undertaken by our small dedicated bunch of volunteers.

Why don’t you join us as a volunteer and make it a big bunch?

 



This lot has seen better days

History of electrics on Challenge

When Challenge was constructed in British Ship Yards they used heavy gauge material for all the work. This included isolators, switches, cable and fuses. After 27 years on London’s waterways the whole setup had seen better days. Most importantly we have had a number of energy failures and we need to consider modern usage of power and green energy. It took us a couple of years to agree on what we actually required and get in a position to bid for funding.

Green energy

As volunteers most of us have been green for some considerable time, unfortunately we could not say the same for the boat. The main source of power on Challenge has been a large generator that burns red diesel. We have to admit we have thrashed this unit over the past two years and we need to remove it and give it a complete overhaul, (next spring). We are also restricted with its use early in the morning and late at night.

We now want to concentrate on sourcing our energy from four main areas:

• From the engine whilst running the boat
• From solar power all year round
• From wind power when weather permits
• From the generator only as a back up
• From shore power when it is available

Crucially we need to reduce our reliance on the generator and significantly reduce our fuel costs.

Over the next few weeks we will be posting progress on our blog and via email as this project develops. If you want more information on this project, our charity or volunteering opportunities you can contact us in a number of ways:

• Email to dcbt.challenge@gmail.com
• Email to chairman@dcbt.org.uk
• Follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/MVChallenge
• Skype us at mv.challenge to chat to a real live Skipper

About The Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund distributes half of the National Lottery good cause funding across the UK.  The Fund aims to enable others to make real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need.

Archive Photos Down at Three Mills

We were looking at some photos the other day of Charles and Camilla who came down to the River Lee to name one of the new boats for Water Chariots.

 

We know from the national press and a multitude of websites that this venture, which was supposed to provide a riverboat service for the next 15 years was forced to go into receivership half way through the Olympic Games.
 

Charles & Camilla officially naming a Water Chariot Taxi

Look carefully at the top right of the photo and you will see the bridge supports for the District Line where it crosses the River Lee and Bow Creek

It was exactly 27 years that Princess Michael of Kent was in exactly the same spot at Three Mills to commission Challenge.



Princess Michael of Kent commissions Challenge in June 1985



The only thing that has changed over the past 27 is that the bridge is now green and there is a brand new floating pontoon for the water taxis. As they now don't exist and won't be using the pontoon, we feel that we have a duty to ensure that this resource is put to good use.

Anyway, the bank at Three Mills is always been a problem because of its sheer height. The new pontoon now opens up many opportunities in that area.

Challenge on the new Three Mills pontoon