arpeeuk

I have a Hoover Aquarius wdd740 and it runs fine with my kipor kge3000ti provided I fill with hot water. The genny struggles if the water heater kicks in. The dryer function runs fine too on the genny. I think it all depends on how clean the sine wave produced by the generator is.

There's about 8 boats trapped in Hungerford at the moment waiting to escape, none at Kintbury and I doubt there are any waiting directly above Cobblers but people may be waiting at Great Bedwyn to come east. Have heard rumours that Hungerford Marsh may be open by the end of next week, but it's only a rumour. Rik

Thanks for your help, I'm not in touch with Merlin and the current thinking is that it's a cable problem. Thanks again Rik Did you really mean that you are not in touch with Merlin? Nick

Hi, Can anyone give me any advice about the install of a Smartbank Advanced with my SmartGuage. I've installed it as per instructions, or I think I have, but when I connect the 2 units with the supplied RJ11 cable the Smartguage gives an error E13 and the relay is activated. According to the manual it is impossible to get an E13 error with a Smartbank Advanced. I've emailed Merlin, twice now, to different addresses, and had no response so I'm hoping that someone here can advise me (where's Gibbo when you need him?!) Thanks Rik

My understanding is that both Wire and Hungerford Marsh locks are closed until 23rd March. I have seen nothing moving west from Kintbury for weeks. The only movement has been a few boats coming to Kintbury and then heading back towards Newbury Rik

If I was in your position I'd hold fire for a few weeks and then try a Raspberry Pi. At 5v 1a you can easily run it from a 12v converter from Maplin and at a price of <£20 for the machine you're not going to loose a lot if you're not happy with it. Rik

Have you looked at these people? Dabonwheels I've got one of their mag mount dab aerials in the car and it works really well Rik

You need one of these kits to replace the seals. Not difficult to do when you've done it before. If my memory is correct you only need a screw driver, rubber gloves and large peg for nose Have fun Rik

They are probable the special bolts used to fix the bowl to the floor flange that is fixed to the tank. Have a look ot the lee sanitation site here When you have it apart you may want to replace the flange seal as well as the bolts Get a good peg for your nose and good luck Rik

I'd try a hire boat company, they'll have them and they're not busy at this time of year so may well help. I'd expect to be asked for a deposit as well as a smallish hire charge. Rik

I've used these in the past SACBOATNAMES Rik

The horse drawn boat runs from Kintbury during the summer months. Details here

Yes Crofton, famous for the Crofton Pumping Station which pumps water from the pound below lock 59 to the top pound above lock 56 but which do not add any water to the system. The pound below lock 59 is fed from the Whilton Water reservoir that is mentioned in the stoppage announcement and that is apparently dangerously low. Please also note that locks 55, 58,59 and 60 are closed until Christmas for re-gateing so in reality The K&A is closed from lock 54 to lock 80.

Can I also add a question to this, please. What size cables do people use to connect their solar panels to their batteries? My calculation says that if you have 2x120w panels and need cables with a length of about 6m to reach from panel to batteries you should be looking at 16mm2 cables to keep the voltage drop to <0.3v. Do you people use cables of this sort of size for your panels or have I made some wrong calculations? Thanks Rik

I've lived aboard for a number of years and now don't notice the movement. As others have said, being on board in a dry dock seems rather weird- it's the lack of movement that does it. The only time that I do notice movement is when I have visitors, especially when I'm on the helm and someone moves about inside the boat.

I had one made by Garland Sails of Bristol. They came and measured up, made the cover and came back and fitted it. It was good quality but not cheap. Take a look here Rik

I shall be on my way from Bulbourne to Milton Keynes so I'll keep my eyes open for you Rik NB Jupiter

My advice would be: - keep eyes peeled for patronising gents - when spotted, act ultra polite and insist that they go first - wait for them to make a right dogs dinner of it, it won't take long! - sail serenely into the space that he's struggled to leave you - now you have a choice, you can: - adopt a smug little smile but say nothing - sympathise with them and tell them you remember when you had problems getting it right (when they ask how you do it be vague and say it just takes practice) Can almost guarantee there'll be steam coming out of his ears before you've done a couple of locks and you'll have done us all a favour!

As promised in an earlier post here's a picture of my new home, Jupiter. and here's a few more photos if you're interested Link As she's a little longer, by about 25ft, than I'm used to please be patient with me while I'm getting used to her. I'm currently pootling down the GU towards London but plan to visit the Oxford and the Thames before I take her home to the K&A this autumn Please give me a wave as you go past or stop for a natter Hope to see some of you soon Rik

Hi Shippo, Yes you can get HB to pay your license without having a mooring, I know people who do, but you'll probably have to fight for it! From one friends experience I'd offer the following tips - Establish yourself as a resident in the council area - have a local address - the local post office should be fine - register with local doctor and dentist - get on the electoral role - keep a log of where and when you moor in the council area. The BW Continuous Cruising guidance is of no interest to the council, they are only interested in knowing you are one of their residents - Prepare to fight for your claim - don't take no for an answer - appeal any decisions that don't go your way - try to get the front line council officers that you deal with day to day on your side - ensure that all know that your claim is the cheap option and if it fails you will have to give up living on the water and ask them to provide you with accommodation, they like cheap solutions - Get support from friends and other organisations - talk through the hurdles that are put in your way with sympathetic friends, you'll probably get some great suggestions that will help along with plenty of madcap schemes - join the Residential Boat Owners Association (RBOA) and ask them for support and guidance. They have a wealth of experience helping fellow boaters claim HB and can provide some very practical support - ask here too, but don't expect to like all the answers you get! Good luck Rik

Congratulations to you both. My advice is this: If the three of you plan to cruise then now is the time that both of you "parents to be" should start practising single handed boating. Once "little one" has arrived, both having the confidence to handle the boat on your own will make moving much easier.

Looking at the locks that they've chosen on the K&A, I'd say this is much more about having a presence at places that there are lots of non-boating visitors that can be approached to join the trust (K&A or new BW). To me the role will be to strut about in a uniform, chat to visitors to the locks, hand out leaflets and persuade people to sign up on the spot. If this role was about looking after the lock and assisting boats through it why have they chosen benign locks such as Kintbury and left off right b------s like Woolhampton, Monkey Marsh, Garston?

You can volunteer on the K&A too if you so wish British Waterways is inviting people to apply for a unique opportunity that will see them carry out an iconic and colourful role on their local canal. For the first time British Waterways is recruiting local people to be Volunteer Lock Keepers, and will be holding guided walks at various locations along the historic Kennet and Avon Canal where potential volunteers can come along and find out more about this wonderful opportunity. Volunteers could be working at a selection of historic locks on the Kennet and Avon canal including such sites as the popular Caen Hill Lock Flight and the Bath Flight, or the Grade II Listed locks at Bradford on Avon, Crofton, Seend and Kintbury. The guided walks are taking place on: Friday 4th March 10am at Bradford and 2pm at Bath Friday 11th March 10am at Crofton and 2pm at Kintbury Friday 18th March 10am at Devizes and 2pm at Seend The ideal Volunteer Lock Keeper will have an interest in the waterways, enjoy meeting people and like the sound of spending time outdoors in beautiful surroundings. They will be working from March until October and will ideally be able to offer at least one day a week, though this is flexible. No prior experience is necessary – successful applicants will receive full induction, training and a uniform to equip them for their new role as ‘the face of the waterway’. The key attributes are enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Lock Keepers have been a fixture on the canal for hundreds of years. While some of the duties remain the same, today’s lock keepers will not have as difficult a time as their early predecessors. Lock Keepers in the past had to haul the heavy lock gates open by hand, defend themselves against river pirates and fight off toll thieves. Today the role of the modern-day Volunteer Lock Keeper is to provide a polite and friendly service to waterway visitors, assisting boaters through the locks and maintaining the lock area. It’s a chance for people who are passionate about their local community to make a real difference to the experience of waterway visitors, from boaters and ramblers to families feeding the ducks. Volunteering is an important aspect of British Waterways’ plans in England and Wales to move management of the nation’s canals and rivers out of state control and into a new ‘national trust’ for the waterways. This exciting new charity, which is targeted to be up and running by April 2012, will attract new investment and give local people a greater role in how their waterways are run – including the opportunity to get involved in a growing number of volunteer opportunities. BW’s Waterway Manager for the Kennet and Avon Canal, Mark Stephens, said: “This is an exciting opportunity and we are expecting there to be a lot of interest. The role of a lock keeper is arguably the most iconic and colourful role on the waterway and by opening it out to volunteers we’re hoping to tap into the great wealth of knowledge and passion that we know local people have for their canal.” For more information and to apply to become a volunteer lock keeper please contact Sarah French in British Waterways’ volunteering team on 01827 252097or e-mail volunteer@britishwaterways.co.uk. Further information on all volunteering opportunities within British Waterways can be found on www.britishwaterways.co.uk/volunteer.