Paringa

If it is only one panel in the bathroom how about using the vinyl they use to wrap cars? Won't cost a lot, should show the grain and if it looks bloody awful you could always rip it off and paint... Just a thought

I am thinking of replacing my old freestanding gas oven with a new one: Presuming gas connection is as simple as taking the old connection off the back of the old appliance and connecting it onto the new appliance, am I allowed to install my oven myself? What are the implications to my current or future boat safety certificates? Do i need a Gas registered installer to do it? Apologies OP for hijacking the thread but this may be pertinent to you too.

Is your friend using a additive such as Fuelset? There may be water in the fuel. Did you take this sample from the bottom of the tank? If not that would be my next thing to do, see if you bring up sludge or water or both. Clever types will be along shortly with more info but those are my thoughts...

While i don't disagree with Mr Sea Dogs condensation argument and if it were a one off i would consider it... but as you have taken the trouble to drain and check for water before, it seems to be happening a bit too often. I would suspect a leak from a fuel filler cap or through a vent. I think all you can do is try to eliminate the source. Check O rings on fillers caps. Maybe make some sort of rain cover for the vent and see if the problem appears again. I hope it is a simple fix.

The best camera is the one you have with you... The smartphones are brilliant nowadays. Compacts are handy with a few more modes as well as point and shoot. DSLR's are the business, but do you wan to carry the bulk about? How about looking for a used camera? Most spend their life in a drawer...

As it hasn't been used... perhaps an additional water tank? And yes toilet waste needs to stay onboard until you chuck/pump it out. Grey water which is your showers and sinks can go over the side in this country.

Not fixed according to the river conditions website

You are both correct. Abingdon Lock island is popular and gets booked out by visiting boat clubs in the summer. It does have electric on the island. Richard is very helpful. Sandford Lock island could suit you very well as it is less popular but does have electric. Talk to Aidan. Otherwise I would try and make contact with the locks up from there you think could have moorings and see what they say.

Sorry LR you are correct to mention the second button and i shouldn't have taken it as being directed at my post. It isn't exactly an intuitve site though is it... I couldn't agree more with your last paragraph.

So after the 3rd attempt you got it to work... As it happens I easily booked the free 24 hours but the option to extend my stay and pay online was not possible so I had to call. The resulting mess I posted about over the summer. Sadly it is a sign of the times that owners of mooring sites now feel the need to use these operators.

In winter I don't see you getting enough solar to make this worth worrying about.

I don't begrudge paying the EA fees for stopping on their moorings. I am less enthusiastic paying third parties to allow me to do what I can do legitimately anyway, but if it keeps moorings free from overstayers then I will comply with the signs... I don't believe it does. I think the EA would be better off operating their own website, telephone line, and do their own patrols and enforcement - which they still do anyway - if they feel that this is a step forward. Otherwise just go back to how it was, flawed but less big brother.

Same happened to me in the summer. Ticket despite having paid using the phone as the website wasn't working and leaving a note to let the mooring man know. Once I called to point out their error it was taken no further... Evidence is your friend.

Cheap lead acid...you wont need them much.

So the engine was running fine when you stopped at the mooring? Presuming you sort the power issue I wonder if you may now have introduced another problem by changing the fuel filters, did you test for fuel before or after filter change?