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A small town in Italy twinned with a similar town in Greece. The Mayor of the Greek town visited the Italian town. When he saw the palatial mansion belonging to the Italian mayor he wondered how he could afford such a house. The Italian said; "You see that bridge over there? The EU gave us a grant to build a two-lane bridge, but by building a single lane bridge with traffic lights at either end this house could be built". Soon after, the Italian visited the Greek town. He was simply amazed at the Greek Mayor's house, gold taps, marble floors, it was marvellous. When he asked how this could be afforded the Greek said; "You see that bridge over there?" The Italian replied; "No."

How did you find the 5 litre beast? One great thing about Admirals. No matter how hard you stove in the bow against obstructions you cannot ruin the lines.

Laws are blunt instruments. They are catch-all and cannot be nuanced, except by precedent. The law about used rebated fuel oil (red diesel) for propulsion has been discussed for at least 10 years. Whether you have a yacht or a narrow-boat, or more significantly for some, a private plane (even if you are using the plane to transport staff) it has been illegal to use red diesel for some time. The UK secured, what could be described as an implementation period, which ran out in 2008. Since then the UK has tried to argue the case, and has now failed. If you propel your boat with petrol you already pay the full amount of fuel tax. The issue is that the use of red-diesel has been one of the factors which has artificially kept down the costs of owning a boat - which in all except the cases of live-aboards, is considered a luxury. A luxury which is used for leisure purposes. For a few thousand folk the boat is home. Take out those who legitimately reside on a residential mooring and the hardship will be felt most by those who live on their boats but claim the entitlement not to have a home mooring and actually cruise hundreds of miles every year. Not those who claim the entitlement and do not cruise. We should get real - this is a law - made by an organisation we chose to be part of. Laws made by the EU are proposed by the European Commission, and they can only even be proposed if all 28 member States agree to the proposal. Then they have to be decided, and the decision is taken after full discussion in the European Parliament. This is nothing to do with something being imposed on us by others - its something we signed up for. As is so often the case with us UK citizens we agree to something before we really understand the implications - I'm thinking Iraq war and Brexit as two recent examples.

Many things weren't taxed in the old days which are taxed now. Things change. I really hope you didn't think voting brexit would involve any sort of return to the old days, or you're going to be very very dissappointed.

So very true but you only needed to say it once lol. Degrees now come in lucky bags ( remember those? ) 3 of our 5 kids have degrees and the only reason the other 2 havnt is simply because they didnt want one. A degree used to mean something but in many cases now it simply means donking it off at uni for 3 years rather than getting a job.

Surely not a realistic option.

Indeed, let's get real. We, the citizens of this country, did not choose to be part of this organisation. We chose to be part of its predecessor, which did not have law making powers. We also voted to leave this organisation, but we now appear to be denied the outcome we chose.

Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I was just trying to help people that might like a nice simple way of getting someone to their boat, I for one quite like it. If you can't remember three words that's fine. Stick with google, it was just an option. My thinking was I could just print the words with the job sheet, so the lads can just type it in off the paper work. That's what I meant. Easier than typing in an internet address like you'd get with google maps. Anyway the choice is there if anyone wants to use it and we are quite happy to find people using it, or google or still with basic directions.. But the more choices the better for all involved.

Its a bureaucratic rule brought in by people with no real knowledge of how diesel is used and no respect for a country which has at least tried to "officialise" the process by self declaration and HMRC retailer checks. The EU don't accept that small vessels MAY have a separate tank for domestic(boiler, stove, cooker, heating etc) usage, they don't accept that a percentage split may be used from a single tank for heating/electric generation, they don't accept that the UK/HMRC are trying to play fair against a very ill thought out ruling. No, lets stick the boot in, lets fine them and add to the Brexit fee....... Out means out, Tusk, Merkel and others will suffer more when we've gone.

I prefer to go through tunnels at night, when its dark. This means there are very few boats coming the other way with stupidly bright lights, as boaters with stupidly bright lights tend not to cruise at night.

No it doesn't.

Whose afraid of another vote. Perhaps its the stitch up question we fear. If it is accepted by remainers that we voted to leave the eu, then the question should not have a remain option, it should be between leave with the deal as negotiated, or leave with no deal. Would that be ok with you, if so, bring it on.

I suppose you are right, Grand Union boats are good enough as they are whereas an old fashioned Josher will always need a bit of tarting up

I am maybe over simplifying things but do you really need anything more than the internet, providing you know where you are. Using grab a grid reference I have just typed in Great Haywood pulled the "pin" to the end of one of the pontoons in the satellite pic and been supplied with the ref SJ99622354 https://www.bnhs.co.uk/focuson/grabagridref/html/ EDIT: I am not into Lat & Long but it also supplies that as: Lat:52.8094409 Lng:-2.0070138

The point I was making, or more correctly trying to make was, that it was not a personal insult as you didn't write it. I am afraid that you have to expect that unless boaters are mentioned at least twice by anything CRT puts out there will be many who get stroppy. It doesn't seem to have sunk in yet to a lot of boaters that for the canals to survive CRT has to get lots of people who aren't boaters committed to their survival. Boaters are already committed and so they probably feel they can put out press releases which don't mention them. A good reason for them doing this is that if boaters take a prominent place in most releases many who aren't boaters would justifiably take the attitude "Huh those boaters are going to get the most value out of the canals let them pay for it".

Agreed. One reason of course being it kept them off the unemployed register thus making it look like youth unemployment had fallen!! A simple way to massage the figures.

Which was precisely Tony Blair's intent when he introduced the policy. George

Gave up on the self pump-out I guess:-) N

Don't forget that younger people are more likely to have a degree because more of them were encouraged to go to University than was the case in their parents or grandparents generations. It used to be only the top 5% academically that studied for a degree, but the current target is 50%. It does not mean the younger generations are any cleverer! Don't forget that younger people are more likely to have a degree because more of them were encouraged to go to University than was the case in their parents or grandparents generations. It used to be only the top 5% academically that studied for a degree, but the current target is 50%. It does not mean the younger generations are any cleverer! Don't forget that younger people are more likely to have a degree because more of them were encouraged to go to University than was the case in their parents or grandparents generations. It used to be only the top 5% academically that studied for a degree, but the current target is 50%. It does not mean the younger generations are any cleverer! Don't forget that younger people are more likely to have a degree because more of them were encouraged to go to University than was the case in their parents or grandparents generations. It used to be only the top 5% academically that studied for a degree, but the current target is 50%. It does not mean the younger generations are any cleverer!

This is probably a truism. Person X voted for apples, Person C voted for pears sadly what is available is mixed fruit and only mixed fruit - that is the reason no agreement can be reached.

Whilst some people may have voted for the reasons you stated I dont see it as being many. Its true that along with age comes experience. That comes in all things. For instance a 25 year old simply cannot be an experienced driver on our roads but a fifty year old may well be. When I was younger as with many I thought I knew more than my parents etc, it comes with the territory. As I have grown older and lived life and gained experience which again comes with the territory then I came to realise the older generation have more knowledge than younger. I still love talking to my mum who is lucid and 98 years young next month, she has far more insight and knows far more than a youngster of 63 like myself as she is 35 years older than me.

Mine wasn't about immigration either. Rather, it was to hopefully remove a layer of government from one that is already massively over bloated, even without the EU, in my opinion.

How true! No point in putting too much bling on a big GU, silk purses and sows ears........know what I mean?? George

Luckily those that voted in ignorance two years ago were in the minority and those of us who fully understood what was at stake, the majority, voted out.

You must be busting by now.

Sorry, no. Political union with Europe was already a very well established ambition of the UK Government by 1975. The referrendum was clearly understood by those who had done their homework, to be a stepping stone to far closer political integration. In fact, 1975 was the culmination of a process which had been in motion since the end of the war. If those who voted to join in 1975 did not understand this, then they were voting in ignorance. Similar to those who voted in ignorance 2 years ago. I know an awful lot of remainers, and I've yet to hear this argument put forward. Is it really a common view?

I try my best!!...she was very well behaved this Summer during my 500 odd mile trip and Hi from me... Hello, good to meet you on the Thames this year. All the best.

Which nicely skips over the fact it would never have happened if our government hadn't agreed to the proposal. So it is our government to blame but that doesn't suit the Brexit view.

Ideally, gas instantaneous hot water heaters need to go on the bulkhead between kitchen and bathroom to keep the hot water supply pipes as short as possible. Personally I prefer a calorifier inside the boat not in the engine space of a cruiser stern boat for fear of it freezing in winter. A vertical one just inside and to one side at the back, still near the engine, and a nice airing cupboard can be made around it.

The northern 'Admirals' represent the final incarnation of commercial narrow boat design, along with the 'River Class' buttys of the south east. Their harsh design may not be to everybody's taste but they are quite clever and particularly suited to working in shallow water, just like nowadays. Their comparatively lightweight construction made them much more commercially viable than the alternative 'Joshers', meaning they could carry more tonnage for a similar draft - and they are fast (which matters quite a lot to me). 'Admirals' are built from welded steel and with steel cabins, so period type repairs are easy and moderately inexpensive compared to a riveted hull with a wooden cabin - and they were built narrow compared to more traditional narrow boats making them well suited to crumbling narrow locks. The motors were fitted with air cooled engines when new and these are fairly easy to find and are not too expensive, but a Lister H Series is a good substitute. Many working boats spend most of their time tied up now and the large rectangular cabin is more spacious compared to other narrow boats, and personal space and comfort is important to me. My preference is the earlier 'Admirals' built by Isaac Pimblott, Northwich and although I attempted to buy MOUNTBATTEN last year I think I would not have kept it for long, especially now EFFINGHAM is available again. I am very happy with my current boat although I have spent only four days on board since buying it earlier this year. My absolute preference is always going to be a large Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. motor, but there really is not much in it

We might all be guilty of that nervous feeling on seeing 'the high bow of Nuneaton approaching'

Well said. The whole Jaffa cake/biscuit debate is a consequence of UK law, nothing to do with the EU. It seems blaming to EU for everything is an easy cop-out for some. I wager right now, that if we are all to pay for white diesel for our boats, being in or out of the EU won't make a shred of difference. We'll still have to pay.

We never voted to join the EU and use it’s laws, we voted to join a common market to stop export duty on our goods going to the EU. The rest was forced upon us,

Just tried it with mrs rusty. The three words were. Move /it /loser I'm still lost. Help!!

I agree with Mr Grumpy, with those lights they are more than likely blinding especially if they anywhere near the rating you linked to. Point them upwards, it will be better for you to navigate tunnels anyhow.

Will you come back again on Monday??