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Showing content with the highest reputation on 31/12/12 in all areas

  1. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
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  5. This was my first year boating and so there were too many high points to really pick any one. My first go at driving Springy (properly) in early January with MB was great, for all that I didn't do much... As was my first go at single handing Springy on my own, many months later and after cutting my teeth (figuratively!) on Reg, even though I nearly never got going at all (until someone on the marina shouted at me to knock the gear button out of the locked position) got grounded (without a pole) was asked to stop for a beer and couldn't (didn't have any mooring stakes!!) and took 15 mins to reverse back onto my pontoon. Single handing my own boat (or even taking it out at all) was kind of a big thing for me, as it is my home and also my cats were on board, and I was (and still am in many ways) pretty paranoid about this. Being in charge of Reg in the days immediately before the Braunston rally was amazing for me, moving Reg on my own including starting the Glennifer and just pootling up the row of other boats and breasting up with the other tugs on my own pretending I knew just what I was doing and was too cool for school made me feel like King Dong, as did driving Reg in the rally, on my home turf as it was, when a few months before I was adamantly NEVER going to get the hang of driving, or even try, and seeing the videos of it later. Also taking Reg out on my own the following week and then winding and mooring up breasted up to Sickle was probably the hardest thing I had done so far so I felt like the mutt's nutts after that! All of the trips all over the place I have done with MB on Reg and Aldebaran this year rank too. Aldebaran is also a lovely boat to drive, but I really love the fact I learned on Reg, who is by most people's standards kind of a moody, pissy git to drive! But I know him now and I love it. Driving Reg at the Alvecote rally was like really slow dodgems, I liked that a lot too. Being there to see Nutfield climbing the bank was pure comedy gold. As was MB slipping off the gunnels and narrowly avoiding a dunking, which becomes funnier every time I watch the video of it that Dave (of 'Ange and Dave') managed to catch. But my absolute favourite moment was probably my first ever go at single handing, which was on Reg for a couple of hours at Lapworth while MB went off in the van (so I had no one to call for help if needed) and winding in a fairly small space without fecking up (or doing it very elegantly, but still I did it!) and then in the pub that night some dude came up to me and said "oh, you're the girl with that historic iron boat, aren't you!" KING DONG. That was probably my overall favourite, and I really 'got' the whole thing about boating and how cool it was and really got my Zen on with boating, and the knowledge that if something happened I had to manage it myself so put the shit fits away, cos they won't help, just get on with it. I have been madly in love with Reg since then, and this wisdom also stood me in good stead when I was single handing Springy up to Hillmorton in November and passed the only other moving boat I'd seen all day only for the steerer to a double-take and yell back at me "YOU'RE ON FIRE, LOVE!" and sure enough, there were flames and black smoke billowing off of the exhaust pipe. So I have been to loads of things and seen loads of lovely places this year, but rather embarrassingly, I can't name half of them, because this year for me was all about the boats and getting to grips with them rather than the scenery or where we were, and I've loved it. Had a great year abusing MB's boats, and hopefully 2013 will be more of the same (with less of the abuse.) **Edit** and I forgot to mention, the time I slipped off the gunnels while we were going along and landed knee-deep in the cut before recovering myself and pulling myself up, which caused MB to think I was falling all the way in and so throwing Reg into neutral which caused us to crash with some welly into a moored boat, which led to us (and them) to think that they were sinking as they then started listing badly (turned out to be moored on a centre line and the knock got the boat caught at an angle under the piling) and them going fecking nutso to the point that me and MB thought they were going to beat us to death, them not believing our story as I was yelling 'OMG so sorry but I fell in!' while all they could see of me above the cabin top was bone dry, but that eventually ended with us all being firm friends, having a laugh about it and playing with their dogs on the towpath for ages. GREAT STUFF.
    2 points
  6. In my opinion,it is the small and sometimes obscure pieces of canal infrastructure which create as much interest as some of the well known major structures.Mileposts are a link with the working past,old mileposts(and new replacements)add to the pleasure of cruising.I believe that canal companies were obliged to provide them in their Acts of Parliament,to facilitate charging of tolls.Does anybody know why there are no mileposts on the Staffs and Worcester Canal?
    1 point
  7. Maybe you have two tanks and have filled the wrong one.
    1 point
  8. We made a 'rig' last year...when my neighbour had the problem. We used a cheap 'drill' powered pump..which was very quick...and bought some sock shaped filters from Ebay. They look like.... long..socks..and come in all filter sizes.. Pumped it into some 25 litre carriers...started with a large size 'sock' filter... cable tied to the end of the hose pipe......then back and forth between carrier and plastic dustbin..until it was clear..using gradually diminishing filter sizes...down to about 10 microns in the end... Occasionally took the filters off and squeezed the gunk into a large plastic container..and took it to the local council for disposal.. Treated the carriers with marine 16 biocide..and then back into the tank... Washed the filters in bio washing power at the end... Filters : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3X28-50-10-1-MICRON-FILTER-BAGS-USED-COOKING-OIL-VEG-OIL-BIO-DIESEL-/170962977618?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27ce300352 The bug didn't come back..and the tank is still nice and clear.. Cost of bits...was about £20...
    1 point
  9. I've said it before - it was just another plume in their cap of "oh look at me I care about the waterways". Lots of appointments in their diaries, why would they want to meet a bunch of boaters that aren't IWA members? Why can't they at lease be polite in their responses? So far this bunch haven't impressed me at all. In fact I'm angry that some of them have, just because they've got the support of the IWA membership, stolen from us some incredibly passionate boaters that would have gone out of their way to do anything they could to make a positive difference. We really need to mount a decent campaign to get boaters representatives who actually represent boaters next time. The seasonality last time didn't work - I'm hoping next time we can campaign during the cruising season with banners on boats, conversations at locks, etc. Rather than IWA scooping up their membership.
    1 point
  10. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  11. sorry for the apologists, but these people put themselves up for boaters representatives... and should have found out by now a year later how to make themselves contactable outside of the IWA network. This whole episode should be put before the trustees (those people responsible for the future of OUR waterways) to show them how the "elected " persons are responding to concerns of boaters.
    1 point
  12. It's a buyers market. £60 000 should get you a load of options of varying shapes and sizes. A boat wobbles...is often difficult to get in and out of, is not the easiest thing to keep warm in winter if you are a 60yr old woman on your own. If you are serious about this, I would recommend you start by finding a good marina, with a healthy social network for her (knitting groups in the local town, on a bus route etc). That will be more difficult than finding a boat. I wouldnt spend all her money on the boat...would definately buy 2nd hand boat to meet her likes/dislikes, and keep money in the bank to pay for any unplanned issues which might arise later on in life. ApolloDuck is a website with narrowboats for sale. A boat is full of hassle and housework, keeping it clean. Just making a slice of toast means you gets crumbs everywhere, and then you have to go searching in the bottom of a cupboard for your brush and pan.....then when your bins full you have to take it to the marina bigger bins etc. There are many older boaters living aboard, but I do think they are the type of person who has boated for years and does it because they love boating....whereas it sounds like your mum isnt a boater....so could be a difficult transition.?
    1 point
  13. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  14. I'm sitting in the lounge of a 45ft cruiser stern. I don't think a semi trad has any more space dwn below. I would suggest that there is no way husband, wife and 2 kids could live in the space I can see, and have any quality of life. All 4 of you would be cramped in the saloon all evening, then two would sleep in the saloon, and two would go to the bedroom. There is nowhere else to be. Another 5ft wouldn't make a great deal of difference. I've been on a 57ft boat, and you would be able to have a couple more spaces in the extra 12ft, which would make a great difference, and give you a chance. Having said that, if you've lived as a family in a Volkswagen for over a decade, you might be delighted with the amount of space in a 45ft boat. Given this experience, you are probably in the best position to make a decision. Good Luck!
    1 point
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  17. The "Moving Forward" project Is no more in effect to the narrowboat element. "Tucana" has been sold to Millfields Primary School in Catshill, Brownhills. This school and its associated "cluster" of schools are going to run the boat and help to restore it. They have taken over the project from "Moving Forward" and Small Heath School and seem to be very excited and full of intent to see the boat back in action. Whilst the contribution to restoration made by Moving Forward has to be acknowledged, progress forward with that orginisation has been dreadfully difficult and slow. As project manager I was struggling at most times to get decisions made and often hadnt a clue if they understood the reality of what was going on. The Millfield School team have already shown commitment and are happy to get properly involved in the restoration, they even have a retired boatbuilder who is coming on with us to work on the boat. Graham Edgson and his men have made a fabulous job of rebottoming the boat, now as you can see they sre putting new supports in for a false floor so decking out of the hold can commence. It is envisiged that the hold will be fully open with the cross beams and mast beam in place, running gear will be made and then removable pods will be dropped in for cover and seating to form an open air classroom. The stern is to recieve a weedhatch, new deck and gunwales, cants, proper dollies and a new Yarwoods styled cabin. The guards are to be rebuilt allowing the third (missing) guard to be added. In all "Tucana" now faces a much better restoration and will in due course come off the dock looking like a proper full length Middle Northwich motor rather than the DIWE/BW hybrid she had turned into. Some pictures taken this week and recently, the three people in the one picture are L_R Graham Edgson (Norton Canes Boat Builders), Michelle Sheehy (Headmistress of the school) with teaching colleague Shaun Brazier.
    1 point
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