Grebe

That's what I thought. Her original EDA was 17th December but the diversion added to this. She's a 40,000 ton general cargo/bulker type. Destination is Madryn which I know nothing about other than location.

She was picked up the the MV Tian Su, which was diverted by the Chilean coastguard. They had to use the ship's deck crane to puck her off her boat, as it was too rough to launch a sea-boat. Now on the way to a port in northern Argentina. A very slow vessel and ETA is about 21st/22nd December.

Just for interest, Forces TV, channel 96 on Freeview, plus they have a web streaming service, are showing a 2010 channel 5 documentary about HMS Manchester in the Caribbean on her last deployment before she was sold off for scrap. Last episode thisafternoon at 1500hrs. In all the old dross on ch 96 there are some good documentaries about military kit. PBS America on ch 94 also does some good documentaries.

We're just about sorted out now. No presents - we stopped all that years ago. Only one card to send to elderly aunt. (£1.80 plus a stamp from stock) New pre-lit Christmas tree bought (£6.00) Special treat for Christmas Day - homemade apple crumble and custard. Ingredients on this weeks shopping list. (£5.00 tops) So sorted for about twelve quid. Enjoy your Christmas in the way that suits you.

Before we had Grebe built we had spent some holidays on 'traditional' Broads Yachts. These tended to have ceilings/deck-heads painted white. The normal Sea Otter practice was bench seats at the bows to convert to a double bed across the boat. Interior Ash veneer wall panels and either T&G strips on the ceiling (extra cost)or the standard Ash panels with a longtiudinal seam along the roof, plus side-to-side seams, all seams covered in trim. SWMBO said I'm not having this it looks like a tram. So we ordered the roof to be Ash panels across the roof, they were concerned that it would use an extra panel, we said get on with it we know what we want and are paying. Then e dropped the W bomb.... paint the ceiling white. After spluttering they did it. SWMBO then selected a dark (red) carpet. The effect on the finished boat was superb, it may have been illusory but on a 26ft boat, the tiny cabin 16ft by 6ft (ish) was no bigger than two garden sheds but seemed massive. The roof line did not appear to close in at the top and we put the bed at the back of the cabin. So we reckon white in the proper place/places is good...but no Whiteout please.

Just a thought. We have three computers that send output by wifi to our printer. A couple of weeks ago, one device stopped being able to access the printer by wifi. In reality we print very little and by using our other machines and house network we could get round it if needed, until yesterday when.... SWMBO was working on the laptop with no printer onnection, when she noticed a printer icon/symbol on the bottom tool bar showing queued printing. She right mouse-clicked into the icon and saw the 'working off line' (or similar phrase) box ticked. She unticked the box and the printer fired up and she can now print from the laptop. How it happened to be ticked we do not know.

Have you tried the basics on the printer by going to wifi set up and re-entering your router password? Go to epson and reinstall the driver? Ink - we've got an XP-305 which always had problems from nozzles being blocked and associated dodgy printing. Profesionally we always used Epson lasers with Epson brnded toner, now that was costly. This led us to use Epson inks on the injet. we seriosly considerd switching to a small laser printer, but following advice given by others we bought some cheapo OfficeWorld cartridges for peanuts through Amazon and they have been amazing. We quickly bought two more sets for stock. Good luck with sorting

We're just back from doing the Kiel Canal, as passengers on a cruise ship, Astoria. We left Hamburg at midnight, with the schedule being arrive at Brunsbuttle at 0600/0630. Alarm set for 0500. Woke with alarm and switched forward CCTV on to see Astoria already in the lock. So clothes slung on onto deck in minutes. Another ship was in another lock and one ship was already on the layby berth. Locked up and off we went, in the end we had a convoy of four, three cargo/tankers plus us in position two. Last week was gorgeous in that part of Europe and the canal, woods, fields etc were fabulous. We studied light signals, convoy procedures and ferry skippers dodging the gaps. A magic six hours.

That looks like a nice boat Rachel. It was in the Swancraft hire fleet. They were a superb small fleet (family run?) from the southern rivers. Always beautifully turned out and priced at the upper end of the market, so probably had an easier life that the cheap as chips, disco/booze cruise/stag or he do, boats from some yards. They were tken over by Richardsons a couple of years ago, when we were still moored at their yard, and the boats put into their 'posh' fleet along with the Moonfleet and own build new boats. They are good people but bargain hard, ask for any faults to be rectified before handover. Yard time is flexible stand on their throat id they say say they will do stuff. Good luck.

We had our narrowboat, Grebe on the Broads for 17 years, the last 9 at the top of the Ant in Stalham (see location). Phil Ambrose is spot-on, Boradland does not have the infrastructure to accomodate boats much over 40 feet in length. Grebe was only 25 ft so was actually dwarfed by most wide beam Broads boats. We fitted in all places but a bright red NB attracted lots of attention, we had to do things 'right'. Another concern would be hull blacking tranferring to white GRP hulls - we had weathershield paint on thr hull sides so no residue. You have to be good neighbours. 46 ft is the limit for access to all waters. You can be much longer on the main rivers. There are long NBs on the Waveney, New Cut and other Southern Rivers.

Wrong Gunthorpe in the listings! The listing shows the Gunthorpe just downstream (North) of West Stockwith. I,m not up to date with the Gunthorpe between Nottingham and Newark.

113Z is a Broads registration. That looks like a Broads marina. Give the Broads Authority a call, they may have it listed. I've checked Craig Clawson's listing and that has no details other than name and number.

The reservoirs have plenty of water plus there are a number of river feeders also topping the canal up - water no problem. Weed has been a 'problem' for ever and to some erent always will be, arrable farm drain off, plenty of sunlight and light boat traffic are great ingredients. however, the moorers at Clayworth and Shireoaks all manage to get about, the weed cutting boats are at work, so it depends on your attitude to progress. Slow and stedy usually gets you through, heavy power just drags your stern down leading to bottom scraping and weed round the prop. Judicial use of reverse is also a good idea. Hull design can make a difference, our old 1970s ex Dartline boat always got through easily, we found a crew member stood in the bows helped to keep the stern lifted up. We're land based nowand have not been near the canal for about six weeks so can offer no condition report.

Stick to 60 ft and you should get to most places, even if you have to 'wiggle' around lock gates or diagonal in some locks. Chris Clegg's time map (A4 size)shows waterways as lines and in terms of time needed to work/cruise between two points. He only shows times for waterways he has cruised himself in his own boat which is 60ft 6ins. IWA sell them https://www.waterways.org.uk/shop/product_details?id=1030

Good news. Now more steps: Get another relay as a spare. Write the date you fitted the relay onto it, ot onto a label and then stick it on the relay. You can check the service life, at least since you fitted it.

Is it part of the safety lanyard system? i.e. designed to kill the engine if the helmsman fall overboard. If so it may be magnetic and just pull off.

Reservoirs on the Chesterfield are almost full, plus it is also river fed en-route. Well worth the trip. I/we have been known to lock-wheel the Thorpe/Turnerwood flights for visiting boat. Let us know your plans nearer the time if you want. 'Narrowboat on the Trent' by John Lower, now published by the Chesterfield Canal Trust is a good source of information if you need it. £7.50 ISBN 978-1-9999465-1-7 www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk The SSYN is a green corridor almost to Sheffield. You need to arrange passage in advance above Rotherham.