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All of this is true, as I distinctly remember Remainers arguing when pointing out we'd end up following European regulations anyway, but would be sacrificing any influence in making them...

Now we've left the evil clutches of the Brussels Bureaucrats and their evil, over-prescriptive regulation of how we can build boats, there are now new, red-white-and-blue regulations more suitable for the use of free-born Englishmen with a copy of Magna Carta tucked under their arms, which apply after Freedom Day at the start of this year. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950712/Guide-to-recreational-craft-regulations-2017-tp.pdf But, wait, they seem to be exactly the same as before! Boris, what have you done? Where have you gone? MP.

Wrong colour, surely?

If you recall, boaters used to be able to use red diesel for everything, the self-declaration, pay more for propulsion, less for heating, arrangement was brought in at the behest of the EU, or at least to attempt to conform with EU law. I was expecting our newly-freed government to take us back to the status-quo ante on this. Also to remove the prohibition on vintage engines in new boats, and the general one-size-fits all construction rules which don't sit well on English vernacular narrowboats. In fact I expected those changes to be just a small subset of all the "quick wins" we were assured would happen once we were freed from evil Brussels rule. I'm starting to worry that the government is not actually on our side with this. Maybe they've headed off EU tax avoidance rules, and got the ability to revoke EU employment rights, and used crude nationalism to destroy the Labour Party, and they're not so interested in helping us little people anymore? Maybe that Bullingdon club photo shows reality, and not students doing cosplay? Ah well, at least they've stopped immigration. Well, apart from 3 million Hong-King Chinese, and however many visas for Indians they're exchanging for the new trade agreement to replace the EIU-India agreement. MP. MP.

How can you say that? I'm looking for the upside here. I was looking forward to no paperwork, no ban on vintage engines, maybe go back to unrestricted red diesel. Just can't actually seem to find any upside. Help me? MP.

It is definitely a narrow beam whale, so my guess is that it is trying to get to the Oxford Canal.

That could be significant. If the float switch was working earlier on while you were away and the pump was regularly removing water, then this could have discharged the battery. Once the battery was flat, then the pump might have struggled, leading to the amount of water you had to remove when you got the engine running. Moving the bilge pump on to the house batteries would be better as the current shore line charger will top them up in between pumping sessions. Jen

Rainy day in 2016 The dog decided to let the humans get wet.

And are any of them potato?

For the record, the book is still available at around a fiver (despite an online book search giving prices from the USA of between £441 and £1185!) from a variety of sources - notably the Canalbookshop.uk at Audlem Mill (who, although currently out of stock, are expecting a delivery 'at the end of the month') and the boatshopbraunston.co.uk at Braunston Bottom Lock, who just told me they received copy(ies) 'a couple of weeks ago'. HTH, Chris D

Just Photoshop your boat into this photo. If it's good enough for the photography competition it should do for the silver propeller!

I thought Hammersmith bridge was closed?

That is good news - it always saddens me when I learn that manufacturers of good honest and useful products cease trading. For what it's worth, the fresh water tank on 'Alnwick' is lined with nothing but rust and after 16 years we are still alive . . . That's me standing upright in the tank (during cleaning) and I am 6 foot tall! I have wondered about getting it grit blasted and epoxy coated - it is a big tank!

Nah, whales - they like a community. It'd be headed for the K & A and Bath!

I know that is what the blurb claims but the question is does it actually work and how does it work. A number of years ago this type of battery conditioning (pulses) was discussed on this forum. I looked for independent research and found two papers. One German and one Australian. One said it worked and one said it did not. Gibbo who was working intensively on batteries said he had tested some units with mixed results. The results of using such devices had result t hat seemed to be random were between apparently working as stated, apparently doing nothing and destroying the battery. I doubt use for such a short time would do much damage but keeping the batteries fully charged as often as possible is likely to give a better battery life. If it works for you then that is good whether its a real result or psychological one but i would not recommend a charger based on that claim.

I agree that there may well be no agreement about this subject but I can only speak from my own practical experience which is reasonably extensive both professionally and in recreational sailing and boating, inland and offshore. I can only say that although I do respect the fact that you hold strongly held views you do express your opinion as if there is no room for any alternative views. I have no particular brief for or against Danforth anchors, and undoubtedly there are many others on the market which can offer superior performance, but having used Danforths and some of their derivatives over the years among other different types, in my opinion they can offer perfectly adequate performance if used correctly. We’re just going to have to differ on this particular subject. Howard

W = A x V Assuming 100% efficient charger will be using W = 7 x 13 W = 90 1000 / 90 W = 11 hours for 14p I reckon just over 1p per hour when running flat out at 7 amps, as the batteries become charged / fully charged and it drops to 2 or 3 amps, less than 0.5p per hour. Say roughly £1 per week You will need to keep an eye on the water levels in the batteries and check they are not getting hot.

City aiprort flight?

And worth every penny

Richmond lock is the lowest lock on the river and is part of a structure which includes a bridge and half-tide sluices. Most boats (and whales?) time their passage so that they pass under the bridge without stopping. The lock does incur a charge (currently £8 but a same day return is free) but we have never had need to use it. The sluices are normally open two hours either side of high tide. I think (see https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4622872,-0.3177212,3a,75y,257.47h,47.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAF1QipM4G1yY6sRdA4yQCLqaesxX3KiE8kpjCcwKnGQ0!2e10!3e11!7i5376!8i2688) that on the opposite bank is where the boat rollers are installed which are used for small boats, skiffs, or canoes, again at times when the sluices are closed. According to PLA website they have recently been refitted. Stretching it a bit to say that the whale was stuck in the lock but one wonders about the mind of the whale that ignored the wide open spaces and chose to try and swim uphill!

I just want Comastic back.

Its gone now. They sent it to a whale weigh station. OK, I'm taking my Silk boa and mink.

Yes, that's right, for people who don't want to pay to go through the lock when the weir is in place. Here's a photo taken at low tide, from upstream, you can just see the end of the rollers on the left and the slope on the right. This was taken during the annual "drawdown" when the weir is left in the "up" position for a month each autumn for maintenance. The river dries out between Richmond and Teddington. https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2017/11/18/what-happens-if-you-leave-the-paddles-open/

How anybody can still think we have gained anything from the brexit fraud is a mystery.

A rather pathetic attempt to be politely insulting if I may say so. Surely you can do better. To revert to my past life 3/10 Must try harder.

Job done, easy peasy. I called the insurance company, explained that I wanted to increase the insured value to reflect the fact that secondhand narrowboat prices have increased over the last year. They asked me what I wanted to increase the market value to. I told them, they agreed and slightly increased the premium and excess. I paid by credit card and await the revised documentation.

Regardless of whether we like the EU rules and regulations or not, we simply do not have the resources to write new rules for the UK across all areas of business, industry and every other activity. So we had to transfer the EU rules into UK law en masse at the point of Brexit. Presumably we now have scope to tweak the rules to diverge from the EU equivalent, although as has been pointed out there are strong commercial reasons to continue to mirror EU practice in some areas. On the other hand the pressure to do a trade deal with the US is going to mean a watering down of standards in other areas. I heard recently that McDonalds fries sold in UK and Europe have only 4 ingredients, whereas those sold in the US have 19, many of which are banned in Europe. Anyone for chlorinated chicken?

eek, I know the Northwich Traders are a bit on the deep side but that's impressive, I'm only about 5 foot 7 so I could probably live in there. Where do the gas bottles go? ..............Dave

Please sir, please sir, this thread is thinly disguised Politics. Help please to move it to where it belongs!!! Howard

It is also one way of saying - why go through the EU, when it isn't necessary. Or understand it.

If the mooring is going to carry so much weight in the decision, throw as much money at it as you can live with. You may have a chance of beating the price down, if the seller is desperate to be rid of it, and/or if the seller finds other interested buyers being put off by the extent of the overhaul needed.

On this day in 2018 Ratcliffe Lock River Soar (GU Leicester Line) More ninths of May

I'd give Sterling a quick call before chucking it away if I were you. I sent them an alternator regulator to adjust once and it was well out of warranty. Didn't charge me a penny. It's got to be worth a phone call even if they aren't interested.

Well we have zero, can we get a Silver Propellor but with a reverse screw?

And now tied up alongside Belfast just inside the basin.

Do you still have your rare unsigned first edition of Chris's book?