The Pen Makers Boat: #623 Now Sold

NB Dane Elm and Gun Metal Premium Ballpoint Twist Pen

(A donation 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 and a replaced side plank made of oak.

Pen #623 was turned on 12th August 2016 at Blisworth.

“Didn’t we have a loverrly time the day we went to Blisworth…”

Ok so it’s not Bangor as in the 1979 Fiddler’s Dram lyrics, but I can’t help singing (however badly) this opening line to joyful song on our cruise south to trade at Blisworth Canal Festival. In my opinion, and that of many of this year’s 40,000 plus happy attendees, Blisworth is the quintessential British summer fair.

Great things to do… great things to see… and great things to buy… should really be the Blisworth Canal Partnership’s strapline when advertising Blisworth Canal Festival 2016. And the dusting of icing on this perfect victoria sandwich is that it’s all free, no entry charges and no parking charges!

For those who have never visited (shame on you!) the festival is split into three distinctly different areas. Firstly the festival field with the best of British entertainment including everything from dog shows, ferret racing and rifle ranges to face-painting, candyfloss and bouncy castles. Secondly, the village itself opens it’s arms and gardens for an intimate and leisurely sojourn past steam engines and cream teas on church pews to the very special gardens of Blisworth House (C1702) which was the perfect location for local crafts and a rare breed farmyard animals.

Of course last but not least is the canal itself with waterside bands and beer tents, boat trips and the piece de resistance (well I am slightly biassed) the colourful and eclectic floating market. For Debbie and I on the Pen Maker’s Boat it was an absolute bumper of a weekend, definitely our busiest to date. Sadly we were too busy to get around to see much of the frivolity during the festival opening hours but us boaters certainly know how to make up for it at the beer tent in the evenings.

See ya next year Blisworth!