We are always looking at old boats out in the cut and often thought about having a Butty to sell my painted bits and bobs and Richard's ropework, but never found one at the right price. So why not build one!
"Richard can do it" I told him, so we brought the 'Ugly Butty' as he called it from Lichfield.
This was a new ball game and the first set of locks on the way back was Fradley Junction, on a Saturday morning 'o joy'! Onlookers thought we'd negotiated locks before, no, first lock and no incidents!
Back to Chapel Hill near Boston and lift out with a crane and then the fun begins. Our friend Andy gave Richard a ton of help to get started.
Richard hired a big welder and ordered lots of steel and set to work.
No fancy plasma cutters, jigs, years of boat building or fancy design, just a big welder and an angle grinder! Richard was not that happy with his welding as he says he's not a welder but a grease monkey, but it started to take shape. It was beginning to look like proper butty. He constructed a stern with cabin above complete with rudder. Not a bad job!
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