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<Day 5 Day 6 I wonder if Atherstone Locks mark the North-South divide because today people have actually started talking to me! Queueing at Greggs for breakfast (now you know where the energy comes from) another customer began discussing baps v baguettes, a propos of nothing. At lunch a lady asking how far I'd walked went on to state: "Were you out in that snow last week? I tried walking to the canal and went straight down on my knees". Seems the done thing to do, luv. And I arrived for dinner to find this little touch: Current score: Marc 1 - Boats 1. I've taken over one boat (yesterday) and one overtook me today. Yes, selection effect, but coming towards me it's only been a couple a day. The canals really are very quiet. On reflection I'm indebted to Rob, not only for taking away a lot of my stuff (I packed like an amateur. Though l must find a hotel each night now, as he took my camping gear) but also for the company - which is invariably excellent. The day before I had noticed I'd started to talk out loud for a few seconds. It was weird - doesn't take long to go crazy! I caught this picture, which sums up something I see several times an hour, most parts of the day. FML. I've also used it on a just giving page to raise money for Crisis, if anyone feels so inclined. Quotes of the day: "F*ck Richard Branson" - Becs. It was unclear if she was referring to the above pic, or was just stating a desire. "Another Marc project!" - Andy "I do wonder what good you could do if you put your drive and refusal to fail into something meaningful" - Tony "ps avoid the penguins" - Tony "Buy yourself a bike" - John "I have so much gingerbread. You're missing out" - Louise "If you need your camping stuff, it's on eBay. 5 day auction. Merry Christmas" - Rob Updated Stats: Day 1: 5,909 calories; 65,139 steps; 27 canal miles Day 2: 5,145 calories; 53,380 steps; 20 canal miles Day 3: 5,606 calories; 55,676 steps; 29 canal miles Day 4: 5,178 calories; 52,165 steps; 28 canal miles Day 5: 5,194 calories; 54,841 steps; 24 canal miles Day 6: 5,034 calories; 51,551 steps; 25 canal miles

A fellow boater today had the glass on her stove shatter. It's a disaster at this time of the year, and it reminded me of our predicament last spring. We were on the Leeds-Liverpool, near Skipton, it was a cold windy day when I managed to shove a broom handle through the glass of the stove. We contacted the nearest stove stockist, and the manufacturer (Stovax), but the prices we thought were high, and were around £40 (can't remember precisely) delivery was about 3-5 days. On the internet we found Fast Glass Direct and found them to be brilliant! Price for the glass, gasket, strong packaging, and delivery was £27.50. We had it delivered to the post office in Skipton. It was ordered at 11 o/clock and it was delivered by 10 o/clock the next day. Process was easy, hassle free, and friendly. If you're stuck, bare Fast Glass Direct in mind. They do all kinds of stove glass. By the way, I don't have any affiliation with them, just that at this time of the year this company can be a life saver.

to be fair it was quite well known as a vauxhall shove-it, so you were just following instructions

If, as labelled, the bottom right picture is the ’Right’ side, and the bottom left picture is the ‘Front’ it appears to be a very wide, and very short boat with lateral propulsion.

First time I drove an automatic (back in the very early 70's) I drove it one footed. All went well until I tried to reverse into a parking space and instinctively put my left foot on what I suppose I thought was the clutch (except it was the brake). The car half spun though 90 degrees. Luckily there wasn't a car in the bay next to the one I was trying to park . Then I started rallying, so used an automatic to get used to left braking, an essential skill to drive a front wheel drive car quickly on a loose surface. Now I switch between right and left foot braking depending upon the transmission type and only left foot brake in a manual car when things have gone seriously wrong on a slippery surface.

I always carry a spare glass but if I did not I would carry a suitably sized piece of metal that can be temporarily fitted behind or in place of the broken glass.

Possibly ... but I don't know. Let me propose a set of numbers, and maybe those whose knowledge of rivers is more "in depth" than mine can comment as to whether they are realistic or not. Imagine a river, 100ft wide, flowing at 2mph around a long 180o bend whose inner radius is 200ft; thus its outer radius is 300ft. The distance around the inside of the bend (ignoring the possibility of grounding) is 628 ft, and around the outside of the bend it is 942 ft The river speed on the inside of the bend is much less than 2mph, say 0.5mph; the river speed on the outside of the bend will be similarly more than 2mph, say 3mph. Let us imagine a boat travelling downstream at 2mph through the water. If it takes the inside line its speed over land is 0.5+2=2.5mph but around the outside it is 3+2=5mph. These correspond to 3.7 and 7.3 ft per second respectively. So if it takes the inside line it will take 628/3.7=169 seconds, but if it takes the outside of the bend it will take 942/7.3=129 seconds. Thus taking the outside of the bend is quicker by 40 seconds in this case.

My mg metro looked much like that after I removed the rusty bits

I have a claim to fame that I beat a 6R4 in an auto trial in my MG Midget. It was on grass, and while the beast had 4wd and tons of power, I was way more nimble through all the tight cones. On a more open course, I would have been thrashed. I would love to be back again in the forests in the 1980’s watching Group B cars on the RAC Rally.

I'm guessing pump out, and that there will be a complex computer-controlled ventilation system which kind of renders an eco-fan redundant. The BBC report seems quite clear that it's a leak on one of the propeller shafts. No doubt it's important that the shipyard sort it out, but 200 litres per hour is a trivial amount of water to shift with the bilge pumps they'll have aboard. It also mentions there's a 162db foghorn. Could do with that sometimes on the Thames, as oncoming rowers don't always seem to hear a boat horn the first time it's used. Trouble is, they wouldn't hear that a second time because they'd be deaf. One further thought. While the Navy has all those crew sitting around idle waiting for the repairs, could they spare one or two to help Magpie Patrick get down the Caen Hill flight?

Perfect for heel ‘n toe

Not tried that. I’ll pickle some next year, thanks for the suggestion

A surprising place to advertise them. Can't see how it would be safe to drive with one of those on.

A bucket and checkit tale: In 1969, or thereabouts, we were running a cub scout pack and took a group on a canal holiday (before the days of written risk assessments I hasten to add!) We hired/borrowed a 70ft boat that was really little more than a camping boat - the lads loved it. (At that time our own helming experience was limited to boats about a third in length!) The toilet provision was b&c. One morning one lad came to report that he had lost his torch during the night when he dropped it in the toilet. Rather later when I was in the chuckit phase of the process I emptied the said bucket into the hole which I had just dug in a field only to find the torch still with its light on! I cleaned it off (sort of disinfected it) and returned it to the lad's parents at the end of the trip with due warnings about its travel experience!

How dare you cast nasturtiums, you great turnip!

If it was my boat I wouldn't be in a hurry to buy new batteries. They worked fine for the new owners first trip. Obviously LED bulbs are a no brainer but otherwise I'd just go boating. Also I'd point out that my wife uses a hair dryer with no problems, always when engine is on mind. I believe some things can be over thought. Enjoy your new boat. Ian.

We haven't seen Chris Pink on here for a while. Or have we?

Personally I cannot understand people's facination with chillies. In my experience all they do is destroy the flavour of everything else they are served up with. I can onlty assume that some poeople relish the idea of going to bed with a mouth that feels like it has had a bonfire in it all evening.

I wonder if it is the "chilies" in your growing farm that makes your head spin....................................

Not sure what brand of foam backed vinyl was used on ours. It was standard fit by Sealine, but it is almost 15 years old with no sign of crumbling yet. I agree there are certain places you can save a few pennies on certain materials but certain elements you really do need the right materials for the job. Ply for the floor is one of them. Despite all your best efforts there will be times when it gets wet.