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A big thank you to all those free spirit bargee travellers ?

I think that in order to be charged Value Added Tax, there should be easily quantifiable evidence that there is added value in what you have just purchased. A bit like questioning why your car needs an MOT test to prove it's roadworthy when the state of the roads is far from car worthy.

I'd just like to say what a pleasure it was to meet "sparrowcycles" in the flesh today, actually out boating with "Yeo". This boat had previously looked a completely neglected basket case, with no sympathy at all to its historic boat origins. Although much bigger things are clearly planned, already the boat looks many many times better than it did, but not only that, it moves - I had always assumed it didn't. Well done indeed!

Most LTM with lots of spaces are on the offside, I know there is a space at Braunston stop house LTM as I always use it late on because it annoys the guy who has put laminated notices along the stretch.

Only if you report them...-doubt they will have any spotters about in deepest Grendon at BBQ and beer time.

I disagree with your sentiments - folks who cherish ancient devices, cars, boats, steam engines, w.h.y. are to be applauded. Sometimes the cause is a bit too far especially if the word 'budget' comes into play. 'We're' lucky to have a number of workers in metal who can replicate, nay, even surpass what craftsmen - given suitable materials - could do years ago.

Daft thing about this is the marina is losing out on some added value sales such as Simple starter pack offered to new boat buyer based on an survey by sales team, missing bits offerd at a resonable cost, ropes, goat chains, ropes etc Boat polish Boat valet Half/full day training offered. All with a freebie bottle of vino and branded corkscrew. And customer goodwill as a bonus

Well there's your problem! (sucks teeth) That wiring's all wrong …. it should look like this: -

Not what I expected "genuine heavy duty brass portholes" to look like ...

Tidal starts at Teddington lock, maybe 60 miles or more downstream of Oxford so not tidal, just river with some flow . How much depends upon how much rain we have had. Of there was a lot of flow I would use Dukes cut because a backwater flows right across the pool below Issi lock where you have to turn a near right angle but with typical flows its simple. Get to Kings lock or Osney lock early on the Thames day and buy a 24 hour license d. It will run out 24 hours after midnight on the day you buy it so you in effect get two days on the Thames. Moor at Goring below the lock (Free if spaces available). Wallingford Town moorings just above the bridge (fee), Child Beale Trust (free as far as I know) at Pangboune/Whitchurch meadow (if space). I would shop in Pangbourne so you do not have to stop in Reading and get mixed up with the car parking cowboys who now control the mooring there but I understand the if you buy a meal at the Bell and Dragon they are happy for you to stay overnight on their pontoons. There is nothing to worry about on the Thames as long as you do not ignore the red boards and act responsibly if they start showing yellow "stream rising" boards. For most of the summer there is more flow on the Llangollen or Shroppie than the Thames in my view.

Crumbs... don't expect anyone to pay my share, thank you very much. It was a debatable question, not a moan. Essential services perhaps shouldn't have VAT added, such as water rates, for anyone, whether they live in a house, boat or anything else. Apologies, I obviously hit a nerve.

Now I find that comment bordering on the unacceptable. You asked a question that was impossible to answer because you gave virtually no details. You also declined to give answers to the questions I posted so to be better informed in the absence of further clarification from you Alan felt it might be a good idea to see if you had given more info in the past. That is far from stalking, its trying to be helpful and maybe protect you from yourself. For myself, when you declined to clarify I just gave up and noted you as a - well you decide how your conduct looks. Especially as it seems this is the second time you have failed to answer valid questions and provide more information. We still have no idea exactly what this "hatch to the engine" is or how its fitted. For you to get the best advice we need the best information. What is obvious to you on your boat and looking at it is far from obvious to us on the end of the internet. If you think that you may need more help from the forum in the future It might be a good idea to make an apology to Alan.

Moored up near winkwell at moment and got invited to a boaters barby where I have just been sociable for an hour. Theyve all got weird accents but I understood them Yes...........and it didnt rain, came through there lunchtime today

Surely if BW/CRT have permanently removed the long term moorings the space released should revert to standard 14 day towpath moorings.

I told my son about it earlier, as he has an older car, and he heaved a sigh of relief - apparently he had been on my ipad earlier and seen it in my search history and wondered what on earth I was up to

Yes and it works brilliantly on small gaps around windows etc. I've been temporarily sorting my windows with this for far too many years

France is in europe..................we in the UK, a small fabulous group of islands off the coast of europe are not. We want non of the european nonsense here thanks very much ?

The dogs on that porthole appear to be on the outside, if that is the case then security is not very good, and, it must be very inconvenient to be inside and have to go outside to open the 'window'.

Yes

No problem Gloria - glad to help.

Buy one Rusty’s post may be considered to be somewhat more informative than mine...

I bet you’ll bump into mrsmelly. I reckon he is a happy go lucky party animal, despite him pretending otherwise!

Oh drat! You can't even get a proper spell cheker nowadays!? Nipper

It must have happened between post #6 & #8 but no one noticed.

yes, but hardly noticeable. best to put the 'regular'engine on the centreline and the standby motor offset. PS: my cruising experience has been that electric power on a small boat really transforms the experience - almost silent with just a vague throbbing noise, not temptation to go fast, no need to compete with other boats to get to the next lock first (my cruising is mainly on the Thames). Quiet, unhurried, can go all day without feeling the need to stop to relieve the headache resulting from the constant noise.

Further evidence that it's Woodley:What appears to be a typically shaped Peak Forest Canal milestone in the OP just by the towpath wall....... Turns out to be 41/2 milestone, not there now ETA: http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/lpfc-butterhouse-green/lpfc-butterhouse-green.htm I rest my case M'lords.

you will need space to mount 2 outboards on the transom - inevitably you will run out of battery before the end of the cruise. In my case (a 5 metre half-tonne yogurt pot) I have a small MinnKota motor which propels me all day at 4mph drawing about 400W (providing there is no headwind) using 660AH batteries. There are several makers - just check on ebay. I also have a 4hp 2 stroke which I can use in emergency, it is very light and easy to fix to the transom without even mooring up, but if you can't easily swap over then you need both motors installed at the same time. I have lots of solar but also rely on overnight charging points. It is essential to streamline your boat to minimise wasted power requirements - the immersed flat transom is the worst consumer of your power - watch the turbulence behind the transom and try to minimise it. In my case (a round bilge boat with a maximum 200mm deep immersed transom) I made up a 'sugar scoop' (google for further information) extending 500mm behind the boat, leaving the wake flat and undisturbed. There is a very useful free American book in pdf form (attached), and if you pay £25 you can join the Electric Boat Association and download several useful information sheets (not very good value). Also see the attached article by Torqeedo (very biased!!). There is no reason why you can't modify the steering and speed/gear controls to use wheel and stick, just try to be creative. In my case the steering is by foot pedals operating tiller ropes which also have hand control attachments, and the speed/gear is by moving the internal motor electronic controls which are now fixed on the boat with a hand relay controller on the end of a short cable. NO TILLERS 'ERE!. Don't try to replace a 9HP with an 'equivalent' electric outboard. They are not comparable. Electric outboards are rated by static thrust (imagine towing your boat and try to estimate the force you need to exert on the rope). For example 9HP is about 7KW - you won't need more than maybe 1KW to maintain a steady speed on the canals. Our Advice On Electric Outboard Motors (1).pdf Electric Outboard Drive for Small Boats.pdf

MARQUIS is indeed a former FMC steamer of 1898, shortened to 54ft during her later working life on the BCN. The 'skirt' is in fact a 'false counter' or sub counter, added by Eddie Hambridge and a rather young Andrew Rothen when they worked for Pinders at Horninglow in Burton on Trent in the mid 1960s. They put the steel bottom on then too. Like all early steamers she has both a very long swim and entry so when shortened there is only about 16ft where the baseplate sides are parallel. The purpose of the false counter is twofold: to give greater stability to a now rather wobbly boat and to raise the counter. The first it must do to some extent, although she can still wobble! At the last out of water survey in 2017 it was observed that the false counter had become perforated and was full of mud and water. After an excellent repair at Canal Cruising Co's dock in Stone, there is no difference in draught. In the latter respect I don't think it does much. Nevertheless Malcolm Braine advised me not to have it removed because of the stability issue. She draws 3ft at the back of the skeg and around 2ft 3in at the stem post, representing a load of some 12 tons. This was scientifically measured by popping her alongside EMU with 11 tons of coal on! MARQUIS was lower at the deck beam. All this is when the two water tanks at the forend are full. When I crossed the lower pound at Minworth they were partly down so she might have been drawing half to one inch more. She does draw down more than this when under way, where here she barely was. I hope this adds something to the discussion. James

If the notice says fine anywhere you can completely ignore, CRT cannot fine they can only charge mooring fees with a contract. You didnt sign a contract and didnt see a notice. Write to them claiming harrasment and bullying are making you ill, threaten to bill them for any doctors visits and medication along with billing them for every letter that you write to them. Send the same letter to the Reading Chronicle telling them how District Enforcement are putting visitors off visiting their lovely town and spending money there.

Thanks mate that's basically what I'm planning, I have two ex BW dredger rams and am planning to make an EPDM rubber lip that will extend past the upstand in the hold when extended upwards but can fold in when dropped down. Let's see how it goes! S

Thanks for your input, I dont think the idea brave or complicated, the steel roof will raise and its exposed side will be covered by the sliding rubber valance that is fitted to the gunwale lip. I think I was mainly posting to find any history on Yeo and if possible to track down the mechanic who installed its current hydraulic system, it may be better that I PM Mr Pete harrison for these details. Further to that, if anyone has any actual experience of adding extra hydraulic systems to their drive I would be really happy to hear from them.

Thanks for the advice on that, I'm planning to make a steel top with windows and vents that fits under the bluetops so hopefully water ingress from there shouldn't be a problem. The main thing, as per Alan finchers reply, is the open side section that would be exposed when raised, my plan is to have the steel cabin walls extend into the hold and have a rubber sliding section or skirt that will trail over the lip on the hold to stop rain entering down that face. Thanks, I'm the same height and can't stand under the blue tops, I'd like to raise them by 8" and am pretty sure the system I'm planning will work reliably and be fun to make, surely that's the main thing.