AmyJo's Livery thoughts

Hi peeps,
    I promised to post our thoughts on AmyJo's livery and here are our two designs, both very similar, that we were thinking about.  The pictures have not turned out brilliant on the blog but clicking on them should open up a larger version that is clearer.  Those of you using Windows Internet explorer should also be able to use CTRL and + or - to zoom in and out if it helps.

The first colour scheme

Has Grey deck, side doors and roof , black sides with black panels and blue recessed panels piped in white with a blue roof handrail.  The detailing in the blue panels could look something like

Whilst the second very slightly differant scheme

Is virtually the same but with grey sides instead with Black panels piped in white.  The blue recessed panel detail would then look something like

Ignore the number 17 thats just there for a filler we might have something else there instead.  I have to confess I borrowed the blue from nbChance as it is a really nice shade and seems to go well with our overall design.  We've not decided the final font for the Name AmyJo just yet and are happy to leave that to the sign writer but would like that to be shadowed in the same blue as the blue panels something so looking something similar to

As I said both designs are very similar but we cannot make our minds up which we prefer and having not done anything like this before we would really appreciate your thoughts on them.  Are there any sort of do's and don'ts I should concider?  I notice most transoms are red and white, is my idea of blue and white OK or are they red and white for a reason?  We also cannot make our minds up about the bow artwork, we would like the name on there but not in the cream panel some have, we would also like some sort of design but see most boats have diamonds or circles, is there a reason for that?

Mooring Sorted

Hi Everyone,

    What a few weeks we have had.  We've been up and down the M6 so many times we're beginning to know the M6 toll operatives by their first names now!  We went down to Chris's dads funeral the other weekend and everyone gave him a wonderful send off.   It was a lovely sunny day and with his many friends lining the crematorium avenue in guard of honour it was all really quite moving.   I admit a few blokes piped a few tears as well.... yes and me more than the others I'm afraid.  Roy might have been my father-in-law but he was also a good freind and I'll miss having our evening tots of scotch together

  

   That was a couple of weeks ago and we've had Chris's mum staying for a week so she could be with her family when she needs them most. That was until yesterday so now we are trying to get back to our daily routines and move on.  That in mind we are once again turning our attention on planning for AmyJo.  Yesterday whilst enjoying the last of the Bank holiday weekend and Chris away running her mum back home I popped into Tattenhall Marina and reserved us a mooring 





    For a modest deposit they will hold open a mooring for us as long as we need until AmyJo is eventually berthed there.  At least now we have a home for AmyJo once she is built.  That had been worrying me for some time now as many people have told me to be sure to get a mooring before your boat is built.  As you can see from the photo Tattenhall still has moorings available but they are filling up and 70' moorings are few here.  AmyJo will be 65' and as they tell us we have to have a 70' mooring we felt best to reserve one before they all go.  It's not cheap to moor there but security and the facilities are second to none so I'm happy with that for now.

   I have been thinking more about AmyJo's livery and with thanks to Chris and Stelle on "Belle" I've managed to acquire their spreadsheet (downloadable from their blog) and have started playing with it to get a feel for AmyJo's colour scheme in more detail.  My Chris and I have come up with two colour scheme choices we like but can't decide on which to go for.  If I get time this week I'll post them so you can have a look.  We'd really appreciate your views as to which looks better.

   We have also been looking at artwork  and have a few ideas for that too.  In fact I decided to use Microsft Onenote for now.  It's like an electronic Filofax but you can add pages, copy and paste, type text, add hyperlinks, link to files etc or anything you want in it.  It's a great tool for keeping everything in one place and it auto saves so you don't loose anything.

Well go to go as I'm supposed to be working.  Hope everyone is well and enjoyed the lovely Bank Holiday weather. 

That boat looks familiar

Whilst  in Chester  undergoing some retail therapy, Chris drove past the basin and recognised a boat moored up there.  It was a familiar boat we had seen before.  We took this picture when we first saw it.

As you can see the boat was Caxton, in town, on her return trip from Ellesmere Port Museum.  Now Chris and I had been on board Caxton when she was displayed a Crick in 2009 when we first started to look for ideas for our boat.  We simply could not resist taking a few photos of her so we called back later in the day to ask Lesley and Jo if we could take the pictures and to say hello.

Lesley and Jo were not on board at the time but as we were about to leave they came along with Fletcher and Floyd their two lovely dogs.  We introduced ourselves and were invited onto Caxton for a look round and a chat.  Is was good to see how Caxton had fared since Crick and I have to say she still looks as good as she did then, she has even grown a little too.

Jo and Lesley made us more than welcome and we chatted at length about various aspect of boats, our plans for AmyJo and about what they would do different on their next boat.  I have to say their advise is gratefully received and has given us a lot of new ideas to think about.  Both Fletcher and Floyd enjoyed the fuss we gave them whilst we chatted and sat beside us all the time.  What lovely pair of dogs those two are.

With time getting on and not wanting to out stay our welcome we thanked Lesley and Jo for their hospitality and advice and bid them safe passage and then took our leave.

That telephone call we've been dreading

It finally happened!


The telephone call we were both dreading came throught last Saturday morning informing us Chris's dad had passed away.  Without a second thought we drove down to Essex and joined the rest of the family and started making arangements none of us ever want to do.

We are going to spend a fair bit of time traveling between Chester and Essex over the next few weeks as Chris's mum is not taking Roy's passing well.  Come to think of it neither is Chris so we may not be posting for a while. 

Hope everyone stays safe and well on the cut and we both enjoy reading your blogs, they help to keep our spirits up and our dream alive.