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So was the Titanic.

No I should be the one apologising. I misread your post and answered a question you didn't ask!

Yes that’s the right Mary Gibby….she mainly single handed Swan around the network too…and made starting it’s Gardner semi diesel look easy….something which I found hard when I tried…and failed! Truly one of the cuts great characters and one I’m very much going to miss.

Is it only me that thinks that CRT should only issue keys to registered license holders and not sell them to every Tom, Dick, or Harry? If facilities are "Boaters Facilities" how the frick is it that cyclists, fishing people and anyone else seems to use the same facilities just because CRT have sold them a key? License holders pay for the facilities, not Charlie Farnsbarns who cycles down the towpath in his lycra with the rest of the pelaton. That's the same facilities that CRT claim CC'ers use more than anyone else hence why they've increased the license...if that's the case then only issue keys to genuine license holders.

Readily available at the local garage.

I am rather against bow thrusters on narrowboats, but on a widebeam I think it is excusable!

There is something on Mary Gibby on the Hospitalfield website: https://hospitalfield.org.uk/garden-talks-this-autumn/ (I hope I have the right Mary Gibby, I think I have). Select the slides link (Part two), there are images of staff. Some may recognise Mary therein. Many years ago Mary invited us to go along to Chelsea for a visit, sadly we never made it.

I would have stopped in Salcombe and relocated the wife 😀 You can probably tell I have spent far too much time skulking around marinas.

I think it is a lot harder than you imagine, living in a marina is a word apart from continuos cruising. Many YouTubers give up after a few years, it is so much easier to switch on a light, run the tap, flush a loo, turn up the hating, without a worry, and you have so much more space. No engine, batteries, fuel, water tank, to worry you or mooring to find. The shops, the laundrette, and the railway station. Life is so much harder, off grid, out on the cut. So, the answer of between a quarter and a third of your time seems reasonable, the general upkeep of the boat takes longer as well. I am in a marina, and it is hard enough, I seem to spend more time sorting the boat, and doing boat chores than I like, but my friends who continuously cruised London, say they would never go back as it was so much harder, and a lot less secure Cycling to work in the rain, taking a wet, oily bike with muddy wheels on a crowded train, minding the city commuters in their office clothes, is a pain, I have done it. Then you have to store your bike somewhere, hang your wet gear up out of the way, and look smart for work. Then there are train strikes, cancellations and delays. I gave up and bought a bus pass. Of course, you will find out for yourself. You will enjoy the good times, forget the hard ones, and your work may let you lead a Bohemian life. Who are we to judge. I couldn't be bothered to nitpick, life is too short.

Now since Brexit, when importing a yacht from Europe, it incurs a 20% VAT charge. Likewise, anyone in the EU will pay VAT on imports from the UK. This has severely reduced demand from overseas on both sides of the channel. VAT is not paid on yachts traded privately, either within the UK or in Europe, so long as it was paid when new. A company owned yacht may not have had VAT paid, and would be due on sale. So there is little demand from overseas, except for new yachts, often luxury ones, where they are exported VAT free, and the buyer pays any tax due in the country of import.

That's a good thought. The OP did mention an interest in seeing some of the history of Birmingham from the canals and going round one of the loops would give a good perspective. It's about a 45min round trip from Vincent Street Bridge, so I think if I got an early enough departure from Alvechurch to be arriving with time to do it, I would go round the loop that evening and moor pointing towards Farmer's Bridge, ready to head off that direction in the morning. I still suggest it is worth a stroll down the top couple of locks of the Farmers' Bridge flight in the evening after mooring up, after dark as it is a surprisingly pleasant place. This was when we came through in May. It reminded me of walking around a Mediterranean city. Alec

That’s so sad….Mary was responsible for me getting into boating via a mutual friend of my fathers…we visited her on Swan in battlesbridge basin and I was immediately hooked…that’s now probably 35 years ago now….I last saw Mary at Audlem last year and was looking forward to catching up again soon. I’m a little lost for words right now….

I would allow an estimate of 10% of the black water tank can't be got out & 10% space needs to left at the top. You do NOT want the sewage standing in the inflow pipe. If the winter was bad I would get it pumped out when half full when possible, leaving 30 days capacity from that point. Mascerators are great. Drop throughs are primitive. Depends on your perception of quality of life. For me mascerator every time, with a nice china toilet. The amount of water my mascerator used was adjustable on each visit. Its visitors that block mascerators. You won't. I took mine apart several times and it wasn't a dirty or smelly job. Remember that female visitors if you aim to have any tend to be more picky about toilet facilities than (more practical) men. Winters are getting much milder so stock a little sunscreen cream. Some on here recommend the banging 2 stones together method of laundry washing - I could not manage on just 2 loads per month and a decent washing machine is a must-have. I have used laundrettes when necessary, an awful faff but effective. Can't comment on the rest.

I emailed the previous owner, lovely guy & very helpful, he said that they used to black it them selves every 2 yrs with Intertuf but the last three times they had it done at boatyards, the last one being Fox's at March, which was last year about 6 mths before they put it up for sale. They always insisted on minimum of 3 coats but admit they were not there to see it done. The surveyor (Craig Allen) told me (& I can only say what he said to me) was that it was a c**p job and would need to be done again this year. The previous owner made a reduction to cover the cost and he also said that they never had the bottom plate blacked. Apart from the blacking there was nothing else significant in Craig's report. The hull & sides still measured between 10mm & 10.1mm & 6mm & 5.9mm respectively and although there was some pitting it was in very isolated spots and measured max 0.3mm on the base and 0.9mm on the hull. Considering the base plate has never been blacked and also no galvanic isolater was ever used athough always based in a marina I think for a 14 year old boat that is pretty damn good report. As a newbie I am tending to overthink matters it is like the galvanic isolater debate, after much researching and consideration I got one, have I wasted my money/time and effort only time will tell but not in my lifetime me thinks. We have had a quote from the marina we are based, hull only, for £1000 but that also includes painting the gunnels with a matt black and repainting the two colours at the stern and the decorative part at the bow. They have a proper set up and I assume, being based at the marina, they would do a good job, plus it means thay can do it whilst we are not there and saves us travelling elsewhere. Difficult one blacking isn't it or is it we are making it difficult.