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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/07/19 in all areas

  1. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  2. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  3. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
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  6. Perhaps someone was trying to get a widebeam through...? ?
    3 points
  7. Hi Ali and welcome to the forum. Clearly you are looking for a change from your present situation - that has a certain comfortable stability, but is beginning to feel like a grind and a bit of a trap. Only you can know what you feel 'safe' and 'secure' with. So good luck with your research! I think it's important to know that there are many different ways of living on a boat. Some hang out in the countryside; others in the middle of cities. Some move every couple of days, or every two weeks. Some go long distances; others short hops. Others base themselves on a long-term canalside mooring or prefer the community of a marina. (Maybe they work part-time in the chandlery or boat yard). Some are market traders who drift on their own, while others follow an annual rota of organised markets. Some take their boats over to France; others up to Ripon. Some live on very little - enjoying a simple life where they create their own entertainment, develop a personal project, immerse themselves in nature, scavenge for firewood, harvest 'wild food'. Others live a life of luxury with all conveniences on-board and sparky social lives. A few boaters have beautifully compact 30' narrowboats with everything they need to hand, while others insist on the spaciousness of a 12' x 62' widebeam. Some run cars or vans in parallel with their cruising (and tie up near safe places to park them); others depend entirely on their boat and where it can take them. People also convert old GRP cruisers, barges, trawlers ... and live on rivers, estuaries, lakes as well as canals. Basically, there is lots of scope for creating your own way of living aflloat. And I think there is a lot of toleration amongst most boaters and the boating community for different ways of 'doing it'. Just be friendly, helpful and curious - which seems to come naturally to you. Definitely walk the canals and talk to boaters. If you say you're seriously thinking of living aboard I'm sure most people will want to share some experiences and offer advice. Perhaps you could start writing a blog ... about thinking about changing your life by moving onto a boat ... and including all the stuff you learn along the way. It sounds like you are coming at this from quite a unique point of view and circumstances, so it would almost automatically be interesting to others.
    3 points
  8. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  9. This is the usual internet / Wikipedia nonsense written by people who learn off either the internet or from a book. The Grand Union Canal Company had only one purpose built long distance carrying wide boat and that was PROGRESS, built by Bushell Brothers on the Wendover Arm in 1934. PROGRESS attended the opening of Hatton Locks on 30 October 1934, and although this boat was gauged at 75'0'' x 12'1½ it was soon deemed to be unsuccessful and was relegated to maintenance duties. As already stated PROGRESS is currently undergoing a rebuild. The independent carrier Fellows, Morton and Clayton Ltd. built their carrying wide motor boat PIONEER at Uxbridge in late 1934 with a gauge of 71'8'' x 13'7¼'', but this boat was built for the papermill traffic on the lower Grand Union Canal and I have seen no evidence that it travelled through the new locks north of Napton - and it was sold off to another southern Grand Union Canal business in February 1936. By 1961 PIONEER had been sunk in the Yeading Tip arm and was later buried over. I have always maintained that the modernised canal between Napton and Camp Hill is a narrow beam waterway with the benefit of wide locks, with my opinion being based on the narrow bridges or bridges with low arches that prevent easy passage - and I learned the hard way when operating a motor / butty pair, but I did listen to advise when it was available
    3 points
  10. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  11. Just finished helping a neighbour restore her shore power after a speeding boater ripped out the shoreline from her boat. The inlet connector at the boat end had ripped put and needed replacing. Also my neighbour uses two 25 metre lengths of cable to get from their house to the boat and the joining connectors had parted company. Inside cupboards and drawers were open and some possessions had fallen onto the floor. So just a gentle reminder that speeding past moored boats can cause damage, even when they are properly tied up, especially where the canal is shallow.
    2 points
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  13. I am suspicious of the unspecified "Waco cooler". May cool boxes work on the pelter principle and have no thermostat. A quick google sheds little light on the subject. If it is one of these then it will be very power hungry.
    2 points
  14. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  15. Lots of boats moving. We actually had a queue for the locks on the Nene, unheard of! Anyway, here's what I woke up to at Elton locks this morning on the Nene, just before 6am
    2 points
  16. Not sure where you get that idea from. My 200AH 24V bank (which could be re-wired to give 400AH at 12V) is about the size of an old skool desktop computer. Probably half the volume and a third of the weight of your 400AHs of Trojan battery. And you don't need 400AH of LA in parallel, 100AH will do the job.
    2 points
  17. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  18. A quick heads up, a small camper is in the Coventry canal by bridge 48, it should be possible to get by, CRT have been informed.
    1 point
  19. 1 point
  20. I’ve discovered something that might be relevant the canal world, so I thought I’d share it. Sort of my “Community Service” if you will. The subject is mobile telephony. I’ve been with Giffgaff for several years and got used to not getting read receipts on SMS messages. At first, I thought it was my phone settings, but then found out that the ‘feature’ was not offered by Giffgaff, so forgot about it. However, I’ve now discovered how to get read receipts for SMS sent through Giffgaff! Just start your message with *0# (star zero hash) and once the text reaches its destination, a receipt will come winging right back to you. Then, of course, you’ll have to send more SMS to explain why you added the three characters at the start of your message! ? If I am the only one that didn’t know about this code that and all Giffgaff users on the forum knew already, do accept my apologies…
    1 point
  21. Ah so that explains it. Bringing god into it will surely make the difference. Blessed be your batteries. No doubt they have holy water added to the electrolyte, instead of the usual distilled stuff everyone else uses. Or it could be that you are too pissed on the Communion wine to notice that the lights have gone dim!
    1 point
  22. Look what you've gone and done now
    1 point
  23. Another advantage of a good second hand boat is you will know it actually exists.
    1 point
  24. They search for the answer to thier problem and things like this turn up, probably searched Squirrel stove, Air vent, etc
    1 point
  25. Mystery solved!! I decided to go and speak to the oracle, Roger Preen, founder of Calcutt boats. The lock used to be fitted with gauging equipment! He also mentioned the old chamber behind the water point used to have the weighing equipment that is now on show at Stoke Bruerne. Cheers Graham
    1 point
  26. There may be a higher proportion of speeders though...
    1 point
  27. I'm sorry you have taken it this way, I have made 14 posts in this thread, (and quite a number in your 'BSSC thread) all of which I consider to be useful / helpful otherwise I would not have made them. I hope you do get it sorted out, but it is no use blaming the 'boat system'. If your require any further help, just ask, but until then, I'll assume that you now know enough to sort out and remove all the rubber debris without further guidance.
    1 point
  28. A positive use of squat. Another reason for trimming slightly down by the head (bows slightly down) is that in very shallow waterways, where there is a good chance of touching the bottom, the bow will touch first and therefore the rudder and propeller will remain in deeper water, allowing a better chance of manoeuvring and therefore increasing the chance of getting the boat afloat once more. However, it is not a good idea to trim by the head if working in deeper water because most vessels don't steer as well in this trim. Howard
    1 point
  29. Definitely not! A curious lot here. ?
    1 point
  30. Totally agree I just wasn't brave enough to say it. I have pics of continental barges loaded and underway very bow down. I guess the "fad" for ballasting a canal boat bow up is to emulate an unloaded working boat
    1 point
  31. I wish you had went the Trent route, deep water, manned locks and there's Thorne Boat services on route that could of aided in helping with the engine problem, made no sense that way as everyone knows there is issues with low water this time of year. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I don't think Stephen was confident in the Trent route due to little experience off boating in that area.. Have you contacted any local boat services for help? Bronte Boats cover that area, saves you going back and forth, would of thought your Northern boat mover would of had the local contacts to help.
    1 point
  32. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  33. The CRT crew who were removing the coping stones told me that they were doing so because the bridge had "moved" and the gap had narrowed.
    1 point
  34. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  35. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  36. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  37. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  38. Fact or fiction? That would be very odd because when we went through on Saturday there was somebody on board ABSUMUS (the raw water outlet was in full flow). The skipper of Tranquil Rose had guests that were destined for Warwick. I can't imagine the TR skipper would go to all the trouble and inconvenience of turning round and changing his itinerary for the sake of not asking the other boat to reverse back a bit.
    1 point
  39. Thanks all, have recovered maissey all be it in a bit of a sorry state- think the term joy ride comes to mind. Have secured as best I can tonight nd will begin repairs tomorrow. Don't suppose anyone got a cover/ awning for a dawncraft for sale as was damaged in the theft? Thanks again all for being vigilant ?
    1 point
  40. Just so you are prepared - my spare pump cost £450. (inc VAT) Obviously different sizes will be different prices
    1 point
  41. Payback for your Facebook comment
    1 point
  42. I told BSP to shave this morning and she wouldn't listen
    1 point
  43. Lovely to hear he is still around. We first met him in 2014 when he was waiting at the top lock while we were having lunch. Said if we were going down he would come down at the same time as he had to go that way anyway. He then operated the locks for us efficiently, but drinking often from a bottle of cider. He was frank about his alcoholism and said the daily return trip up the locks was what was keeping him alive. By the last lock, shall we say he was fluid. We gave him dinner at Northampton and waited till he had departed before we had a drink ourselves, as we decided he was best without more. We saw him a few days later on the towpath between Gayton and Blisworth. He said he was on the way to the doctor and asked then for some money, which we obliged, for a bus fare home. Val hoped he would use some of it for some underpants as he was very obviously not wearing any. He actually looked then as if he would not survive another winter. We were therefore pleased and suprised to see him again in 2017, when he was working a boat up and we were descending. He looked in much better health. Obviously a waterways survivor.
    1 point
  44. I dropped my Samsung android phone in, it took me nearly a hour to find a keb and rescue it It told me 'moisture has been detected in the USB port' No kidding! Richard
    1 point
  45. 1 point
  46. Hi Jennifer, Thanks for the compliment! I hadn't considered that idea... I am a crafter (sewing/crochet/knitting) at mo, but I don't make enough to survive on that alone as yet. I've a million other ideas zipping around. I am about to start learning a new craft but of course that'll take some time to do well enough to sell... I'm also a photographer which I could develop more (more arty stuff than postcard/holiday picture stuff but hey I'll try anything) and I'm also an amateur astronomer with my own scopes so there might be some mileage in that with tourists in dark skies... I dunno, have much research to do. I also make great fudge - but I guess that's already covered then!
    1 point
  47. A proper back cabin has the prop shaft under the floor and gear and throttle shafts below the ceiling. That don't leave much room for standing up, whatever height you are. Why do you want to stand up, anyway ?
    1 point
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