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It's absolutely true. There used to be a boat moored at the top of the flight infested with these fly larvae. Each year, in the spring, the fly would exit the boat in huge numbers and descend the Hatton flight at great speed. The boat became known as the Warwickshire fly boat.

Is that enough bickering now? The Anchor at High Offley is indisputably nice: I rather like the deep cuttings, although the current slew of fallen trees and small landslips poised over the canal is a bit worrying.

I wouldn’t get too worried about buying batteries and generators, there are widebeams out there with sufficient batteries, generators and enough solar for things to work and to suit your needs if you look. Look for a boat that you can use, not one you have to spend £1000’s on straight away. You need to enjoy it from the start, not turn it into a building site day one.

As the OP, I very much still enjoy all the contributions. The time stamping of photos over the years has added the dimension of how things change, and has increased the value and enjoyment to me, of this thread. So thanks especially to Peter Scott, but also to Naughty Cal, I enjoy your photos of UK coastal escapades. So hopefully this thread remains as a valuable record of the ongoing recent history of Britain's inland, and coastal waterways. 14k replies and 640k views obviously means that I am not alone in pursuing this branch of voyeurism.

I think you read my post wrong, this is for the top of the boat not the hull, and the painter at the boat builders paints top class boats all year round, so I think his advise is something to take onboard rather than a paint distributor, thanks for the input anyway.

Sincere apologies if offence given. Offence was not intended. However I can see my manner was obnoxious. I sincerely appreciate helpful advice. I have found the helpful advice of many people on this forum hugely helpful over the last couple of decades.

Or ..................... Just because some bod on a forum tells you ‘MDF’ isn't waterproof doesn’t make it true and you’ll find out later to your cost and disappointment.

Thanks for pointing that out. The boat mover has his own insurance, so i think were good to go.

If you have nothing to add, no "holiday snaps" of your own, why bother continuing to A look at the topic and B continue to derail from the subject?

Spoken like a true retired or jobless boater! There is no way I could hold down my job without a vehicle.

I went a bit further and turned at the incinerator - I knew Ripple wouldn't fit the locks (she was 62 foot) but I hadn't factored in that canals with short locks have short winding holes too

Why not? If its a back boiler system it was probably intended to be gravity circulation with 28mm pipe to provide minimum resistance. My guess is it didn't actually circulate properly so was converted to pumped circulation. If that had intended from the start it would have used 15mm pipe throughout anyway.

If you had cruised the K&A, perhaps your final sentence would be a bit different.

Who else popped in to see poor quality boats.... ?

Do they sell BMC recons? or maybe Golden Glow?

Yes, I remeber all those dodgy adverts for gold and silver recon BMC's. I wonder if they did a bronze version too....no recon at all, straight from the scrapyard with a quick coat paint 😀.

I have a lathe. I can probably make an adapter if you can be clear about what you need. For free.

Misogynist! 🤣 Misandrist! 🤣

Get over your disappointment - a lovely pair of boobies

I’m with you on that, if a car isn’t essential then ditch it, great relief to get rid of mine, no need to worry now about planning to fetch car or where to leave it, It’s cost less for trains and public transport over a year than it would have on car insurance and mot,

Try wax on wax off for a minute grasshopper. Have you used any of the medite which l put the link up. Or even read the spec. Not saying use it in yours or anyone else's boat. I've used it so can voucher for it being more than adequate for outside use open to all elements. For you to just blanket the use of all so called waterproof MDF as no good is what I was responding to. So just wind your neck in from between your arse cheeks for a minute if can. I think it was another old bod to use your words which pointed you to a new product you new nothing about regarding wall panels.

Thanks LadyG ! Hi magnetman, no it’s not , however waterways chaplaincy said that’s no longer an issue , thanks for your input !

Before they will issue your licence, do C&RT check your bank account and savings and then accept that you are 'self-insuring'

I pay £1 per litre for my diesel from a boatyard, it can be £1.25 at a marina, Alllow 300 to 500 engine hours at 1l per hour, £300 to £625 per annum Servicing £500 per annum Blacking and painting £500 pa I buy two x 13kg gas per annum, I don't use the oven much. £90 pa Coal and logs delivered ( Excell is £16.50 per 25kg sack). Kindling and firelighters £25pa £650 Pa I bought new agm batteries four years ago, they don't need topping up, and I never let them go down, of course I have very small power requirement. I dont use my washing machine, i wash socks by hand and a launderette for everything else. It's the drying that is the problem. Food costs etc come under personal expenses you have them anyway, what you are interested in is the extra cost of boat owning. You can live frugally, no nights out, no subscriptions, but long term we all spend just a bit less than we earn, thats human nature. The personal insurance cover could be eye-watering, and usually does not kick in for a few months, most people self insure, save hard, save for insurance, save for licencing as you have the interest plus you get an early payment discount. You will need lumps of money from time to time. You can get 8% in small savings accounts, and 5% in larger savings accounts. Always have two bank accounts, the Nationwide is not a bank, but it behaves like one , it sometimes gives you cash, just for being loyal! Use Martin's money-saving site for tips. My tip is not to use aps, they are the spawn of the devil, unless you get a bonus discount for using them, take it, then delete it!

As a typical average you will need to run the engine for 4 hours per day and 8 hours at weekends (lets say 30+ hours per week) 30 hours at 1.5 litres / hour = 45 litres 45 litres at £2* per litre = £90 per WEEK / £180 per Month ** Fuel prices do vary and will depend on how you make your tax declaration. Fuel prices will only increase.

Sorry I read it as £50-100 per annum.

1-1 1/2 litres per hour.

On this day 2016 A wet grey day at the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies

Thanks for the tipoff! Just picked some up. Lovely.

Thanks everyone foe your comments and suggestions. Whilst we have all been musing about who is best, and why on earth a new boater would not want to move a boat themselves my husband has found a husband and wife team who will move our boat for £120 a day, and have agreed to do long days so that we can meet them at the marina on a Sunday (got to keep to weekends because of work). I'm not sure what you all think , but I'm very happy with this and looking forward to settling into boating life when we retire later this year.

Thanks, I understand all of this. One thing I didn't expect going in was how significant the age is on price regardless of condition. The depreciation curve is pretty brutal! I suppose that can be read as "an increasing probability of something going wrong", although to continue to car analogy I'd rather have the exceptionally well cared for 100,000 mile one than the 10,000 mile one that has never had an oil change. And for the record I wouldn't take the Rolls or the Ford but perhaps a Rover P6. 😁 It will be useful to know this prejudice exists when dealing with other boaters, thanks. Given the need to engage with wider society to some extent and the appalling state of public transport, I don't see a way around having a car.

You do need to balance the price and when comparing boats consider : Age Size Condition Just as an example a 15 year old boat will not require an 'insurance survey' a 20 year old may, and pretty definitely a 25 year old boat will. As boats age the insurers will insist on a condition survey before issuing cover. It will then become subject to a new survey every X years (X varies by insurer. A boat with 10,000 hours MAY be getting near end of life and require an expensive rebuild, or, engine replacement. Condition - are there any service records, has it been serviced regularly ? Is there any damp ? etc In some respects the original manufacturer is not a determiner of price - it is the care and attention it has received in the intervening years. You can buy a good 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow for ~£6000, or you can buy a good 1995 Ford Escort for £5995. Which has the better build quality ?

People that fancy cruising don’t have a widebeam or a car. People that have a widebeam and a car still want the “house” life but on the water.

If you are only intending to consider boats already on the K&A you are severley restricting your options - and - prices are generally considerably higher in the 'South' when compared to the Midlands and North. Your perfect boat maybe available 'just around the corner' & at the price you want to pay, but, because you are only looking in a very localised area you'll miss it.

I think that warm moist air from the cabin can find its way past the plywood panels into the unheated area around the tank, and the water vapour will condense on the cold hull sides, deck plate and water tank. Condensation will not be obvious if you look when the outside temperature is relatively warm, but I bet its there if you look early in the morning or late in the evening.

Looking on the bright side its most likely to be condensation. The air around the tank gets warmed in the sun and then the cold wind chills it below the dew point.

Film photography was always hit and miss. The weight of the returned package was usually a good indicator of your success or otherwise. The older images are fascinating, regardless of quality.

Hello, I’ve seen on here people are trying find out more details regarding my dad of A&B Wroe Boat builders, please feel free to drop me a message we have lots of photos and drawings.

They are automated, check the board visually but most importantly visually check the flow. The boards and lights don't match up that well. The lock will still let you pen through.