homer2911

Bit of a walk into town, but well, well worth it for the variety of small independent shops, as well as a decent Supermarket, Boots etc. Beautiful half-timbered buildings and loads of history.

Thanks everyone . Aviva it is, with a discount for already having the car insured with them. 60 days readily agreed to.

I thought the thread was about dog poo!

Thanks everyone

Insurers are picky about how long a house may be left empty and still be covered by them. I'll take a look at GoCompare, but any recommendations?

Are you serious? Can you imagine a very elderly couple - of which there are many in the boating community - attempting that?

Nice analogy Kris - but do you really think that calling someone who is giving up canal boating a 'rat', leaving a 'sinking ship' is likely to attract more people to the canals? What a soul-destroying, acerbic comment about someone who may be a)getting on in years, or b)not as agile as they once were. My wife and I are not getting any younger, and before too long may be forced to give it up after 24 years of canal-boating, but to talk about people like us as 'rats deserting a sinking ship ' is beyond the pale.

You've seen next week's East Enders script, haven't you?

It's a 1992 boat, which I bought in 1999 - so the unit is between 17 and 24 years old. I couldn't find a model number on the unit, but I've unearthed a manual with model numbers B5W and D5W - no indication in there of a bleed screw though.

Hi - I cant find the bleed screw you described - nor can I find a model number, but here's a photo https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/v/t1.0-9/12794378_810343149095385_8873301491984767725_n.jpg?oh=84160e2f94f5871fbbdbb982facfffdc&oe=574D8172

Love it! We don't all wear a trench coat and a trilby hat with a card saying PRESS tucked into the band!

Thanks for that - I'm back at the boat tomorrow - I will give it a try. Thanks also for the correction! And me a journalist too!

I've just replaced a leaking radiator, and obviously had to drain down the system, although I did isolate each of the other radiators to keep them full, to minimise refilling. Despite apparently filling the new rad and bleeding all of them to make sure they are now all full, the system cuts out after a very short time - it was working fine before the rad change. Could the burner unit have an air-lock?

Are you seriously suggesting that my wife and I, despite being sensible and wearing life-jackets when on rivers, despite having an anchor ready at all times, and despite my having undertaken a VHF radio course, should not have navigated in recent years the following, in our very well-maintained 1992 boat, with its 40 hp Lister engine? The Ribble Link, involving the tidal River Douglas and the equally tidal Ribble The tidal Trent - many times The tidal Thames - once from Teddington to Brentford and once from Teddington to Brentford, Regents canal to Limehouse, and tidal Thames back to Teddington The Bristol Channel from Portishead Marina to Sharpness - with a pilot, who insisted upon Force 3 or less winds for our safety .Narrowboats may have been designed for canals, but they are more than capable of cruising further afield, with the right precautions - for goodness sake, narrowboats have crossed the English Channel! Oh, and I forgot the River Soar!

And another thing - why is an elephant?

Mine was about the same cost, albeit some years ago, for 10ft extra length. I opted to do the stripping out - meaning you have to lay bare the steelwork for one metre either side of the proposed 'chop'. Doing that myself enabled me to understand how the boat had been fitted out in the first place, so that I had a good idea of how to replicate the fit-out in the extended bit. Worked for me!

I've ended up buying a bi-metal blade for about 12 quid from Saxon - I have yet to try it but it is advertised as being fit for screws and nails. Watch this space!

All helpful stuff - many thanks

Will any of the blades cut through hard to get at wood screws? Where would be the best place to get spare blades?

The boat examiner Mike Shaw has never failed to fix a problem with my aging engine and anything associated with it, electrical or mechanical. He lives aboard at High Onn and travels all over Shrops/Staffs

Portholes! Yuck! I want to watch the world outside when I'm on the boat, not squint at it through a circular letterbox

Cheers fellas - My mate Mike Shaw the BSS inspector promised to text me with it later too.

The upper panels either side of my side hatch are rotted. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced joiner in the Market Drayton/Norbury area? Thanks in advance!

Not worth the effort? So what is the alternative? Dump them in the cut? They have to be disposed of responsibly, so the income from scrapping them should not be a consideration, unless the advice is to hang on to them until the price of scrap goes up.