canaldrifter

Moit mak a seendwidge? Tone Oi meet a blowk feesheen. Oi ast eem eef ee'd cort owt. "A whale!" ee told oi. "A whale?" says oi. "Wot do um do weev eet?" "Oi froo eet back in coot," he says. "Woi?" I oosked. "Cos eet don't feet may car!" ee says. Tone

Y'know........ I think I suffer from that. Tone

I moored behind another live-aboard at Seend on the K&A a couple of years ago. They were moored on the water point, which also gives access to waste disposal. Nobody was home. There was a BW overstaying ticket stuck to the doors that implied they had been there for several days! I breasted up to get water. We then moored, one boat-length along the mooring, for the rest of the day. The Brewery pub in Seend village is one of my all time favourite hostelries, Thatchers 'Wacky' on draft being very reasonably priced and the bonhomie excellent. Nobody appeared on the offending boat until late evening. A couple returned to the boat, laden down with carrier bags after a long shopping trip in Devizes. They removed the ticket, laughed, and threw it in the cut. They did not move on until 10am the following morning. Until BW work out an efficient policing system with effective unavoidable penalties, then all mooring regs are a farce. Tone

Watch out for the natives around Doodlay. They'll eat anything tender. Unka Tone

Chris Collins also restored Roger at Batchworth. Roger Tone

I can understand your nervousness, and your pride in your new acquisition. Why not ask another boater travelling in the same direction, if you can accompany them when you're solo? You'll find most boaters are only too happy to impart their superior knowledge! Good luck with the cruise. You will love it! Tone

Anarchy works well where I moor. tone

Naturally. Tone

From what I remember and from what video exists, I don't think working boaters used reverse much at all in a lock. They used ropes, often by strapping gates closed behind them going downhill. Going uphill, the GU boaters usually thumped the cill in order to stop the boat, hence the frequently battered cills, not to mention stem posts. Tone

I am assuming that the boat is well designed. Tone

The only time you are officially allowed to keep an engine running in a Thames lock is if you occupy the chamber alone. It is not up to the lock-keepers. It's not about fire risk. It's not about noise. It's about air pollution and it is a Byelaw: Tone

He might seem mad, but I reckon that Guy's got his ducks in order. Obviously he's not driven by greed for money and 'fame', like most. I wish him the very best for his TT ambitions. But I bet, if he survives, he'll be back boating again sometime. Once in the blood.... Tone

Nothing wrong with using a centreline for temporary mooring, such as waiting at lock landings, as already mentioned, but never leave a boat unattended on a centreline. That's when things can go wrong, particularly if levels rise or fall or where there are strong currents from emptying locks. Another tip is to keep the centreline stretched back along the cabin top so that the steerer can quickly grab it and step ashore when mooring up, thus keeping the boat under control at all times. Much better than having it neatly coiled on the middle of the cabin top out of reach unless someone goes gunwale creeping. Tone

I don't understand why any boater would try to jump start another boat from batteries in situ with very long leads. It is such a simple job to turn off the power, take out a charged battery, place it in close proximity to the other boat's starter, and jump start the engine by connecting to the earth and jumping the positive lead to the starter terminal. Tone

Blodger, you are a saint,. I couldn't have done it without you! Tone the Grateful

Yes, black and tan was, in my day, Guinness and anything else in a lighter colour. Then there was light and mild, and mild and bitter. All lost skills. Tone

But he refilled and it was OK. So, it was not a permanent leak. What else could it be except the PRV malfunctioning? Tone

I think I would prefer Ireland. No licence fees at all in most cases, and certainly no lack of watter. Tone

That is uncanny..... Uncanny Ref Tone

No. Just had a great afternoon session. The local landlord in the St Vincent, and I, have just reinvented beer blending. We thoroughly recommend London Terrier (or should that be Yorkshire Pride?) and the Landlord of Doom is quite nice too (or should that be 'Timothy Taylor's Barred'?) Tone

This is misinformation. I've checked. I am insured for the Humber as it gives tidal access to the River Hull and the Driffield canal as well as the Ancholme. I am also insured for the tidal Thames above the barrage, and for the Ribble link. Certain safety requirements must be fulfilled. Tone Edited to add: I am also covered for Trent End, unlike some inland boating policies.

I found a day hire boat with 12 aboard, stuck firmly on an underwater fence post. Several privately owned boaters just sailed past, heads up their own jacksies, laughing at them, until we stopped and towed them off. Tone