iteldoo4me

Someone here in line for a citizens arrest perhaps....its all very intriguing...bit like the scarlet pimpernel!!!

Seems to me your just complicating life for yourself...If you dont like the idea of 'all that tugging' then perhaps you should re think about having a narrowboat......

Having been down that 'road' of new with loads of faults,given my time over again I would have a second hand boat,as the grief and dissapointment almost took away the antcipated joys of boating.Although rectification and court cases were in my favour,Its easy to see the error of ones ways after the events have arisen.Life is a learning curve.

My fan runs also on standby...hardly hear it all though...maybe yours has a bearing fault...certainly shouldnt be keeping you awake !

Thankfully I can claim now not to be a moaning old git......

During my first cruise for almost 5 months due to the high level of water we have had to endure,I was dissapointed at the number of unattended 'faults' by BW on my travels.The main being poorly maintained lock gates that wouldn't open properly,and masses of amounted wood floating near the locks,half sunken burnt out boats protruding out of the water,severed trees hanging precariously into our paths...which in my opinion should really be dealt with.With BW spending lots of our 'subscriptions' on real esates and plush looking offices for themselves,I wonder what other boaters have to say about this.Am I being picky?....and is this an issue that has been noticed in other parts of the country other than mine; and the namely Trent & Mersey?Perhaps it is just the onslaught of the new season that has begun and BW just havent got round to it?Any ideas when BW might be moving the half sunken narrowboat at Sawley weir,thats been bobbing up and down for near on 3 months now?and why oh why do BW insist on mooring their dredging boats on the narrowest part of the T&M canal making navigation just oh so difficult...Come on BW its about time you bucked your ideas up and spent time keeping our cruising waters clean and clear! Would all other readers to this please be good enough to comment on their own findings as I dont wish to be singled out as a moaner...many thanks and happy cruising for 2007.

I suppose for many of you who know of the dilemmas I had with my boat this year,and its outcome by taking the builders to court,I just had to say that for my part in all of the time it took to get sorted out,which it did,and is now a decent boat,that I got the last laugh,and Hixon Boats (I can state the name as the administrators of this site have a copy of the court hearing I won)can no longer advertise with the major boat mags.It may seem an importance to name and shame,and I agree,but for obvious legal reasons,sites such as this could not risk the posibility of being sued for liable.So if your unhappy with a boat builder,and they dont do rectification work,then sue em'.Then you can splatter their name all over the world,and never fear being done for slander.

Being reasonably new to boating,with only the last few months being able to get out and enjoy the waterways,but fully aware of the considerations expected to other users,be it stationary or on the move,I was suprised to find a very irate couple ,who moored at the side of the bank on the erewash,shaking their fists as I passed by, giving me nurable indications and suggestions to leave the planet when a very small amount of wash obviously disturbed their solitude.Being unable to slow down anymore without actually stopping,and not being of a disposition who will lightly let a person abuse me with words of distaste,I stopped shortly after,pulling into the bank,whilst the offensive one,wife in tow ran along the bank to greet me in a way that I can only describe as intended murder!I could of prosecuted him for overstepping the noise abatement ruling,but whilst these pair obviosly wanted to spar with me I gave them fair opportunity to back off with gentle words of wisdom,being I would be forced to defend my bodily bits from damage and suggested he got a life,on mars preferrably.This of course didnt exactly hit home where I had hoped,and ended up with me chasing him back from where he had gallopped from,scuttling into his 'pretty' vessel,wife in tow. I really dont understand the mentality of some of these people,do they think they own the waterways,I suppose they do,and maybe a caravan or a lodge in the himalayas would be more suited than their floating anger box.

A bow thruster is a bit like an automatic on a car,if you havent got it,you make do with the manual approach.

Sabres at midnight then!

Hello,and welcome to the forum. This a difficult one,but there many threads here I believe on this very question.its really a case of looking around as many boats as time itself will allow,in the long run for many its probably a good option to buy s/h but like everything else in this life,its very much a case of you get what you pay for,a bit like swings and roundabouts. Look in the boating rags,ie,Waterways World,Canal boat and the like and check out the boats that are for sale,there are plenty of brokers about aswell,which may be a good direction for you to contact with your requirements,even if you are not exactly sure what you want,its probably a mixtureof lots of differant ideals. Get as much knowledge as you can from other boat owners,who overall are only to pleased to chat about their boats,many will let you browse(well I normally let people look)Then when you feel confident about your knowledge intake you will certainly be wise enough to perhaps take the plunge.There are always options for new boats aswell,and you may well be pleasantly suprised at what you can get for your money,such as a sailaway lined,or a sailaway +,theres many options open to you.Incidentally your height is not a problem,unless a boat has an exceptionally low roof! I myself bought a sailaway,and knew little about carpentary,electrics,or plumbing,but I still fitted my boat out myself,so even with a budget and lack of no how to consider, there are ways you can fulfill your dreams. you havent said if you planned the boat as a liveaboard or not?tGood luck in your search.

Can't beat Canal World,here,for frontline info !

Yep,I got a mooring same day I phoned a marina up that I was told never have any available!...Only snag was it had no electric.I must be the only boat owner there that doesnt have.But as it was a condition of mooring,then I cant complain,despite that fact I do!!!!!

Hi Andy, I would reccomend a system such as a Webasto,costs around a grand for the marine version,easy to fit,and cheap to run.I installed mine in my 55' trad,connecting it up through a twin coil calorifier,(too heat my hot water)with a tap to isolate the radiators.Good system,can give you more info if you want it.All the best .Marc