Leaderboard

I first met Malcolm as a teen in the mid 60s when he brought the Joshers Cactus and Penguin to Harris’s yard at Netherton. I was quickly enlisted to help in the refurbishment of Cactus, work I embraced eagerly. Real boats!! He went on to establish a yard at Yates Brothers, Norton Canes. In those days the norm was to acquire an ex working boat and add a conversion, many fine looking craft emerging from the yard . Malcolm then went on to build steel hulls, the Lionheart range of memory serves. He ran the business until 1986 when foreman Graham Edgson took over, Malcolm concentrating on survey work. We remained in occasional touch until a couple of years ago, I was pleased to be able to supply some proper Ratcliffes oil based scumble for his other boat. Truly the end of an era, his vast knowledge and experience now lost. It was watching his signwriter, Ted Chetwynd, that inspired me to take up the craft, I’ve lettered many of his boats over the years. RIP.

I'm not sure what time you're going on Friday, but if you need a boater to go with you and your brother I'm free on Friday afternoon and I'm only 25 mins away from Whilton. I've sent you a PM. This is a free service! ☺️

I'm with you on this one Brian. I feel it is not helpful to tell new boaters what they must do without also saying on what experience the advice is based - having bought one narrow boat and sold none is hardly a wide experience of the subject. New people coming on here are looking for advice and they don't know who is experienced and who is not and I feel if we offer advice or instructions it is only fair to the new comers that we say what our own experience is. It is good to be helpful where we can but I think we must be careful that we are not giving a "bum steer". Haggis

I am not bothered about that, just the fact that you were telling an inexperienced boater that she should insist on what bill of sale a broker uses, with in all honesty is a joke. What you do is up to you, I'm not bothered, but if you mislead others I will speak up.

Not sure if this is the right place for it, but I've just had a guy out to my boat (Lister SR2 with the usual diesel leak) who, for once and almost uniquely in my experience, has fixed the problem, spotted two others and fixed them without either complaining or adding to the agreed fee even though the whole job took three hours longer than he had quoted for. So I thought he deserved a plug - he's Karl Illand (Mainland Marine) from Burnley, travels all over the country. He's on Facebook or anyone can PM me for contact details.

Don't confuse her with facts, if she sticks to facts she'll have nothing to post about.

On this day in 2008, Oxford canal. Our last family holiday with teenaged son and daughter. Boat hired from Black Prince. The snowman's scarf had been unwound from the prop the previous evening! He kept our beer cold until he finally melted around Banbury.

I guess it all depends what you mean by "gadgets"... If you mean the kind of thing that don't do a lot that much simpler technology can't do, then this is pointless technology for the sake of it -- just like all the use-it-one-then-put-it-in-the-cupboard kitchen gadgets. If you mean things that provide a lifestyle more like onshore such as decent 230V electrical systems and all the useful stuff you can run from them, this is a choice -- people who want to stick with the more traditional boat setup are perfectly free to do so, but them disparaging people for wanting a washer or a dishwasher or lots of solar makes no more sense than them being disparaged for not having one and living in the dark ages. If you mean things like LiFePO4 batteries (plus the systems that go with them), these are modern technology which genuinely does offer big advantages so long as you're willing to pay for them -- which many people can't (or don't want to), but this doesn't make them any less valuable. If you mean things like series hybrid/electric boats instead of diesels, there are genuine environmental reasons for going this way as well as the peace and quiet ones, but again this is an expensive option. Both choices are perfectly valid -- at one end there are the "traditional boaters" who want to keep a diesel engine (possibly one that goes bonk-bonk...), a solid-fuel stove, and very little electrical gear, all at low cost, and at the other end "modern boaters" who want a more luxurious centrally-heated electric-heavy lifestyle -- possibly including propulsion -- and are willing/able to pay for it, because doing it properly (and making it reliable) is expensive, nothing is worse than trying to build something complex on the cheap. I can't help thinking that some of the reason behind the resentment is to do with money, people who live more simply disliking the rich incomers with all their shiny stuff, and them in turn looking down on the poor benighted scruffs lugging coal to the boat and excrement to the Elsan... Slagging off somebody else because they choose a different lifestyle to yours is divisive and can be counterproductive, because different people have different wants and needs. What should matter is that however you choose you to live, you value the canals and the people on them, and are a "good canal citizen" -- meaning, don't do things that might be good/convenient for you but are unpleasant for others. Many examples spring to mind -- out-of-hours engines/generators, towpath trash, inconsiderate mooring (or boating), semi-permanent hogging of visitor/short-term moorings, dog poo on the towpath or in poo-bags on trees, the infamous recent toilet thread...

Do you expect me to start reading the posts properly now, I just look at the pretty pictures, that's why I never learnt to spell.

Today in 2006 the engine change was going well. The new mountings were made and in the afternoon the new engine dropped into the engine room. The tanker barge behind was brought in by a tug with a failed engine and as is the case commercials get preference. They had a rebuilt V8 GM in the workshop and tomorrow they cut a hole in the side of the barge and got the old engine out. It took 3 days to complete the changeover.

As I understand it, the Decimal Currency Board handed the problem of the 50pence design to the only engineer who was a member, Hugh (HG) Conway, who was a director of Hawker Siddeley and Rolls Royce, then working on the development of Concord. He passed the problem to his brilliant team to resolve and it ended up with a Concord development number. It is said that the French ended up paying half the cost.

Does it mention canals? Yes, but only as 'concepts' It's all about socio economic evaluation, and while it is important that we are all happy people with levels of wellness increasing day by day through water, this year it has not worked, the hospitals are full of people who have mental illness, ditto police cells. I just find the whole 'concept evaluation' to be what we used to call 'left wing looney' Imho the Road Map to wellness is what it has always been, a healthy economy, good housing, medical services, and education for all. Recreation and exercise is good for mental health, but it's not going to help the disadvantaged. Oops, I am turning 'political'. I'll be banned. The UK government has not been able to sell off BW for the simple reason, it's not a good business model. "What can't be cured must be endured". Anon 16th Century. Let's hope they don't do a comparison with Scottish Canals, everyone penned in marinas, lots of closures, very restricted movement, but it's probably easier to generate more income per boater, so all round, a better business model.

Ken Nelson once tied my thumbs together then stole my pint while I was trying to get free! He bought me another one later though so he was forgiven.

Oops, that's an electrical pendant ...

I enjoyed this talk by Skip Novak at the recent RYA AGM, some strong views on boats getting over-complex and having too much equipment. (the link below jumps over the intro remarks by the RYA's CEO).

And make the mods should remove the details from that first post ? Sorry I meant maybe not make

It may be wise to remove your full address from your 'details'. If you start making posts about being on your boat, then those 'naughty people' will know you are not in your house, and anything could happen. Suggest change it to 'Fenny Marina'

To setup the heating ON / OFF periods proceed as follows: 1 The panel should be switched ON if not already on. 2 Press the button once breifly and the word ‘MON’ will flash, (Monday). 3 Select the day you wish to setup by pressing the buttons and scrolling through until the day you want to program is highlighted. 4 Press the ‘A’ button to accept that day. 5 The time will then flash with the words ‘TIMER ON’ below. This is the start time for heating. 6 Enter the start time using the buttons and pressing the ‘H’ button to accept. 7 The time will flash again with the words ‘TIMER OFF’ below. This is the OFF time for the heating. 8 Enter the OFF time using the buttons and pressing the ‘H’ button to accept. 9 Repeat the process in steps 6– 8 for the other three ON / OFF times for that day. 10 When the other three ON / OFF times have been set the screen will then display the next day. 11 Continue setting the ON / OFF times for the remaining days and when complete press the ‘A’ button Twice to confirm and accept the changes.

Thank you.

Yes, there is a separate image for each month and BST/GMT are highlighted in different colours. I actually centred it on Birmingham but that is near enough for all the English and Welsh canals.

Stupid boy!!

Table X is what you normally buy from a merchant, partly annealed during the final draws, bendable with a spring or bender up to 28mm sizes. Thin wall hard drawn is not annealed as often during drawing, not bendable without splitting. Cheaper, used on big economy jobs only. Soft drawn like gas and fridge piping is annealed, easily bendable by hand.

Not that I have ever found? It started life being driven by a diesel drip feed Kabola E5 boiler http://www.zag.ee/en/kabola/heating_systems/?cat_id=9 which can't be shut down quickly in the event of no water flow. Good boilers, better than the Eber but it meant the bedroom was too warm with it in the cupboard.

I don't see the problem with having gadgets as long as you are competent to navigate & helm the boat safely without them.

Its a Kubota engine so I would expect there to be a blanking plug on the cylinder head for the hot out and the return can go anywhere into the feed back to the water pump. Often T'd into the heat exchanger to water pump pipe. Beta use the same base engine so hopefully someone familiar with Betas will give more detailed info.

We are use to people moaning that the gas ran out while having a shower or cooking dinner but this could be a new one

Calcutt Boats have a boat for sale called Hope. Have you thought about buying that

If it's still there at the end of the month there is something wrong with it

Just fitted my back cabin chimney. Was going to paint it? but decided not to.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-0623-concentrated-central-heating-inhibited-antifreeze-5ltr/4409r

Surely now it is 'collieflowers' ?

I know how they work, but I think it is a waste of money, the government can do the audit themselves, the CRT are going to be asked to prove their figures, well I'm quite sure they can 'prove' the number of footfalls they recorded, how are consultants going to prove otherwise? The use of towpaths 2020 - 21 will not reflect efforts by the CRT, but by the effect of the pandemic. More users who enjoy the benefits but who can't contribute financially. Remember the chuggers, all those 'friends' who donated, just to cover their costs? That should have been spotted straight away. A pilot scheme would have shown what would happen. The whole idea of people out begging for money on a commisson basis, it's just anathema to me. I know real charities still rely on collection cans, I don't mind donating, but not to employed persons, it's not even regular employment, it's casual work, possibly these zero hours contracts.

I never read the Enfield posts, but after three gin free weeks, a litre bottle of premium was delivered today. Very nice apertif, but I'm rationing myself these days, the bar closes at 17.00 hours, or sunset!

I spoke to Craig Allen today he agreed to to do the survey.

The faster they go, the more apparent wind, so they go faster and get more apparent wind, so they go faster .............................................. Sounds like magic !