Neoprene

I've been pleased with the sound insulation I installed in the summer. It was easy to cut, easy to fix and the effect is noticeable. Conversations on the cruiser deck as we travelled became possible at relatively normal volumes.

However, I'd always had a two part strategy, and in fact had bought a couple of rolls of neoprene self-adhesive strip before I'd even finalised which insulation panels I was going to buy. But I'd thought of the panels as being the main thing, and the strip as the icing on the cake, and somehow never found the time to fit it. When we were having a service done at Pillings Lock, Andy saw the panels, and said we'd notice an even better result with some neoprene strip – this was before he knew I already had some waiting to go on. So, today being a rainy day, I created a makeshift workbench under the pram hood, and got cutting and sticking.

It was all very simple. I de-greased the boards with U-Pol de-greaser, and the strip went on very easily. The trickiest part was ensuring that I fitted it exactly where it's going to rest on the steel framework over the engine compartment. The timber locating battens on the boards have a snug fit, and where there weren't any, I'd cut the panels to give an equally snug fit, so the strip had to be tucked in tight to batten or panel. Time will tell whether the steel frame is too near the edge of the neoprene for comfort, but for the moment it seems OK.

We're not planning on any more cruising this year, but perhaps we just might be tempted down to Tixall Wide and back, if we get a sunny day in November during one of our scheduled visits. Got to give it all a field test!