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Showing content with the highest reputation on 30/05/23 in all areas

  1. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
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  4. Arbutus helped me to get through Brum city centre and Aston locks. Thank goodness I took him up on his very generous offer. I really can't imagine how stressful, time consuming, and exhausting it would have been if I'd been on my own. He did 95% of the physical work, calmly and cheerfully, and was a massive help also in navigating around obstacles and other boats. I can't thank him enough for his time. It was a smooth journey, without any major drama, and I was able to get to Curdworth before dark.
    3 points
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  6. A big THANK YOU to Jon for organising things. We, that being Victor Vectis, Little Else, Sprouts Mum and Sprout herself had a lovely time. And another BIG THANK YOU to all the other entrants. Without meaning any disrespect to ‘Vulpes and ‘Goliath’ any pillock can come last but to come second last takes skill, planning and cunning. So well done us. 😀
    3 points
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  9. Thank you for all the feedback and comments. Really helpful. Paid another visit to the boat this morning and went through everything, having a thorough look round, getting details of the electrics and opening every cupboard and hatch possible, also speaking with some of the other owners there. So, now happy with the stove and heating system and I think you're right @LadyG, I've been overthinking it. I will be working so will have a regular income. The heating comprises of 2 radiators and a towel radiator in the Bathroom. The hot water is actually fed from a Calorifier, heated by the engine and also an Immersion heater which can be turned on while Cruising and on Shoreline. The calorifier seemed to be quite large, along with an expansion tank. Tried to find the capacity in the boats documenting but could not lay my hands on it quickly. The documentation was extremely detailed, well organised and containing a lot of information. Really thick ring binder. The water tank is stainless steel. The toilet is a Pump Out Toilet. Could not check the capacity of the water tank, but my understanding is that it is quite a large one as the Gas bottles are stored in the stern, so do not take up space in the bow meaning the water tank is larger. Gas bottles are stored under one of the seats in the semi trad stern. The 3 No adjustable solar Panels are trickle charging the batteries with an indicator showing that today when I looked. The electrical system seemed to be very well setup. I took loads of photos but forgot to photograph the electrical cupboard, which was very well organised and laid out very neatly with very professional wiring. Engine bay was bone dry and again very tidy with a clean engine. Did not get a chance to run it but this is going to be checked during the survey. I will proably be getting it serviced before I take the keys anyway, along with re-blacking assuming the survey is ok. I was surprised to find a Washing Machine on board although this, if used, will only be when on Shoreline. There is also an alarming amount storage with what I consider some ingenious solutions. The Galley actually has more storage than my Kitchen at home. A fold out ironing board from a drawer and two hidden cupboards which pull out with more worktop. Smoke detectors in place and a CO detector. All LED lighting apart from some feature lighting. Speakers in ceiling connected to Car Stereo. (Have to make sure it's DAB so I can listen to Absolute 80s 😃😃😃😃). I won't be Constant Cruising and will be based in the Marina, taking the boat out at weekends, (ie when not working), and longer periods in the spring/summer/late summer months, for breaks from from work and to explore and see new places etc. Maybe staying somewhere else for a longer period. So, while it will not be travelling constantly, it will be getting used and moving when possible. The Residential Mooring will be a Home Base. Sound odd to say, but I immediately felt at home on her and have now paid a deposit and organised the survey. Mike
    2 points
  10. I would have just wandered off and left them sat in the lock.
    2 points
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  12. Many thanks PeterF, now arranged with Brontë boats. shire cruisers don’t do it. For information to anybody reading this, diesel-bug.co.uk also quoted a reasonable price. Both firms quoted no more than £150 unless heavily contaminated where extra filters need to be bought. A reasonable price after watching various YouTube videos of boaters getting a bill for many hundreds!
    2 points
  13. Wouldn't happen. 1) Boat being overtaken has priority, and it is up to the overtaking boat to keep clear 2) Boat travelling downstream has priority. Therefore the upstream bound WV would alter course. The quoted Byelaws and the Colregs are saying the same thing. They are not contradictory.
    2 points
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  15. 2 points
  16. No it doesn't. This is how boat-buying should be. The boat found you and made you buy it. Sounds to me like a total gem of a boat. Very rare!!
    1 point
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  18. Didn't she sing "Saturday Night" back in the nineties? 😁
    1 point
  19. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  20. Not even tidal and this happens. 14 boats passed us in Blisworth tunnel yesterday,(we were the only one Northbound)... no problem except a private boat about 8th, who decided that they didnt want to get wet in the waterfall and steered into the centre to avoid, big bang and I swore. Their dog on the back slide had the cheek to bark at me, so I told it to blame its owner not me.
    1 point
  21. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  22. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  23. Well I was happy to pay for the 2pk treatment again after 4 years, it wasn't pristine by any stretch of the imagination like I would expect if it had been blasted steel but I think the cost is in line with bitumen out every 2-3 years and the protection better. There are photos of my boat and the one next door done with Bitumen on my blog at Harnser's Travels: Northwich Dry Dock (nbharnser.blogspot.com)
    1 point
  24. You're having a laugh, obviously. (please keep bumping.)
    1 point
  25. The question is, would the OP have got the answers they are receiving without my poor attempt at humour?
    1 point
  26. It snot sarcasm, its an attempt at humour! Its a bit dull otherwise, sitting at the keyboard, waiting for an interesting question to pop up.
    1 point
  27. Now this was on children's TV and so is best appreciated one episode per week at 4pm with a cup of hot chocolate and a pile of rich tea biscuits. I am not completely obsessive about this as I will allow you to choose the day of the week. Except it cannot be at the weekend. And you can't fall in love with Annette Robertson as I have already. Well a few years ago. And my recent trip to Llangollen was more of a pilgrimage really. Cheers Graham
    1 point
  28. You could add 'Black Safari' a 1972 BBC2 film of four Africans (three were West Indian) trying to find the centre of Britain. They were using David Lowe's Wye, which unfortunately broke down, so I had to tow them with Pluto from above Wigan to Bingley. At Bingley, we descended the locks with Hammond's Sauce Brass Band playing from the footbridges.
    1 point
  29. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  30. Yes this is the normal / usual / preferred procedure. Although , as you say ''normally''. Overtaking or passing on the wrong side is not prohibited if communicated .
    1 point
  31. Given that boats normally keep to the right when passing, surely it would make sense to overtake on the left -- so that just like on the roads (but on the other side) the overtaking boat (car) is in the opposing traffic "lane" if a boat (car) comes the other way? It's certainly what I've always done, and the boat being overtaken usually pulls over to the right not the left. If the rules say anything different that would just be a source of confusion, so I expect they don't... 😉
    1 point
  32. That stipulation is the Port of London authority on the tidal Thames out of Limehouse.
    1 point
  33. Really helpful when you need advice that you get sarcastic comments!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers
    1 point
  34. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  35. Once again making unwarranted assertions, as I've now come to expect. Let's actually look at what I've said rather than the nonsense that you keep alleging that I've said shall we? I've said that I'm not that troubled by coming up behind a boat going slower than I am provided it travels at a speed that my boat is capable of maintaining, I am also quite willing to stop to allow boat to pass me on the canal. What you have said is that you are equally content provided that they are only going 0.1mph slower than you. Since you wish to make fictiticious allegations about me I will allege that all that you want to do is blast around the system at the maximum permitted speed regardless of any damage to the infrastructure you may cause (you haven't said that? well I haven't said most of what you allege either). If time on the water is so onerous to you that you have to get it over and done with as quickly as possible, as I said earlier, perhaps narrowboating isn't for you?
    1 point
  36. Get a refund and order elsewhere. Have you looked in ebay tracking details? Have you got a text message or email (check your spam)
    1 point
  37. Apologies for confusion. Currently the Archive is available at the address given. Still hoping to keep this alive but with over 5tb of data the server we host on has become too expensive for the museum to maintain - when there were sufficient donations it was not an issue, current climate has killed that. We have also digitised the remaining Ailsa Craig drawings and records, also online at the moment. A number of people have now offered financial to help keep the archive online so fingers crossed. Access is always available at the museum. Paul
    1 point
  38. Rivets has the advantage of being able to achieve 4mph just about anywhere, although it does suffer from problems with weed around the prop as do other boats. It's massive disadvantage is that to compete seriously it requires to spend 24 hours in the open air over water with no sleep huddled around an engine wearing ear defenders with only the food and drink that you can pre-prepare and have room to carry. If it rains you're basically stuffed. Most folks would find an hour in Rivets to be plenty. The big advantage that Rivets, Tatty Lucy, Dolly and last year's winner Vulpes employed to their benefit was the ability to work locks efficiently with a crew of two. This gives a big advantage over a boat crewed with 4 or more. Although Rivets can share it is in peril of being sunk in any lock but most definitely so when it is sharing. The rules are pretty simple, any times entered that give an average of more than 4mph for any route section carries the sanction of disqualification and it has happened. Just doing 100 lock miles won't necessarily score that well if the locks involved include Wolverhampton, Tipton, Farmers Bridge and Aston and you cruise the length of the main line. Rivets and Tatty Lucy tackled 56 and 60 locks respectively and both did the big scoring Rushall and Walsall flights. Rivets advantage was that it cruised more miles but crucially that included the quadruple bonus rated central section of the Walsall Canal. Nobody wins the Challenge easily. You don't even get near without doing some properly difficult boating. I suspect having won that Dan and David will not wish to endure again what it took to win this time. And that's a better outcome than tweaking the rules to discrimate against one particular boat. What does happen is that the weightings and bonus factors are tweaked to try and give some sort of parity between different types of boats and given Rivets had competed once before and came sixth that's not previously been an issue.
    1 point
  39. Dont know wat all the fuss was about. Ah there wasnt any lol. As last seen bulkhead was removed. Now i have fitted a new one I was happy to start with on Friday i picked up the Marine ply, 18mm two full sets at £157, bargain. That wood yard is best in Bolton. If not Manchester. I havnt been faffing with boats for a couple years now due this and that but i never throw away, which is good as all the other materials i had int shed. Poly/Epoxy resin, woven, CSM and resins, and all inbetween so saved a fortune here. One thing i am near out of you will guess later. OK this H is doing me head in and sick of editing the post so please burrr with as i keep dropping H`s. I know it was a good price and need a 2.5m x 2m area covered i made as much of this ply as possible. Had to order some Puraflex 40, my choice of adhesive as its excellent and same ingredients as Sika 291i. Just Toolstation had to get it delivered as out of stock, which it didnt turn up so i bought more from a TS further away and went to collect it. hey ho an hour wasted already haha. Now this is my trick of the trade for templating anything needed to be ...well templated Basting tape. real good double sided tape used in sewing mainly. And no so new acetone. down to my last 200ml i reckon. if tat. just stick the tape all around the edge to be templated Where in some you will have your murder scene. Dont worry i am still alive, T still loves me.....tab god And then i marked out the cutting edge wit perm marker. trim the polythene but leave a few inch/75mm then you can place it over sheet and get it were you want before trimming back, just so you know your sheet is big enough. trim back to line, mark around wit marker and cut ply. CUT tough inside the marker line on ply as tat is the cut line needed. it needed a wee fettle to get fitted and like a idiot i am i cut to much off one edge, but easy sorted. You dont need to see that bit lol. ok the bit i cut to much out to fit snug The gap the the Portside is were the sheet maxes out on width. no problem as will make a new bit to fill tat. Rest is the same, I was wanting to add Spead Toe Carbon Fibre but i couldnt find any wide enough and no patience. So now i used poly resin with added styrene for three coats, first being 5% last being 2%. then lay up of one lam of 350grm CSM. you can see in that pic i chamfered the edges in a few places to give a good area for connecting the boards together. I fixed the new bulkead in with Puraflex40 along the top and side down to the gunnel with 20mmx8mm SS screws. . Here you see the camfer i did where needed. to be filled wit CSM and woven. then a topping off wit filler. So set to work tabbing in the bottom and sides upto gunnel. Not that you can see , i did five layers of a mix of CSN and woven. good and strong. One thing though i messed up wit rushing was that i wanted the joints to be epoxy and filler but as i used poly resin/CSM the flowcoat will not stick. so i used Poly resin a through. still do the job though. I cant remember now which filler this is but i usually use it wit epoxy but as said i am only using Poly resin i tried it and works fine to fair in the joint. Not tat it needs it as it will not be seen ans its below deck. But still it will do, its not my best as used t be OCD, now i just want it done. Last bit for the last two days is Flowcoating it. I found about 2l int she and as its old i thought i should test it first. And to my joy it is fine Just gave it a good mix I gave it a single thick coat then when is was greening off i used the rest. I will polish it back next week wen fully set in. It looks out of place now wit te boat. now ill need to polis te boat back up to match I have two more windows to refurb whic i will as and wen as no rush so mainly ill be getting te fuel tank back in and rear deck. which i hope leads the deciding on the starter battery calorifier homes. Captain Faffer singing out as shattered now and need a cider
    1 point
  40. Their big advantage is length, or lack of same. The boat can turn round on a standard width canal, no need to look for winding ‘pled. Well done to them for winning, even if none of the crew fell in this year!
    1 point
  41. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  42. I've just sent out the final scores to the competitors. 1. Rivets 5000 - 451 pts 2. Tatty Lucy - 401 3. Misty Blue - 306 4. Dolly - 304 5. Goosander - 298 6. Rebellion - 294 7. Ferrous - 286 8= Misbourne no 3 - 281 8= Song of the Waterways – 281 10. Maxwell – 231 11. Melaleuca – 212 12. Tamar – 160 13. Thistle – 150 14. England – 143 15. Atlas and Malus – 133 16. Red Wharf – 88 17= Goliath – 82 17= Vulpes – 82
    1 point
  43. Instead of taking the Coffin and all the expense it could occur, as he’s getting cremated try and organise a day on a boat with his ashes as a remembrance, with friends and family. It could be later in the year so you’ll have enough time to organise. This would be easier to do than the Coffin move at short notice.
    1 point
  44. Yes same boats still at Eastwood, with little action from CaRT.☹️
    1 point
  45. Obviously if we have caught them up from far behind, they are going more slowly than us. How much slower can be assessed by the rate of closure. The effect you mention is going to slow them, but only by a very small amount. Something like a trough aqueduct is of course going to make the effect more significant, but most of us spend less than 0.1% of our time on such aqueducts so you point is an exception not normality. The obvious indications of a boat ahead at or close to tickover are virtually no sign of prop wash and virtually no discernible ripples from the bow. But surely you know this? If we are only very slowly catching them up, eg we are doing 3.5mph and they are doing 3.4 mph, then I am not fussed about overtaking and we will reduce from say 1300rpm to 1200 rpm, no big deal. It is the people who you come up behind rapidly with their boats barely making a ripple from the bow or the prop, that are the issue. Our boat does about 2 to 2.5 mph at tickover (depending on depth etc) and any slower, we have to go into neutral. I can’t help feeling that if you put more effort into thinking about how to considerately let others pass you, and less effort into thinking up reasons why they shouldn’t, the world would be a better place.
    1 point
  46. If there is space for two boats to pass in opposite directions, there is space for one to pass the other in the same direction, given suitable cooperation and skill in both instances.
    1 point
  47. Agreed. It's odd when those....who think it is not a race/why the hurry/take the train if you're in a rush... are themselves sufficiently short of time to preclude letting me by
    1 point
  48. In 2020 I posted some photos of our subsequent 1977 trip to Leicester here on the "Black Prince Owners' Club" section: (page 6, July 2020). . Right from the start, BP provided each hirer with a commemorative plaque. The ones we had in 1976 and 1977 were of painted wood in the form of a shield. The practice has continued, but the ones we have had recently have been in the form of slate discs.
    1 point
  49. Well that will be £5.90 for the one way train fare. I have an OAP bus pass and as I live in the West Midlands, I can use it on Trains and Trams in the area after 09:30. So getting home is no cost. I've sent a PM Hopefully you can receive it, I don't know how many posts you need before it is active. Whitebeard, if you didn't receive the private message, email me at knockoffthearris - at - gmail - dot - com
    1 point
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