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Picked up my first nb a month ago today. So far, best decision i ever made, already done 304 miles, 418 locks, 16 tunnels and 11 lift/swing bridges, mostly solo. Looking at further plans for the rest of the year, and, making a list of maintenance items to be done. Somehow i feel this list will never shrink!

FWIW, I think the comments made about you were absolutely disgraceful, and say far more about the originator than you.

Illiterate and uneducated does not mean stupid or thoughtless.

I don't think that would be a good idea. More people would die of cancer surely? (Just doing that thing that peeps here do to me sometimes, take my irony straight, at face value and reply accordingly, haha!)

Shown this picture before. The gate paddles have been opened before the ground paddle and the bottom gates are not yet shut. Prop wash also used in assisting closing one of the bottom gates as well as keeping the bows against the top gates. Today's volockies would possibly have apoplexy if they witnessed this scene today. ETA, They'd certainly be told where to go! Picture from CRT Archive:http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw200.1.40.4

....er, No. Yes.

As you asked so nicely - £85.20 and that's saving £19 off RRP (plus P&P)

You got me out of the bath in my Mini to ask me that?

Agree 100% which is why I commented straight away

Farah?

FIVE GALLONS???? I only need to do a bow fender!!

I registered my boat with the Coastguard a while ago (for our Wash crossing) - a system called CG66. It means they have access to useful data in case of emergency. It's now being replaced with a new free system, developed by the RYA, called safetrx. It looks really rather neat. For example it will send your emergency contacts a text message if you are late in arriving at your destination. Following a 999 call, the coastguard would have access to it, and the tracking data from your phone, in case of emergency. https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/safe-boating/keep-in-touch/Pages/safetrx.aspx I have just sail to the corner shops, to buy some beer for the football match this afternoon. You can see if I arrive safely here, the system has the facility to share a URL like this. Could be handy for lots of canal related purposes! (NB I have defined my boat as a "canal sloop", I will give them some feedback on that!). I thought I might use the "divers down" facility next time I go down the weed hatch. https://safetrx.rya.org.uk/sharetrip.html?id=IKT0SIUEBGEW&token=l0he03cu663g51e8t6t7icaf3o

Not exactly banned but the Occupational Exposure Level can only be met with appropriate ventilation and correct application techniques - hence it is not available to the general public. Paramose paint stripper contains dichloromethane and whilst in theory it is only sold to the trade, is actually quite easy to acquire - and it works! Chris Gis

I went through here the other day and 40 years ago. Cheers Graham

This thread is amazing. The locks were designed for an illiterate and uneducated workforce and have continued working to their simple principles for two hundred years or more. Yet, let modern sophisticated, educated man loose on them, and suddenly there are pages of rules and alarming consequences. "I'm in charge....don't panic Mr Mainwaring" Rog

I can't disagree with that, would have been better to discontinue it but the name makes money (snake oil comes to mind). There are many products that benefited from toxic ingredients that are substandard now, petrol being the obvious, less efficient and a definite use by date.

Slight amendment

Rule 1, never pass keys, or anything similar like phones, from bank to boat. Get off or on the boat before doing that.

I think that was his position right from the start.

I'm hoping that he is understanding that he is volunteering to be the willing servant of the boat crew, ready to follow whatever they want him to do. Richard

Haven’t you retired yet! Probably found a new hobby where he doesn’t risk being sued, losing his home and having his family sold into slavery. Knitting perhaps? Or maybe not, knitting needles are very dangerous and if one were to sneeze whilst knitting, it is possible that a needle could take someone‘s eye out. Think of the court case that could result!

Here is a one for you :

I did have a 35ft tug for a while but I couldn't live with its twitchyness. I am now back full length......much easier to steer! George

Honestly,, you lot! Anyway, am preparing to jump in the deep end.

Afloat again ,normal Service resumed.

You can see the difference between the inter & manx motors of that era by the size if the barrel finning

He had very little freeboard. Looking at the photos maybe 6”. The inflow of water from the top paddles/sluices pulled his boat forward into the top gates. The bow got caught on the gates and the rising water soon started entering the boat, sinking it in less than 60 seconds despite the top paddles being closed and the bottom ones opened.

I know of a clever bloke who made that one

this of course means they will be lost down the gap between the boat and the towpath after a night in the pub (bonus points if it's lashing it down)

Sex...... Oh yeah, I remember. To the OP, as long as you are reasonably agile,canal boating will be no problem.I know several boaters who are even older than me! and simply adjust the pace of their cruising and the number of locks to be tackled in one day,to suit their physical ability. Personally,my daily lock limit solo is about fifteen.Any more and I start to make mistakes and get clumsy. A gentleman doesn't reveal his age but, I remember the Romans leaving Britain as though it was last week!

The photo does show some of the final large mine boats as used for carrying coal. The four small boats in museums etc, which are often called starvationers today, are actually maintenance boats. There were a whole range of different boat sizes in the mines, the size being dependent upon which section of the mine they were to serve. I have a photocopy of a 1779 record showing seven distinct types, with five having two different sizes. The baskets used for carrying coal were originally much smaller than the boxes used on the later box-boats, and were around 3ft by 12ft and 1ft deep, and could carry from 120lb to 240lb of coal. Little detailed research has been published on the development of the mine and boats, though some fascinating archive material survives.

Wow thanks guys - so much encouragement. And thank you for all the tips. Of course you're right and life is short so if not now, when? Anyway, we are committed now so too late to chicken out. I saw a T-shirt in a shop recently with the slogan 'Now is the later you talked about yesterday'. Will keep you posted!

Met a gent at Braunston a couple of weeks ago, 82 and single handing. Go for it. Ex offshore myself. Your existing boating experience will set you off to a good start. Two advantages with narrow boating: If it is hissing down with rain you can always moor up and put the kettle on. Also when you put your glass of wine on the slide (hatch) it doesn't immediately throw itself overboard. With the dogs introduce them to their new environment when moored up. Whilst still moored start the engine and let them get used to that before cruising off into the sunset.

Death is usually the right time to stop boating. On a more serious note, if your in reasonable agile then that's usually the deciding factor from whether your 18 or 80.

So CRT have announced a licence hike for wide beams. Yes I have narrow beam, but I have had wide beam. My observation according to The Waterways Comics and online participants of forums and BookFace is that there is a lot of kerfuffle amongst those owners about paying more because they are too fat enough! Now as an ex owner of a wide beam river cruiser on The Trent 12 years ago I didn't expect a rebate because I couldn't access the whole of the network. I considered myself lucky Waterways didn't want more off me because I took up more room. They're argument that they should be left alone because they're using waterways that were originally designed for oversize boats. However the widening of the GU in the 30s seemed to merely make it more commodious for breasted up boats. The few wide boats that were built failed. They might have fitted the locks, although there were a few bridge 'oles they got jammed in, however they really had major issues passing each other. From what I can see if you can afford to foul up a canal with an overwide boat then you can afford to pay for the relevant licence for it. If you restrict it to Rivers you can have the cheaper river only bit of paper for your window. So far I haven't heard a realistic point of argument from their camp. So what actually is their problem?

My glass is actually empty so it’s time to fill it up again - thanks to Tesco’s for providing the reservoir - at least they deliver vfm.

They have bought a wide-beam, but wish to use it on canals not designed for such?

Its deffo sewage. We have been informed its a good area to pump out into so we nip up there every two weeks to pump out. Its a right pain at the moment we are having to travel all day and all night to get there as we are currently on the K and A.