The Pen Makers Boat: #424

NB Dane, Elm and Gun Metal Rollerball Pen

Price ~ £40

(£5 from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the Custodians of NB Dane)

EUROPEAN ELM - Ulmus procera

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hull's shape.Luckily these pieces of elm were too important to burn and have been properly stored. I wasn't sure how deep the rot would have gone and how deep I would have to delve into this piece to find stable wood. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use.

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is re-bottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate.

We left Bumble Hole a day early. The weather forecast was looking grim again with higher winds and a whole day of rain forecast. Before getting the pram cover built on the back of the boat I used to have to turn pens on the good weather days and move on the nasty ones, now we had the luxury of the choice of days.

Today's cruise was going to be a nice shortish one in cool winter sunshine. We didn't even have any locks to slow us down and as soon as we were through, the large and easy to navigate, Netherton tunnel it would be New Main Line all the way to Brum city centre to meet up with our fellow traders for The Narrowboat Traders Association Winter Floating Market.

There was a great turnout with several boats down on the cancellation list. Friday was going to be a long, and hopefully, busy day for us as it was our first NBTA late night illuminated market with all of us boaters displaying Christmassy lights and opening until late. I had heard a whisper that we were going to be open from 10 til 10! At least I will have time to catch up with the last of my commissioned pens.

Pen #424 was turned on Thursday 10th December 2015 just outside the car park of the Barclay Card Arena in Birmingham.