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Reminds me of the old gag: ”What do you think to this then?” ”Looks a bit like a penis, only smaller”

I don't like small interior spaces at all, and I have also been thinking that one way to make a narrowboat interior feel more spacious would be via the liberal application of a light/neutral colour. Brilliant white might be a bit stark perhaps, but a very light colour is certainly something I want to try when I finally make the move onto water. The other thing I'm going to be on the lookout for is an adjoining dinette and saloon area, so that I can rip out the dinette, replace it with something that folds away somehow when not in use, and try to create a single lounge area of perhaps 15-20 feet in length, which might make the interior feel more comfortable and open plan, for my admittedly OTT preferences. I might get two of those nabru sofas into that sort of lounge space, perhaps one with a corner section so I can go a bit 'chaise longue' when the mood strikes... The interiors I've seen and spent time in that have lots of wood have felt cosy, but to me cosy is not a good thing. I fear this will be heresy to many, but I don't particularly want it to look like a boat inside, and I'm not really attracted to the virtues of 'trad' accoutrements like Lister engines, boatmen cabins, and Roses and Castles artwork. I'm very glad that there are people who want to keep those traditions alive, but I won't be one of them. Give me a modern quietish diesel with a hospital silencer over a hammering old Lister any day. I holidayed with a Lister equipped boat a couple of years ago, and it felt like people could hear me coming from a mile away even at tick over. I got an early start before 8am on the Ashby one morning, and I felt like a criminal as I pulled away from the mooring at low revs, as the Lister pounded away like a jackhammer, waking everyone up within a half mile radius. Meanwhile I enviously watched a modern 60 footer glide past almost at a whisper through the morning mist. It had to have been a diesel, but it was lovely and quiet, even in the quiet of the morning... Sorry. You were talking about paint there, werent you? Don't know how I got onto slagging off Listers (and probably collecting mortal enemies at an alarmingly high rate in the process) . They're works of art really. It's like the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Beautiful and majestic creations, but I wouldn't have my own ceiling done out that way. Anyway, rather than dig my execution pit any deeper, I'll get my coat.

Brassy was my friend, one of the first I made here, but she took poorly and stop posting quite abruptly so I didn't get the chance to ask her to stay in touch. She had such a big heart and I miss her. If you're reading Chucky Egg come back.

I think I may have seen some of your home videos.

It's amazing how many folk think because they have done up a few flats or houses that doing up a boat will be a doddle. It's also why the usual rule of thumb is that it will cost twice as much and take three times as long as you expect. To be fair, it is very easy to strip a boat back to a bare shell. There are a lot of them for sale in that exact state ... The old cynics amongst us have already been through the process at least once. I am now allowed to spend more money on better boat(s), but only if I promise not to "improve" them. I also have to finish this one first!

Any information relating to Guppyannas history would be welcome. She was built in 2005 by David Browne and sons. Her original name was Anne B. She was a burnt out shell but 3yrs of restoration has transformed her. More pics in members gallery. Thanks

I got this boat as a burnt out shell. I was told some youths set fire to it in Halifax. It was owned by a policeman. Any information relating to its history would be welcome. Her original name was Anne B and was built by David Brownie and sons in 2005. It's taken 3 years to transform her. More pics in gallery. Thanks

I'll enter it in the comp, lol... Yeah, back to the drudgery (or should that be dredgery?) ?

Don't forget the Millie dog who did a grand job of cleaning the takeaway cartons as they hit the floor. We'd invited F1 enthusiasts to watch the Grand Prix on our boat the next day and I shall never forget the pained expressions as our little dog filled our boat with noxious fumes worthy of a greyhound (and I speak as the daughter in law of a greyhound owner - I've never known a breed clear a room quicker) ?

Ah I get it more now. It’s not so much the look, more the “quick sale / hide the fact it’s a sh*t boat” lick of paint job! I really did think it was a bit of hatred for anything not ‘traditional’ styling!

Nice chatting to you too. Goodnight

Who was it then? I'll go and take their batteries out.

Obviously - when the tide is out and the lock gates are open.

I'm wondering if this flasher chap has a Beacon Boat...

Flashing is not very important at my age, it's just a bit of loose useless skin.

I blame Kevin McCloud.

Like the Building Regulations, the MoT test used to be about safety and nothing else. In recent years however both have had extra bits bolted on which are purely political. Emissions testing of cars and boilers is nothing to do with any danger presented e.g. no brakes, no lintels over doorways, and everything to do with paying lip service to fixing the global warming problem.

Long Eaton end of Stanton Ironworks possibly during late ww2 or just post. Cooled clinker/ash was loaded there for road construction My Grandpa (dads side) was lengthsman for that stretch at that time lived at Hallam Fields I stayed with them for periods during WW2 as both my parents were employed on war production & worked nights my dad was an artificial silk spinner ( British Celenese / later Cautoulds Spondon )& Mum was lathe turning shell casings at a factory on Cotmanhay Rd Ilkeston (after the war became a ladies stocking factory

Of course... on The Turnerwood Flight of The Chesterfield Canal there are so many leaves that we just enjoy them: Photo by Marcus Hill-Jones

"Normality is the perception of the majority" I'm not normal, I'm a boater !!

If this is for radiator/finrad circuits, you will presumably have anti-freeze present, so use of copper pipe is not an issue. However, unless you are going to drain down when the boat is left unheated n winter, I would avoid copper pipe for fresh / potable water. Plastic pipe is far more resilient to freezing conditions than copper is, in my experience.

Just by way of an update the police have been and taken away a couple of items that the person touched/used. I can't fault Staffordshire police for their timely response. After the initial anger and feeling of intrusion I have decided that I can only feel sorry for the person who came onto my boat. They took money and cash and left other bits that may have had a resale value. I have to conclude their need was /is greater than mine. However they did commit a crime and if they get caught so be it. I am a little frustrated that it seems the other boater who had their boat broken into did not report it to the police. I would hope anyone who had their boat broken into would contact the police to help show there is crime on boats in an area.

I was one of many, many boaters and waterway enthusiasts who attended Harry’s funeral at Lichfield Crematorium, Fradley, yesterday. It was heartening to see so many of the “ old school” in attendance, from many aspects of the boating scene. Tributes by Tony Lewery, Hugh Potter and Audrey Smith covered the remarkable life of a man involved for so long.....from early hire boating companies, assisting with the early Waterways Recovery Group, a major figure in helping to found the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port, along with the Saturn restoration project, while all the time pursuing a successful career in Waterways photojournalism. His tireless energy and enthusiasm have left a tremendous legacy for which modern users should be grateful. A cushion on his coffin with a pair of windlasses and his MBE was a poignant touch. I left uplifted.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1586347351464763&id=211926942240151 Sydney had his rabies jab yesterday. So far so good although the side effects can take a few days to materialise. He is now booked in again in 28 days for his blood test.

When you have made a deposit - look in the hole. Nothing beats a Mk1 eyeball.

You may find the attached of help : "How to build a Pontoon Houseboat" https://www.all-about-houseboats.com/building-a-house-boat.html There are even links to free plans that you can build to.

2kW continuous PSW should cope just fine. Even a 1500W continuous would probably be ok but you’d be running it hard at maximum charger output.

Blimey, we used to see a lot of posts on the forum complaining about people running their engines or generators outside of the permitted 8am - 8pm time limits. Now it seems they're complaining about people doing it within the permitted times. What's changed? We've become a bunch of snowflakes.

Do you have any evidence to support your theory that a streaker or flasher is an incipient paedophile? I’m no expert but I think they are completely different things, especially the former. Seems a bit of paedophiliaphobia, unless you are a psychiatrist or the like with expert knowledge.