I had to work August Bank Holiday 2001 and Ian was at a loose end so went to the Waterways Show at Milton Keynes. He came back enthused with news of co-ownership - something we hadn't heard about - plus details of boat building, second hand boats, etc. He'd got duplicate copies of Challenger Syndicate co-ownership brochures and sent them down to our friends, Des & Liz.
Fast forward to October - Liz phones to say she's fed-up and has just received details of a Challenger Syndicates open day, shall we go? Agreed that it would be a good idea, plus there was £5 towards the petrol. We make the trip to view what's on offer and find out more. Like the concept but not the boats (the female comments on the layout didn't go down too well with the company!).
Time for lunch and Des, armed with a copy of Waterways World, has spotted a lock-keeper's cottage for sale near Braunston Marina. Park at the Marina and wander up the tow-path. One look at the cottage and Liz & I decide it's lucky not to be in the canal - the boys take longer to look round. Liz & I have time to walk to the pub, have a drink and be walking back down the tow-path before they decide the cottage isn't the dream country location.
Having met
up again with the boys, we eat lunch and start walking down the locks.
Part way down we meet a smart looking boat called Adderbury and start
talking to the proud owner. He tells us that he has just taken delivery
of the boat which is a in co-ownership scheme. He gives us details of
Ownerships
and when we get home we look it up on the net. Order the bed-time
reading, which arrives on the Tuesday 
with
a note to say that the final open day for the year is that Friday. Liz
& Des have the day off already, Ian's free but I'm working. The
three of them set off for Blue Lias and I get a phone call to say it
all looks great, there's a boat called Scimitar which meets Liz &
my criteria for internal layout so shall we go for it? Why not, says
I, I trust the three of you to get it right. Liz, Des & Ian go up
to the office and sort the details out with Ownerships who explain that
the share has come up for sale because the current owner has just bought
a share in a new boat …… Adderbury!