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Hang about! In the continuing stooooory of cassette vs pumpout, the 50% cassette supporters always say there is no problem going to an Elsan point on a weekly basis. You must be wrong. Surely is it always a nice experience. Our pump outs are!

My dad was a Bobby. I remember his tunic, his truncheon pocket, he showed me how to loop the leather strap, so it couldn't easily been taken from him. He had a cape. A helmet, a whistle. I remember once, he drove an MG two seater. Brought it home to show us all. He also got p**sed on duty in Chorley and got caught. He got transferred to Huyton as a punishment. It wasn't a too bad a place to grow up. Yes, we lived in Police Houses, it was okay. We certainly moved about a bit. For whatever reason, the Police don’t have the same respect from joe public as bygone days. Nor do the Police of today have respect for jo public as in bygone days. Jo public isn't the same beast As in bygone days. My dad wasn't a tough guy by any stretch of the imagination, but he knew how to handle himself. Ex army, wartime in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Palestine followed after wartime end. I guess that toughened you up a little. Picture of Dad and I, after my passing out parade in Plymouth, 1969. He sadly passed away in 1978 at the young age of 55. Very much missed. Did i go off topic? Ooops!

But an alternative view: Back when your observations were, or rather might have been true, the so-called respect was largely born out of subservience, even if it was dressed up with a measure of benevolent paternalism. This was amusing but very perceptively captured in the famous sketch with John Cleese etc. You were born to a class and you knew your place. Anything that tended to give an opportunity to escape would have been labelled as revolutionary. Some would like to think that we have made it all the way to a more egalitarian society but, scratch the surface, and 'knowing your place' is still a dominant controlling factor - round the world, not just UK. Some of the eastern societies may well have a more ordered society but it comes at a price of much greater repression. A very modern example is seen in the row over exam grading. Ostensibly, the objective of 'education' since the 1960's (see Robins Report) has been to enable everyone to have an opportunity for social mobility. But the main constraint on the 'algorithm' was just the opposite: make sure that grade inflation dopes not happen ie if one school improves then another must be labelled failing. And then we find that the net effect has been to protect the results of schools of a certain type and to disadvantage others. And some wonder why there is mistrust of authority when all through this pandemic we have seen examples of one rule for the powerful and one rule for the rest. Now, I am not really a raving red, as those with power usually label those seeking opportunity (see US Presidential Election memes for examples from a so-called egalitarian society) and I present an alternative view simply to demonstrate that there is more than one way of reading your evidence. Looking at my next generation but one I am delighted, sometimes amazed, to see endless examples of responsibility and social awareness often missing from public discourse of late. I have great faith in upcoming generations . . . Let's hope those in between don't mess it up before they get a chance to have their hands on the tiller. (Of course, every generation discovers that age and experience readily destroy progressive enthusiasm!)

Apologies! I keep wanting to say "because its full of water!" I'll get my coat.

They all go into a silent sulk cos you've just killed one of their mates. The Albert Pierrepoint of the woods.

I am of a generation that can still read maps, and like to be able to see how local roads and towns interact with the canal route, so Nicholsons.

Or... https://www.loveskirting.co.uk/skirting-architrave-c12/by-product-c201/modern-skirting-c85/pine-square-single-edge-skirting-3-5-metre-p647

Nit sure if I have posted this before, apologies if I have. L & L short boat at Verdun,

Yes, this would be most beneficial. I was pleased to note that the portion of our Council Tax allocated to the police had gone up by a bit more than inflation this year, and I'd be happy to see it go up still further. Just down our road is a detached building which is a former police house (and presumably station). I wish it still was one. In fourteen years of living in Upwell, I have only once seen a policeman walking along our road. The rot started not through lack of funding but by the introduction of TGP, total geographical policing. Some bag carrying, scramble egg chasing, never really done proper police work oik used a computer to model where officers where needed and when. So whereas lots of areas were assigned a beat officer the computer decided or showed that these areas had no reported crimes or only at certain times so resources were reallocated meaning areas only saw an officer when something had happened. It's why I am a strong supporter of report, report, report as it messes with the stats. Coupled with so many people allocated to specialist roles, people not wanting to work nights or weekends or good officers being disillusioned with what the role has become so leave are some reasons why numbers have diminished I liken today's officers with fire crews. They only have time to rush from job to job. Which means they do not get the opportunity to meet the majority of people who abide by the law. Dealing with the minority of society that have no respect for anyone else but themselves and think they can behave in anyway they like to get what they want puts them in the us and them position. After all behaviour breeds behaviour

I suppose the fact that it was posted in the BMC forum went over your head. Don't EVER answer any of my questions. Although it's not likely that I would ask any questions on this forum after a similar sort of answer a few years ago from another "expert."

Watercolour sketch thing

They do this for the same reason that some people who use communal bins outside flats and apartments, put loads of empty cans and bottles into the general rubbish bins instead of the recycling bins just next to them. It's pure laziness and a lack of any sense of community. This country unfortunately has fairly low levels of social cohesion compared to France, Germany or Scandinavia for example. Lots of selfish c@nts. Lots of Brits came out to clap for the NHS during lockdown and it seemed like everyone was finding a new sense of community, but later when the weather got hot some of the same people went down to overcrowded beaches on the South coast flouting social distancing, so in reality they didn't give a crap about the NHS. I'm afraid this selfishness runs across all sections of society including boaters.

Er, yes. Could that be why newer boats are dry bilge? Front decks are raised these days so that they are self draining. Rear decks on semi trads and cruisers need detailed work on drain channels to avoid engine room flooding and sinking. Never rely on a bilge pump, they are only guaranteed to work when you don't need them.

Well apparently there have been lots of complaints from up North about shiny bothies.

Or just keep the weedhatch lid securely clamped? Then I can't see how it can flood. My weedhatch seals aren't that great and I just get a little puddle of water at max revs..

My engine is in front of the bedroom If you want to make you boat safe from weedhatch flooding then make sure its constructed the same was as Steve Hudson did and one or two others do them. Remember if you flood the back end you have negative buoyancy at that end not just weight to support

Errrrrrrrr - if its on (in) a boat, won't it be floating anyway ?

Nicholson's for the mapping, Pearsons for the narrative, so we have both. Nick

I use proper Ordnance Survey Mao's for that but I have to select the ones In need at the beginning of each year, leaving the rest in our sons loft.

Both, but if I had to choose one, Nicholson. I think it is confusing the way north can be up, down, left or right in the Pearson ones. So Nicholson for planning, underpays, and to see how far it is from one place to another. But Pearson is good for a bit of local colour.

Looking into the future I can see an argument developing, as I seem to responsible for it and I'm not very well at present I will disappear in a puff of smoke.

From recollction the rubber tube is half an inch internal diameter, but don't worry too much about it not being in place, all it does is allow any oil floating around to be released into the air filter, which has an oil soaked mesh in it. Without the rubber pipe the oil will fall onto the engine and make a bit of a mess, and the air filter may dry out a little, but in my experience the engine will not notice that it missing.

I've had a look in my crystal ball and can tell you that it is a BMC 1500. I guess Mark was hoping that there is a standard size for BMC engines in general, or his 1500 in particular.

I just want to watch the racing when football is on...... I re-set my phone when it sulks. I'm thinking I need a proper laptop, the kind that doesn't roll over and die when I spill a few ml of white wine on the keyboard. Budget is about £2-300 , must be faster to react than my tablet.

On this day in 2015 River Welland. Seals

The two dimensions are not necessarily contradictory. The CRT minimum craft dimensions have to be read in combination and it’s important to recognise they describe both a size and shape of craft and not the size of aperture in a bridge. What those particular dimensions say is that if your boat height does not exceed 5’ 7” in height at any point across a width of 7’ then you will be able to fit under all the bridges between Fradley and Coventry. It’s not totally clear what the other dimension relates to but let’s assume it is the maximum clearance available beneath the lowest bridge at normal water level. What that tells you is that you will not be able to transit all the way between Fradley and Coventry if any point of your boat exceeds 7.38’ in height. So if you have a boat that is between 5’ 7” and 7.38’ in height but only over part of it’s width then you might fit through all the bridges. So we can categorically say that you might fit. Very helpful I’m sure. In truth it’s pretty much impossible to publish dimensions that are anything other than the a conservative guide to what’s possible since no boat is a literal brick shape and every craft has a set of unique measurements in three dimensions as does every structure on the waterways. The only way to find out for certain if you are outside of any one of CRTs published maximum craft dimensions is to go there and try. JP

That's a kind offer but I don't think it'll work. Yes it will... pm sent I'll keep that in reserve, but as above, the wife wants brass, and one must preserve domestic harmony. Anyway, brass goes better with the trombone!

Nope, I can talk about trees or talk trees all day, I rarely actually talk to trees, cause they don't listen or answer or quite frankly lack the nous to understand when someone does Advice freely given, unless you want me to put my name to it, then it costs

i dare say you are correct it isn't their job and they would not be paid for it. However C&RT should have mobilised a cleaner.

We have to do this due to our length and it can be traumatic. I don't really mind when we turn to avoid the Wigan flight, but going past the Rufford Arm (down to the Ribble Link) always gives a pang, and getting to the end of the Rochdale and having to turn to go back is also difficult. If I had a 70 foot widebeam I would be really unhappy. ..............Dave

Sounds like you need a 4' length with 6" chopped off?? ?

Your comment is not quite as daft as it sounds - I accompanied some friends on their 62 ft NB (I've a RYA Day Skipper and Power Boat instructor for lumpy water) and had to fight quite hard for "No, the anchor needs to be in the Well Deck, warp attached and ready to be deployed, not 'it's in the locker, we'll get it out if we need it'"

Keys are freely available if you look................so they mean nothing. Sorry don't agree IMHO this is part of a growing breed of entitled selfish scum in our so called society .............they are not stupid they know exactly what they are doing and its implications they just don't give a sh**

I'm adding the Manchester Shop Canal to my list. The Trent & Misery The Grand Onion The Leicester Suction Kennet & Avon Calling Yes there are more and yes I am bored.

What is it with you people. Someone offers advice with the best intentions. Then some clever know it all hacks the post to pieces. If you have nothing positive to add, go and take the dog for a walk. I'm getting sick to death of all these nayslayers.

Some time in the late 80s (I think) some bright con artist formed a company to register boat names. You paid to join, told them what name you wanted to call your boat, and off you went. They sent you a certificate done on a Word Doc. which confirmed you had registered the name with them on such and such a date. I once came upon a soppy pair arguing with the owners of another boat with the same name at Cosgrove. With all of the ferocity of the righteous they were waving their Office doc. in the faces of the others and shouting only they were entitled to use it.