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Sea level rise due to global warming, caused by Britain's continued use of fossil fuels to cook roast beef. All our fault.

The picture of troops at Ricqueval is just one of several remarkable photos taken by 2nd Lieutenant David McClellan. With his bulky plate camera gear, on the very same day, he travelled 80 miles along roads crowded with military transport and refugees to take more photos at Abbeville near the mouth of the Somme. The one seen here is of German prisoners-of-war in a compound at that town. The other pic (my own!) is of tows crossing at the southern end of Ricqueval prior to our journey onwards to the second tunnel at Le Tronquoy. The Diapason was, in fact, a comfortable fit - provided the crew kept their heads out of the way of the overhead wires.

Frith collection. Lock at Britford.

If you are seeking some kind of an authoritative valuation, I'd ask the insurance company what that has to be; whether surveyor qualification, or whatever.

You may need to get a survey and valuation to be able to increase the value insured or move to another insurer. There was a thread recently discussing this.

I bought this Adaptor https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392943898051 and downloaded this Android App direct from Epever https://www.epsolarpv.com/upload/file/1903/Charge Controller(Sealed).apk Once the phone is connected to the WiFi Box the readings from the Charge Controller can be read. After changing the Battery Type to User on the Controller the settings can be changed and then sent back to the Controller.

I suspect you are correct that the shell has been built to a standard specification rather than specifically for your chosen means of propulsion. However I possibly have some sympathy for the builder’s position as I’m not sure you really understand what you are buying and seemingly haven’t employed a surveyor to advise. What you may see as a bespoke build in terms of detail and layout is actually likely an adaptation of a generic shell design for which the builder has standard scaleable steelwork schedules and patterns. I suspect the reason for the clash of the keel cooling tank and the bearer is your requirement to shorten the length of the cruiser stern. As I have already suggested those bearers are probably not just there to support the engine/motor. The shell of a boat is a structure and it’s core strength comes not from the baseplate and side plates but from the ribs which support them. I can’t see what else is doing this other than those two bearers visible in your picture. That is presumably why they extend through to the cabin bulkhead and I am sure if you looked they - or something equivalent - go right through the hull. Those members cannot simply be cut and moved to suit the aesthetics of any given configuration, at least not without additional expense and possibly other collateral alterations. Hence if you chose the builder based upon being able to get a decent price for what you thought you wanted you are realising the consequences of that decision and also your (apparent) decision to split the build between the shell fabrication and the fitting of the motor. This means you have no buy-in from your fabricator in terms of the whole system. That was your choice not theirs and it puts an onus on you to provide and/or agree very specific details of what you want, particularly given your chosen propulsion isn’t yet the standard approach. We don’t know whether you did that or not. Again this would be the domain of a good surveyor. I don’t think you fully understand what you’re buying so if you are not happy then the offer to walk away with all your money is a very generous one and I’d suggest you take it and be thankful. But I’d also suggest that unless you are willing to engage a surveyor you may be best just taking this shell and putting it down to experience. There is nothing that appears unfit for purpose and I suspect legally you would be on the back foot in the case of dispute. That’s possibly why the builder feels confident to be brusque with you (although it is arguably the industry default setting). ETA - glad to see a couple of other people have similar views given that when I started that essay it was somewhat against the general views being expressed.

Tell the shell builder to keep it and have your deposit back. Get confirmation in writing that it will be 100% of your deposit first though.

Surely the difference between boats and caravan sales are boats are predominantly sold by brokers and caravans by dealers. As brokers don't own the product they are selling they can't remove items as it would be stealing from the actual owner. In contrast dealers own their stock so they can choose how they split things up to maximize profit.

You didn't need a dipstick with a Lister. If it had enough oil, it smoked; if it stopped smoking, that meant it had run out of oil.

Today in 2017 at Pont Royal on the Burgundy canal

I agree; I have occasionally chuntered on here about what I consider to be a misuse of the term “Marine Engineer” when, with a few notable exceptions, I think the real description should more realistically be Fitter or possibly Mechanic. Howard

I was also working with the Phillips electrical specifiers at Bacton. Small world.

Rising sea levels??? Less river dredging for CRT, or more depth for the same effort. Who said no good comes from global warming!!!

I think we should be careful with the these French stereotypes. There is, at least, a group out there promoting the return of a large-scale freight-by-water project to the port of Gron, south of Sens. May I direct attention to the miserable saga of getting freight in bulk moving on the Aire & Calder? This a route capable of handling 600 tonne loads can so far only carry 350. Lock gates do not work properly; there are not enough lock-keeping staff. And the burst that occurred before Christmas still has not had repair work started. There is a 70,000 tonne contract in carrying sand to fulfill. That is 2,500 of the biggest lorryloads. And that could just be for starters. While this matter is not attended to our planet is burning away.

The insurance company I use, GJW, say that a 10% increase can be self declared anything higher requires a written valuation, one from a broker will suffice so no need for a survey. Hopefully I wil be able to find a friendly broker to do mine before the end of July.

Thanks Ray, not sure whether a key will be supplied with the hire boat, dib, dib, dib just being prepared, lol. ?

Midland Chandlers: BWB Sanitary Key | Midland Chandlers Also available on eBay, I cannot vouch for their suitability though. Is there a difference? Watermate Keys - Boat Equipment - Canal World

Let us know the builder as this may not be the first time he has acted this way. He may be another Ben Harp incident waiting to happen to another customer. Or if you feel uneasy naming direct please just give specific location rather then East Midlands. You’ve lost your confidence with the builder and the faults will always niggle at you, get you money back and find a builder that you can work with and will be happy with the end result, also visit regular to check staged progress, good luck.

I believe Challenger had the opposite problem. They sold shares they didn't own!

Bit of an update for anyone invested in my saga: I've agreed to a price with the owner, reduced from original asking, so I'm happy with where we landed. Now I need to... learn how to operate a NB, figure out how to run the electrics and plumbing and not fry my batteries on day one, somehow figure how to get her up the River Severn and onto the canal system (anyone know any boat movers in that area? I won't be attempting it by myself!) Officially one of you lot now ?

Where are you fitting the diesel generater? or are you going to punt it?

The only requirements are those set by your insurance company and your skills and intestinal fortitude. Mostly you need to apply common sense and seamanship. Proper Anchor and kit, life raft or life jackets at least, clean fuel, fresh filters. Boat preparation for being in a seaway. Etc. As said above it is not practical to do Cumberland basin to Sharpness on one tide in a normal narrow boat. Most folks overtide at Portishead marina. For an all daylight passage you could instead anchor at Pill in the Avon just above the M5 Bridge and then catch the flood to Sharpness. We did this, on a Sharpness to Brissle trip. The weather needs to be good. Nothing more than a force 3 for most narrowboats, and not wind over tide. We had a glorious day of 8/8 blue and force 1-2. The nav is pretty basic, if you have experience of inshore or coastal navigation, but the track is not. It is all over the river! There was when we did it a a video, made by the local police IIRC, showing the various beacons, day marks, transits etc. Under the M4 and M49 motorway bridges is very turbulent and you can see why from the tidal data and Admiralty chart for the passage. You also need to avoid the cooling water ponds for Berkeley power station. The reactor is shut down but they are likely to have a sense of humour failure if you get into their ponds, as some have done. Bristol harbour master charges like a wounded Rhinoceros! Obviously CaRT at Sharpness will need to know you are expected. There is nowhere to hang about off the entrance to Sharpness, so sort out the right time to arrive and avoid any outbound traffic, which usually leaves just before HW. You also need to arrange for the low level bridge at the dock exit to the canal to be swung. N