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Quite right. In my teens I knew everything about anything.In my twenties I knew just about everything.In my thirties I started to doubt my knowledge.In my forties I realised that I knew very little really. At my age (not telling,but I remember the Romans leaving Britain) I now accept that I know BUGGER ALL!

Took ownership of a narrow boat this week. Popped down with some stuff to take on board yesterday and, although pushed for time, I thought I just had to start the engine at least. And then I realised. I haven’t got a clue how to do that...! Furthermore, I haven’t got a clue how the electrics work, how the heating works - in fact I haven’t got a clue about how anything works really. The boat is 25 years old, there are no manuals. I had an hour with the previous owner a couple of months back and he ran through everything with me. I thought I understood it all at the time but really, I was just nodding and saying "yes, aha, mmm, yes" and not taking anything in. I'm going to be making a nuisance of myself with other owners for quite some time until I can get the hang of things - it’ll be interesting! It does make me wonder how many other newbies are suddenly brought face-to-face with their total ignorance? sniffy

On the other hand you'll get far better technical advice on this forum than you're likely to get on the towpath. The average boater knows next to nothing about boats.

Not fit for purpose, return and demand a refund.....trading standards will be your friend.

anyone who needs to ask is not a bona-fide navigator according to his own conscience.

All the pounds are the same in that they all come halfway up a duck

All I knew when I bought mine was what I'd found out on a two week disastrous cruise! Luckily I have a friend who's an expert and an engineer, but he was 50miles away. I learned the need for two separate batteries when the sole one went flat so we couldn't start the engine... I still don't know much about engines. Nothing else on a boat is rockst science, it's all pretty simple stuff. And a lot of fun finding out.

Thanks for your support and encouragement. I'm sure there are others, including myself, that wouldn't agree with your comment above.

Everyone makes mistakes, even CRT apparently(!), and this level of checking is only occurring because so many "boaters" are trying to beat the system. Its sad but, as ever, the actions of a few almost inevitably impact many of those who do fully comply and wouldn't dream if not doing so.

The standard tanks come with a vented lid. If you want to do your own venting (you do) then you need to order them with an unvented lid. From the Smiths of the Dean website: "These are quality UK manufactured Tanks - the white and black versions are made from WRAS approved material.*These tanks are a practical choice for valeting companies and window cleaners. Each tank comes with a vented lid as standard and a threaded nickel-plated brass outlet. They can be customised to your requirements with the tap at any height and various size outlets. Tanks can be linked together if needed. Do you need it now? We can dispatch or you can call in and pick one up. Most tanks from stock. Talk to us to discuss the tank you need on 01594 833308." WRAS Material Approval: Non-metallic materials & components, such as rubber sheet material & ‘O’ rings, undergo testing only for their effects on water quality. This type of approval demonstrates that the non-metallic material/component does not itself contaminate the water and therefore satisfies this particular requirement of regulations and byelaws. This of course is not enough for complete peace of mind. You should fill & empty the new tanks 10 times before use, and in normal use empty and refill the tanks if the water has been static for more than 12 hours. For drinking pass the water through a Britarse filter 3 times and then boil. Always try the results on guests for 30 mins before consuming it yourself! I drink it straight from the tank and I'm not entirely dead yet. I do take care to run water through my filler hose for a bit before loading the tanks.

I did that, there was nothing in the instructions to say I had to contact anyone either.

You're still like that now.....?

.............................and the numbers on the Duck are in fact on the low side for what is traditionally one of the more buoyant times so sellers of such boats are in charge. The usual caution applies if its been on sale for a long time there is probably a reason - it might be one you can live with and see past or not.

C&RT have answered that a number of times - here is the answer from the Enforcement Manager : Enforcement Manager Simon Cadek sent an email to a boater who was warned that they were on course for failing their six month restricted licence, telling them what they would need to do to pass. The email is on public record as part of advice to boaters in the London Boaters Facebook group and dates from the end of 2016. “When we are looking at boat movements we are looking for characteristics of bona fide navigation, these fall roughly into four categories: · Range: by range we mean the furthest points a boat has travelled on the network, not merely the total distance travelled. While the BW act does not stipulate what that distance is the Trust has previously said that anyone travelling a range of less than say 20 miles (32km) would struggle to satisfy the Trust that they are engaged in bona fide navigation and that normally we would expect a greater range. . For the avoidance of doubt, a small number of long journeys over a short period of time, followed or preceded by cruising in a small are of the network would not generally satisfy the Trust that you are engaged in bona fide navigation. · Overstaying: we look to see how often boats overstay, either the 14 day limit on the main length of the canal, or shorter periods where local signage dictates, for example short stay visitor moorings. While we are flexible with the occasional overstay from most boaters due to breakdown, illness or other emergencies, we will look at the overall pattern balanced with range and movement pattern in order to form a view. Overstay reminders are issued when a boat is seen in the same area for more than 14 days. While we are unable to say how far you need to travel each time you move, we would advise that you normally travel further than a few km each time. This will prevent you from getting reminders and depending on the length of other trips you make and how many times you turn back on yourself, should increase your overall range over the course of your licence. · Movement: Continuous Cruiser Licences are intended for bona fide (genuine) navigation around the network, rather than for a boat to remain in one mooring spot, place neighbourhood or area. We would expect boats on these licences to move around the network such that they don’t gravitate back to favoured areas too often i.e. in a way that it’s clear to us that they’re living in a small area of the waterway. The basic principle of this is that these licences are not intended for living in an area and if it looks like a boat is habitually returning to a particular part of the waterway then this would not generally satisfy the Trust. Within an acceptable range we’d expect a genuine movement, so for example it would not satisfy the Trust if a boat went on a 60 mile trip during the course of say two weeks, then returned to cruise in an area of say 5 miles the remainder of the time (figures are examples only). Generally speaking, the smaller the range the less we’d expect to see boats back at the same locations. Of course people need to turn around and they’re perfectly free to re-visit places they have been to before, it’s living in a small area on this kind of licence that would cause a problem.

Teazel: Neat boat.

I had this e-mail yesterday, from Patricia Fox at CaRT. The boat has not been at my home mooring since October, it has been elsewhere having work done. I replied (rather tersely) explaining this and received a reply saying, in terms, "ok, sorry to have bothered you". It wasn't a big deal - the wind was more annoying.

In a blow on the Thames, going crabwise. Sailing type boat passes me - "Nice bit of tacking, old chap" he says.

It was a good year although I don’t remember much about it, myself??? "Confession"? What confession? I'm confident of getting assistance, the original owner lives on the marina but works away during the week - I’ll track him down over the weekend and I know someone else moored there so things aren’t too bleak. My original post was more to see if this was a not uncommon way to start a boating career. There seem to be a lot more negative comments in general on lots of topics from posters here than I find when talking to boaters face-to-face. Those I’ve seen when walking the canal all seem very positive and filled with a "go for it" attitude. I'm also more than happy to get stuck in to learn some stuff and when I say budget is "minimal" I’m exaggerating the minimalnuss(?) for dramatic effect? sniffy

Yup. And you can cross the Pennines via the Leeds & Liverpool or Rochdale canals to get to the Yorkshire Waterways, and from there up the Trent and as far south as Market Harborough. Basically any of the red or blue bits across the northern half of the map below. What you won't be able to do is access the wide waterways of the south (unless you go by sea or by road).

Some of it at Warwick/Leamington does!

but roughly where are you? You will get far more help if an experienced member comes and visits. It is not normal to charge you so you have nothing to loose and everything to gain by telling us.

I once knew two brothers that both had very similar ex-US Army jeeps. They "shared" the same number plate and as one lived in Kent and the other in South Wales it didn't cause them any problems (this was pre-ANPR). They also had the same identity number painted on the wing: I82QB4IP (read it out loud...)

Baildon on its way to be turned back into a full length butty.

I am replying following Sams reply to this post (2222):- "Hi we are Paula and Heath and very tempted do take the plunge and buy. We fancy a wide beam (baby) so interested to see what we can find out about all aspects before we take the plunge (and if we do)" and in particular their comment about All Aspects... There is nothing that I can see that hints about a static home. Howard

Regarding your suggestion that Europe had larger canals, they were in exactly the same situation as us in the 18th century. Those waterways directly accessing coastal waters did have boats similar to our broad waterways, and on the Rhine they were much bigger, but had much less draft, so did not carry significantly more than English wide boats. Further upstream on their 18th century waterways, the boats were similar in size to narrow boats, and often smaller. Several narrow canals were built on the continent, mainly in the early 19th century post the Napoleonic Wars. However, by that time railways were coming into operation and waterway engineering had developed, so usually wide waterways were built then. The mid-19th century was the main period for canal building in Europe. On investment, people generally only invest in something which will give them a known return. At the time English canals and railways were being built, this was an unknown. For canals in particular, the main London money market was not interested, and it was down to local banks and families to finance canal construction. The investors did this because canals supported the investors industrial investments, and it was those which made money. Transport in itself is totally unproductive and will not produce a profit if it is genuinely run as a service. It took the L&LC, a very successful canal, over 100 years before it had paid off its original cost if you take interest and dividends into account. Most canals made little genuine profit for their investors. On water, the catchment areas supporting English canals are pretty small. The L&LC was always at the limit, and being able to carry over 2 million tons per annum was a major achievement. Many large canals on the continent carry less than 1 million tons annually, their national figures often being obscured by the tonnage carried on the Rhine. Large waterways in England would never be economic, though it would be sensible to upgrade the A&CN and the Trent.

You are making an assumption there.

The question is different to the heading, the heading asks the pound, which there is probably only one, but then the question asks the lock, which of course there two

Quite remarkable they were able to decipher the inscription on the stern of the Hoo ship - "Warning - this boat has been in this location for more than the permitted 14 days ... " but the contact details were illegible.

I still reckon that the Mayers ruling quoted above just proves judges are as caapable of talking rubbish as everyone else. I will also point out that, whatever he said, and for whatever reason, Mayers lost his boat. That, when it comes down to it, is the danger of messing with T&Cs, rules, guidelines, call them what you will. The law is an ass, and it always was, and it's best not to tangle with it if you can avoid it. That being said, there's no indication whatsoever that any of this applies to the OP so I don't really know why it was being brought up again. I expect they're waiting for some decent weather and going cruising - and all they have to do then is tell CRT they are now a CC. And everyone's happy.

Well done - enjoy yourselves! Might well see you about if you're in Worcestershire.

That's because Marple locks are deep. I believe the Rochdale summit is the next highest after the HNC with the Macclesfield / Peak Forest in third place and Titford a close fourth

Corectly priced, good condition boats are still at present selling almost immediately, its still a sellers market.

My dad made wine like that.

Whilton provided me with a great service. I stopped in to look at some other boats on the way home from viewing the one I eventually bought and was rapidly convinced how good value the one I was looking at was.

Hi everyone, I'm Laura, currently cruising on the GUC, initially as a trial to see if I could hack it. I'm still very much a newbie with lots to learn but I'm absolutely loving it. This winter was very kind to me but I'll be totally ready for the next. I've caught the bug and I've just had an offer accepted (subject to a pre-purchase survey) for a 58ft narrow boat so I want to immerse myself in (hopefully not canal water) the ins and out of boat maintenance and life. Maybe one day I'll even even be able to pay forward some of the fantastic advice I've already had through searches on this site! Laura ;0)

Welcome Ross. Stick.around here for a while and you will eventually know everything there is to know about boats, their electrical systems and especially their toilet systems. ?

So...My business partner went to a pub (The Boat in Berkhamstead - Lovely if you are ever in the area), had a couple fo pints....went for a walk along the canal and, er bought a boat! She is an 1974 Eastwood 24 and we are both excited and terrified in equal measure! The plan is for her to become a little project, somewhere to take the kids, friends and family on the weekends and generally learn and have fun.