After many years of enjoying narrowboat holidays on the English canal system, we had often considered spending more time afloat, without any of the time pressures in returning to base. When retirement loomed, the canal system was undergoing the transition from being managed by  a quango British Waterways Board (BWB) to a charity The Canal and River Trust (CRT) rather more akin to The National Trust. Somewhat concerned by what might happen in the future, boating plans were put on hold, and a splendid time was had for a couple of years wandering the highways and byways of the UK and France in a motorhome, along with Biggles the cat.

The water kept calling, though, and we kept finding ourselves looking at boats while being decidedly disappointed at what was available on the second-hand market.

But they say that the boat finds you, and eventually it did.