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I think the problem is that boating is usually pretty dull. Not much happens on any trip, so anything like a venture down the weed hatch, getting rocked by a speeding boat or getting in the water is worth a few minutes of film. Just pottering along isn't really very cinematic.

Enough to make it enjoyable, throw in Smethwick and your choice of one of the other 3 locks for fun.

nearly 1 month further on........ we've pretty much sorted the back cabin hull welds and are in the process of leak testing..... We've been measured for top cloths as they will take a while to make The signwriter has been out with an anticipated date of early July to write her...... We've tacked the sterngear boss in..... I thought about offeringher services to CRT to transport water to much needed areas...... In true wooded boat replica we thought we would see what she looks like with water on the inside too..... As others have pointed out, sinking on dry land is a special skill....... Kind regards Dan

I see. Yes I agree. I suppose there is no point starting to pay for a leisure mooring until you actually arrive, and the money that saves would more than offset the small extra cost of a CC licence.

You will need to raise a business proposal with CRT. They will require you to have MCA Boatmaster or equivalent; which for Cat A and B inland waters an RYA IW Helmsman certificate is deemed an equivalent. General liability insurance will also be required by CRT but what you really need to concern yourself with is getting liability insurance that covers any craft under your control. That’s not so easy, but it can be done. It’s not comparable to leisure boat insurance and is a lot more costly.

That's a shame. Could the forum help at all?🤣

4mph is rarely achievable even without moored boats, and canalplan doesn't assume it either. Default average speed is 2.5mph for narrow canals, and I find this is typically quite accurate -- and yes I slow down past moored boats, and don't make much wash on open stretches. If your helmsperson goes more slowly than most, it's easy to change the default speed.

Isn't it possible to do both? I have been asking and answering questions on this forum for nearly 20 years. I'm not sure what your issue is? I wasn't being nasty or aggressive and I have no problem with Alan who is also known to indulge in gentle piss-taking when the opportunity arises.

When we bought Oates, I mentally wrote off the entire purchase price. Maybe it will eventually be sold, maybe it will pass down for generations. Either way, it doesn't matter at all at the moment, we just enjoy (or curse) it! Tycho and Erebus have the same situation - they are worth more than nothing but not a value that can easily be derived by comparison. With this type of boat, if you love it, you don't care about the value; if you don't then it isn't the boat for you. Alec

Not my pictures - but around two years ago I met the Louth Navigation Trust and as we walked and talked we had a conversation along the lines that getting access to the water on the seven mile level from Tetney would be a good plan. A slipway perhaps... About that time the warehouse at Austen Fen was being sold, and the new owners also thought this was a splendid idea - so splendid they went and did it. If I have the details right the owners got all the permissions and the Louth Navigation Trust found grant funding (it is mostly on EA land) - it's now in use and the water accessible. Okay just for paddles at the moment but from small seeds... The Louth Canal is unlikely to ever be a major holiday waterway, unconnected, only 11 miles and with seven of its eight locks in the top four miles. But personally I think this is wonderful - but then I do have a soft spot for Louth and its Canal. Photos by Chau Lee, one of the new owners of the warehouse, taken from the Louth Navigation Trust Facebook page - link here for those who "do" Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/478410456289005/permalink/1861313831331987/

Thank you for the heads up and more to the point many thanks for your efforts on our behalf.

Yes, I see what you mean. That keeps things simple. probably the most likely outcome… I think that settles the matter. Thank you for the input!

Just a heads up anyone starting down at the bottom of the 21. I had hell of a job getting into lock 20 this morning. Had to really get a good speed up to push that bottom gate fully open. Maybe be 6 or 7 goes at it. It’s been a pain for a couple of years for me. I was wedged in for awhile this morning. Silt and gravel behind the gate. Phoned CRT and a bloke turned up as I was leaving lock 17. He was on his way down to take a look. Now I’m a very narrow narrowboat, so how any boats at max width have been coping 🤷‍♀️ I dunno. If I were going up Sat morning on the challenge I’d walk and check it out the evening before. otherwise I had a good run up, two (?) locks with no off side paddle, lots of water, and all but a couple of locks were in my favour.

My first experience of DC isolators were sprung edge knife switches on DC switchboards like the one in the photo. The springs had to be periodically changed because when they lost tension some really spectacular arcs could be drawn, much to the detriment of the isolator switch!

I’ve seen lots of boats with it on recently and spoke to someone who’s got it. However at £90 a month he can keep it as a decently mobile router and antenna is fine for most people’s needs

That last picture was the other day in market harbough. The brewery tap is in Chester. I like posting pics of pubs. Especially as I'm doing all the leg work for future visits 🤣

That rather depends how heavy the rain is. With the ground so dry and hard at the minute if we get torrential rain it will just run off into the rivers and the Trent (and other rivers) will rise at an alarming rate. Which generally is something to worry about if you are moored up.

Back on the original topic... There has been a big debate going on in Australia about the use of isolators on solar circuits. Australia, of course, being the country with a lot of powerful sunshine. Isolators are no longer recommended there because of the amount of fires they were causing probably down to them being under specified or the wrong type being fitted by poorly qualified installers. Doesn't mean they're a bad idea in my book, just that if you're fitting one fit the correct one.

It most certainly was. The original consultation document [Link here] cited this under Section 2.3.6 and again in Section 3.1.

Ditto 30yrs old this year.

I’ll give the Rainbow a go over winter when I’ve a bit of time, I don’t mind a lager pub if it’s got character (and friendly characters too).

First hand and eye checks on the cable terminals, if the W terminal on the alternator is a spade, I have known it to vibrate so it loosens and no longer makes good contact. The W terminal outputs pulses that increase in frequency as the revs increase, so if you have a multimeter that measures Hz (Hertz/frequency) set it to that and connect between W and any negative and rev the engine. If you get no frequency or a very low one, it is the alternator (probably a failed diode). If it goes up, the alternator is OK. You can do the same with the meter set to Volts AC and, again, it should rise as you rev, but I can't give you a typical reading. if these, normally easier access tests show the alternator is OK, then get behind the rev counter and look for loose/detached connections. Then test for voltage at the 12V input between the 12V in terminal and the 12 V negative. With the ignition turned on, the expected reading is battery voltage. Finally, repeat the W terminal test, but this time on the alternator connection on the rev counter.

This is us. Trains calmed down a bit now. Bonus! Saw my first Swallow of the year!

I assume you have a Steve Priest built boat

Hi Pete, We have a photo of her with some on, this is what has inspired me to get practising them. Will have to wait an see how they turn out.