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To top the batteries up

Age is not only a physical thing. We met a gent yesterday trying to help his friend up the Atherston flight, he had never worked a lock before, Diana tried helping but comments like I am nearly 75 to which she told him I'm 74. and things like you cant teach an old dog new tricks. In the end he went home and left his friend to single hand up the flight. It wasn't his physical age stopping him working locks but his mental age and just couldn't/wouldn't grasp it. I hope they are still friend, but I have my doubts.

The purpose of hiring KPMG, or any other consultants who know where their money comes from, is to get a report that says what you want it to. It's nothing to do with fact finding or proper analysis. That's why governments, and big business in general, always get duff advice. It's what they're paying for.

I'm the opposite. I can't understand the point of owning a boat unless you're gonna live on it for a significant portion of the year. If I had a boat which was lying on its mooring unused for most of the year, I'd sell it and take up a part share or hire holiday boats when I wanted to.

Not sure why you'd think that - none of us had any badges last week, so it's not like we've worked hard for them - and having 90% of the regular posters on the highest rank makes a mockery of the system. It may also be off-putting to new members, although this could also happen further down the line if you reset them all to zero. Good call, thanks. I'd still prefer to see all badges zeroed and it only calculate going forward not looking backwards. Mind you, I'd also like to see "greenies" not be available at all or not be counted in the virtual pub or the political sections. It does seem counterproductive that someone who sticks to good, informative posts on a boating topic can not possibly "win" the day. It is nearly always political pointscoring from one faction or another - in a section that many members never even visit - that decides the leaderboard, so again this feature seems pointless to me if it's not scored only from the main forum.

.... bugger and I've just had this built. 'NB Yorkshire' complete with dry canal cruise control, swing bridge opener and lock crane.

You forgot to mention my largely pointless array of B2B chargers! But I remember showing the young chap my precious lithium batteries- the cheeky bugger fell asleep when I was only 3 hours into my lithium lecture... I did warn him though, rule one is never take any notice of any advice I give! 🤣

I'm not typing out the whole report but some of the bullet points : 1) KPMG were commsssioned by the Government in 2011 to confirm that BW's business plan for the hand-over to C&RT was financially sound. 2) KPMG costed out the expenditure required to maintain the 'steady state'(maintain the condition of the waterwatys as it was in 2011) at £103.9 million per annum 3) For several years the expenditure had fallen well below the required steady state. 4) BW / C&RTs planned expenditure was £82m for 2009/10 and £74.6m for 2012/12 5) C&RTs business plan forecast they would spend less on maintenmance in their 1st 2 years, and when the 'charity giving' came on board they would aim for 'steady state' expenditure - It never happened. 6) A 'what do they know' request resulted in the figure that the backlog of maintennace wotk was in excess of £100m and would be increasing for several more years. Since 2012 when C&RT 'took over' I think the accounts show that the steady state has not been attained, let alone any reduction in the back-log.

The Trust model isn't working. If they increase the licence fees beyond inflation, there's no guarantee they'd cope. And are boaters just going to be left wondering what novel way of pricing will be the order of the day the following year, when maintenance targets are missed.

Your problems really start when it becomes a 'hole thing' !

AJ's company was / is Unusual Rigging who's headquarters is behind the pub at Bugbrooke by the railway. As well as the specialist projects of which there have been hundreds, they are the UK's leading theatrical rigging supplier working on the majority of major and minor shows in the UK both on tour and in the West End. His loss was a great loss to the entertainment industry, he has been honoured at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which underwent a multi million pound refurb and restoration, for which he was involved in the backstage engineering upgrades. Kind regards Dan

Pointless speculating, you can't compare results between what happened and what might have happened, you will never know what would have happened if you had gone down a different, fictional, route in life. The pivotal word is " if ", a little word with a big meaning to quote my old mum.

Yes I have seen that in action. Used to know a couple. The man was not very well. Went to Doctor and was told he had 6 months to live. He chucked in his job, sold the house. He,his wife and son bought a narrowboat to live on. Years later he was told the Cancer was gone.

Hiya, I am looking to buy a new set of (4?) leisure batteries for my narrowboat. They will be used to power some small 12v appliances but also a 240v, 600W water distiller (via a 12v inverter, so 50A) that usually runs for about 4 hours (200Ah) every day. Charging the batteries will be 600W to 800W of solar panels (via an Epever 60A 6415AN MPPT charge controller). Could you recommend any particular type or make/model of battery? Many thanks, James

Yes I didn't twist it round Top leg on panels and bottom on the roof, to diagonals bolted together

This is a ridiculous proposal. There isn't a problem with moorings in Central Birmingham. I've been through on several occasions in the last few years and never found it overcrowded. Being able to reliably find secure visitor moorings in the city centre makes it possible to visit Birmingham. This change, so that you have to moor beyond Vincent Road, makes it less feasible, I wouldn't moor there. Knowing there are only more limited moorings in quieter areas out of sight makes me less confident about visiting. Its a bad move and unnecessary in my opinion.

No I'm just a believer - if you say you ONLY want a 7 foot beam boat I believe you. You just make your self look stupid when you then suggest a 12 foot beam boat. I you cannot even be consistent then 'I'm out'.

Shut the southern canals as they seem to be in good nick . Focus all attention on the northern canals

Won’t be long before CRT lead him up the garden path possibly.

The map should explain where my photo was taken, of Woolston Lock on the Mersey & Irwell's New Cut. With regard to the lift bridge, this is a photo of it in its original position, taken by Roger Lorenz. I was involved with its re-erection, the vertical drive shafts requiring some straightening before it would work again. The whole bridge was slightly lozenge shaped after local kids had swung the counter-balance weights rather too enthusiastically.

I haven't yet had that email. Still sounds reasonably positive. EDIT: I received a slightly different version:

They only sell hearing aid batteries so no use for the boat ...

Also this interesting video to Now this

Presumably the cost to hire boat companies will also be going up. The canals need people to take holidays on boats and also companies building, selling and hiring along the routes otherwise the system will become moribund. From time to time we look at the possibility of hiring a boat, out of season, even then it has become, frankly, shockingly expensive and if you get a week of solid rain it is just not worth the money. Owning or hiring a boat has become far too expensive. It is irrelevant whether it is 'fair' and we should pay more or 'unfair' and people complain and think about selling up and leaving. The fact is that CRT are being forced to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. The canal system needs government funding and the chances of getting more are just about nil. The government holds the key to the future of the waterways and it is not looking good.

If you have an old boat the work has to be done to Boat Safety Scheme requirements and to meet any requirements of your insurers. But beyond that there is no 'code' to which work must be done. The BSS is pretty straightforward to comply with if you familiarise yourself with the requirements.

Last night, by Whixall moss.

I have penned an objection to this 'consultation' on the grounds that they're not following the agreed process and not answering the questions that the process says must be published at least six weeks before a trial period (of not less than six months) starts. In essence I'm saying that no case for the 2-day all year restriction has been made, that the signage problem is of their own making (and is easily fixed....), and that they are not saying how they'll review the trial and the difference it's made to behaviour....

It will be a pain for those that obey the rules

This is why we pay for the proper Webasto diagnostic kit, and software, with full technical backup from Webasto if needed, so you guys can enjoy your boating and get your Webastos fixed properly.😁

You dont win a prize as you didnt put "wellbeing" in your sentence.