Joshua

Thanks for the advice, I should have thought of contacting Walshe’s myself, I got it into my head that original parts were not available, can’t think why as I bought an original Gardner fuel filter from T Nielson in Gloucester last year. Anyway, Walshe’s were very helpful (even dated my engine for me - 1969) and I should have my filter tomorrow (aren’t postal costs astronomical!). For future reference and for anyone else looking for replacement filters I have discovered the following; The FRAM CH 815 PL was a match (I used one last year) but is no longer manufactured (apparently). The MANN H 728 doesn’t seem to exist The alternative for the FRAM filter given in the MANN manual and on several search web sites is the MANN H 804t but I can confirm (I got one delivered this morning) it is nothing like either the FRAM filter or the Gardner. Athy what air filter? I didn’t think the Gardner had one?

Does anyone please know a suitable replacement for the original Paper Oil element filter? The original is Part No. LW 6/252 I have in the past noted two replacement numbers as follows: FRAM CH815PL or Mann H728 I understand that both are now discontinued? I have just matched a MANN equivalent to the FRAM CH815PL which is curiously given as H 804 t not the H728 that I had originally noted (the H804t is available) I am now wondering which is the correct replacement. Any advice gratefully received.

I need to leave the boat (66ft NB) unattended on the K&A for 2 weeks at the beginning of August. Priority is security, anywhere between Reading and Bristol will do. Does anyone have any marina recommendations? Many Thanks.

Edited - To make sense

The 48hr VM on the K&A that I am on at the moment states that a “penalty” of £25 per day for the first 7 days and £50 per day thereafter, will be charged for overstaying.

I really need to get fuel sooner rather than later, ie nearer Oxford than Reading, is there any good reason why I shouldn’t go up stream to ‘Oxford Cruisers’ at Swinford before turning round and heading to Reading?

Thanks for the advice everyone. Looks like the Cut then! I won’t be leaving the boat at all Tim, just my girlfriend. Having dropped her off at Reading Railway station I will then be heading off down the K&A for Bristol in time for the Harbour festival at the end of July. My girlfriend will catch up when she finishes her business in France. By the way, I will need diesel in the next 4 days, can I get it on the Thames or should I organise this before I leave the Oxford, if the latter where is best between here (Kidlington) and the Thames? Thanks.

We are at Kidlington just north of Oxford and are debating our next move; my partner is going to France in a weeks time and needs to take a train to Stansted from either Oxford or Reading. We were going to spend the interim relaxing in Oxford but Nicholson’s guide suggests we wont find anywhere to moor so instead we will enjoy a cruise down the Thames to Reading. [1] What are the pros and cons of Duke’s cut –v- Sheepwash Channel for getting onto the Thames? [2] Any particular recommendations for places to stop overnight on the run down to Reading? [3] Any recommendations for mooring in Reading (preferably not too far from the railway station)? Any advice gratefully received.

Contrary to some views on here, I believe the “legality” of CRT’s ‘management’ of the waterways is the most fundamental and the most important question. The legal system of any society defines its political state, so laws designed to protect and further the interests of a minority define a sate of dictatorship whilst laws designed to maximise Liberté, égalité and fraternité for example, a sate of democracy. Threads like this are perhaps so divisive because some of the protagonists are merely picking and choosing the laws they like, the ones that favour their lifestyle and ambitions, so if CRT are in fact acting as a dictatorship but the rules they are dictating favour a group of boaters, then that group of boaters will happily defend this state. Hence the “who cares if its illegal so long as the canals are ‘nice’ (a very subjective term) and we should all support them. Personally, I would like to see a proper legal challenge to at least two of the main issues debated here. Namely CRT’s use of Section 8 of the British Waterways Act 1983 and their use of Section 43 (3) of the 1962 Transport Act. I fear that the waterways are being turned into a sterile theme park for a select group of weekend leisure boaters and I believe that CRT are acting contrary to all the accepted principles of fairness in a democratic state. ‘Fairness’ is not a woolly notion incapable of legal enforcement, the concept of natural justice lies at the core of our legal system and any democracy. By simply not looking after the canals between urban and some rural places of interest and turning all of the latter into well run, well dredged 48 hour moorings, CRT can and in my view are, making it practically impossible to CC in the manner intended by the 1995 Act. Taken to its extreme but logical conclusion, CRT could declare every mile of canal a 48hr mooring area simply by hammering rings into the ground every 50ft. Then they would have completely usurped the intention of Parliament and expelled from the canals nearly 5000 boaters. They don’t need to go that far though, they simply need to commandeer the mooring area’s people are most likely to want to use. They are doing this right now using a law that predates the CCing rules by over 30 years and was in my view, never intended to be used in this way. The use of Section 8 to exile a boater and confiscate his/her boat then neatly follows on from this. Nobody reading the 83 Act and Section 8 in particular, could doubt that its purpose was to deal with sunken, stranded or abandoned boats because that is what it says it is for. If it is was intended to deal with boaters who merely fell foul of the terms of their licence, it would have said that too. I read section 8 as a law to enable BW to prevent the waterways being used as a dumping ground for unwanted boats. It is in my view, inconceivable that Parliament would today hand to CRT (or any other body) an unlimited and unfettered power to make someone homeless within 28 days without the independent sanction of a court and without providing a mechanism for even the basic right of appeal that natural justice dictates. CRT claim that section 8 gives them this very power. One might argue, the act only allows them to remove a boat that is left on the waterways “without lawful authority”, so isn’t that fair? Maybe, if being “without lawful authority” was decided by an independent arbitrator but it isn’t, its decided by CRT themselves again with no recourse to an appeal procedure before an independent arbitrator. So how do you become “without lawful authority”, basically when CRT (again) decide to make you, by taking your licence off you. They justify this by claiming (no independent appeal of course) that you are in breach of a version of section 17 of the 95 Act which not only have they rewritten to suit their ends but as the years go by unashamedly change to make more ‘effective’! Recourse to the courts to get an order where the boat is also being used for residential purposes is entirely voluntary and CRT may well stop doing so. I would like to see these issues challenged properly before it is too late and I will donate the first £100 to any fund raised to pay for the legal fees to do so.

As ‘Janet S’ says, I doubt there is anything said so far that any boater would disagree with but I suppose every boater will relate to one or other tip more than the others. Personally, I’m with ‘Catrin’ regarding checking that the last boat through did what they were supposed to. My partner and I are very different, I always assume that the last boat through got it all wrong, my partner always assumes they got it all right, consequently, on several occasions she has tried filling a chamber with bottom paddles open. I have also learnt not to be pushed around in ‘my’ lock. Just a few weeks ago at Fradley, a guy coming up behind me went to fill the chamber without asking or checking with me (I was single handing at the time) and I had to ask him to wait while I tied my centre line off to a post to stop the boat getting dragged forward into the gates. I am very deep draughted and on some locks get initially pushed back then very violently sucked forward and unless tied off can do nothing to stop the boat smacking hard into the gates, I like to tie it off. I explained this and he replied “don’t worry I have spent most of my life on the canals, I am an expert and will bring you up gently”, “nevertheless” I said, “I’ll tie it off”. “You’re treating it all wrong” he said fitting his windlass to the paddle gear, I know what I’m doing. “Stop! It’s my lock, my boat and you should respect me doing it my way”. I told you he said look watch.....” At that stage I have to say I lost my temper and told him to “F@*$ off”. He actually still argued with me but didn’t touch the paddle gear again, must have been something he saw in my eyes! I then suggested that he pass me by and leave me in peace but that wasn’t necessary as he was turning down the Coventry. So I would say, remember you are in charge, the world is full of “experts” but a true expert will never feel it necessary to tell you he/she is one!

A couple of days ago, on my way to Chester, I watched a bloke walking along the towpath with one of those litter pickers, systematically searching for and then picking up and flicking into the canal every piece of dog shit he could find and he was finding a lot! I half opened my mouth to remonstrate then thought better of it as it occurred to me that it was possibly better off in the cut than on the bottom of my shoes or in my boat. It occurred to me (too late) that I could have applauded his devotion to public services and suggested bagging it instead of putting it into the canal but to be honest I would need to know that what he was doing was actually that harmful. Does anyone know or have a compelling argument about the harmfulness or otherwise, I mean does the dog shit harm the aquatic life. I know some canal water like that on the Gloucester & Sharpness is directly extracted to supply drinking water (in that case for Bristol) and that would no doubt make anyone dumping think twice but what about canals in general? What are the facts? Is it at least an illegal offence? I have seen many dog walkers flicking dog shit into the canal, I once asked a dog walker who was obviously unaware that I was a boater, where the nearest dog bin was (I have a dog) and he calmly suggested I just put a stone in the bottom of my doggy bag and throw it in the canal, adding that he did it all the time, I did have a go at him (the plastic pollution made it unquestionably wrong) and he was suitably embarrassed. On a more general note, I think if we want a cleaner environment to boat in and lets face it there are some pretty ‘shity’ area’s of the canal network, we have to be more pro-active. On a visit to Stoke at the beginning of the year, I noticed huge amounts of rubbish in the canal on the southern approach to the city (I have untangled more from my prop in this area than anywhere else) and a lot of it seemed to be coming from a couple of small business parks. Last week when I passed through the same area I noticed it was unchanged so I took the details of the businesses and the area and e-mailed them to CRT, the City environment dept. and the local paper. CRT responded brilliantly and sent someone to the area to investigate within 24 hours, Stoke city council environment protection initially replied that it was nothing to do with them until I asked why they chose a picture of narrow boats as a header on their web site, then said they would investigate. I am very interested to see if anything has or will actually get cleaned up. I know that Maffi on here is a long standing campaigner against people who rubbish the canals and towpath and like him I do pick up and properly dispose of a lot of rubbish on my travels, I wonder if enough boaters did this, the problem could be solved?

Just for the sake of any doubt, not for one moment did I read anything other than the face value of your post or anyone else’s and I am very grateful for all the advice given. Besides, I am no shrinking violet. Did I mention our dog has only eaten 2 intruders this year so he’s very hungry at the moment!

Yes, thanks for that, I heard that too, someone I passed yesterday said the same. I will go and see.

I am looking for somewhere to leave our boat (with girlfriend and dog) for 2 weeks, near Ellesmere Port, at the end of the month. I need something comfortable and safe for my girlfriend, convenient for walking the dog and with access to a shore line so that she does not need to faff about monitoring and charging batteries (I am having some problems with them at the moment). I would like to be as close to Liverpool as possible but don’t have time to take the boat all the way round to Liverpool itself (I am currently on the Middlewich branch). Swanley Bridge Marina is the only place I know but its further away from the Mersey than I would like. Anyone know of and can recommend anything between Chester and Ellesmere Port? Thanks.

Don't want to hurt your feelings Bizzard, but that is a very sensible idea. Could I suggest a small addition. Fit a flow meter somewhere on the boat that measures the speed of the boat in the water and its direction. Then a big red button marked STOP which automatically puts the boat into full reverse or forward until it stops, before then kicking out of gear into neutral again. I wouldn't restrict it to hire boats, make it compulsory on all boats but have the mechanisms capable of disconnection once a boater has demonstrated an ability to manage their boat. Make them do a 3 point turn and moor up between 2 boats without hitting either, for example. I can see you in the role of chief examiner.

Alan, how about indexing the price of a mooring to the value of a boat? £100,000 boat – Mooring fee = market rate (it is after all the wealthy that set the market value) £90,000 boat – Mooring fee = 90% of market rate £80,000 etc. etc Easy enough to tune the system to avoid silly anomalies.

I know exactly what you mean, I was just disappointed that we couldn't pass through and I think I thought a little too much caution was being applied that might evaporate if there was enough demand. Having done a bit more research, I doubt that is the case and sadly I have to accept that I will never get the opportunity to take my boat through, I suppose that's what makes it so special.

Late last year, we turned up at the southern portal hoping to pass through; my girlfriend was very keen to do a bit of legging. I contacted the trust people who organise the passages (I got the number from my Nicholson guide) and was amazed at how accommodating they were. I was told to lock up to the basin and stick my bows into the tunnel entrance, if my boat fit through the cut-out template hanging at the entrance, they promised to send a tug up the following morning to pull us through. We draw about 3ft so have a relatively low air draught and I thought it was worth a punt. Sadly we failed (not far off mind you). If we had arrived in the middle of a summer drought we might have made it. Any way, after struggling a bit to lock up through the hardly ever used three locks (we had to spend some time flushing all the floating debris out of the chambers) we quietly drifted out into the surreal tunnel pound. It is wide, eerily quiet and remote, full of weed, crystal clear, undisturbed water but with a thick black, sulphouress smelling base when disturbed. The towpath side is well constructed concrete quays with enough bollards to moor the QE2 and you will be the only boat there. There is a sort of park/common land adjacent and when we were there this was being grazed by a few 'wild' ponies. A weird, wacky, surreal sort of place, which left me feeling that it was being wasted, loads of development and no one to enjoy it.

I doubt it. Insurance companies will only get involved in issues where as a last resort they may have to cover the loss. Example 1 – You have contents cover. Roger on Daisy rams into your boat destroying your prized £1000 collection of plates. When confronted with a bill from you, Roger denies it, claiming you pulled out suddenly in front of him and he uses your trip over the kerb as evidence that you have a propensity for carelessness. The insurance company may well want to challenge this, they call me and I explain that the kerb incident was a one-off caused by reading a shockingly bad post on CWDF. If I win, the insurance company save £1000, If I fail, your insurance Co will have to dig into their own pocket to pay for your plates so its worth them trying to help you. Example 2 – You have no contents insurance. Who cares whether Roger denies it or not, win or lose, your insurance Co don't give a bugger. But don't worry Carlt, I care and I only charge £250 an hour!

Hypocrisy!

Dam! You're good. Unless I am very mistaken you are using the old flip a coin method and I bet you used the long version, best of three?

Sorry to ‘wake you up’ on this Richard, but I think you are probably the forums resident map expert. I have found a partial answer to my own first question above in that I copied the contents of the mini chip (the OS Discovery maps) to a flash drive (memory stick) and then renamed the memory stick using the folder name of the mini chip and bingo, my mac/BaseCamp reads it so I no longer have to plug by Garmin into my mac. I had an idea, would it be possible to create a virtual device (say an android virtual device) and put the contents of the Garmin chip into that so the OS maps reside on my hard drive? What software do you use for manipulating GPX files and is there a filter for converting them into a format that classic graphic programmes can read?

That’s the first and only sensible thing you have said so far but I’ll admit I haven’t read all your ramblings. It might be useful to bear in mind a few simple principles and address your indiscriminate use of the word ‘liable’. A person or company does not acquire additional legal ‘liabilities’ simply by buying an insurance policy, they merely take out ‘cover’ against known ‘risks’, i.e. things they are already potentially liable for. An insurance policy is a contract between two or more people and only the parties to that contract can rely on its terms. The insurance company do not become vicariously ‘liable’ for the actions of their clients they simply agree to indemnify them for some or all of their actions and for some or all of the damage they cause. An insurance company indemnifies their policy holder, no one else. The boat itself is not insured, it is an inanimate object and can not act carelessly or any other way. People are insured against harmful things they might do with the boat. The hire company may have some legal liability in addition to the hirer - tool hire companies fall into this category, they owe the public a duty of care not to put potentially dangerous tools into the hands of ill prepared hirers, but of course they can escape that liability by making sure the hirer does get proper instructions. And finally, hiring a boat does not make you an employee of the company so your frequent reference to your work experience is irrelevant. There are all sorts of mechanisms for dealing with disputes between people and companies, some are absolute rights laid down in law and for which an impartial judge will dictate the outcome. Others include industry practices, voluntary arbitration and contract. As far as legal liability is concerned, this is absolute it does not change from one person to another merely because someone else can’t be brought to book nor is it dependant in any shape or form as to whether there is an insurance policy somewhere that covers an insured loss. When a boat hits another boat, it is either a reasonable ‘accident’ for which no one can be blamed or an unreasonable and avoidable incident that occurs through the actions of either one or all of the people in control of the boat at that time. The simple fact is that whatever mechanism is used ultimately to address the damages, it begins with the need to establish that the people in ‘control’ of the boat have done something wrong (normally to prove they acted negligently). The collection of evidence, including witnesses and or admission by the defendant, is important. Whatever you believe is the liability of the hire company (forget insurance) it must begin here. If you are involved in an incident, concentrate on recording as much contemporary information about the sequence of events and the people involved. Do not be fobbed off by initial admissions of guilt they are easily given and just as easily retracted. The hire company may (under its general duty of care to the public), share some or all of the blame if they didn’t train the hirer properly but you would have to prove this and if they could show they had given adequate instruction, subject to any other legal duties, their ‘liability’ ends. The hirer’s does not. The way a claim is normally handled is entirely consistent with and dependant on, all of this but tends to disguise the true liability completely. I have no idea what other specific rules regulations and laws apply to boat hire companies that might provide alternative solutions (I will do some research if I get time) but the principles of liability don’t change. A hire company may well for example simply factor in to their charges, the average cost of accidents every year and simply pay out on legitimate claims regardless, that doesn’t make them ‘legally liable’ just good businesses. The important thing to ask is – ‘what if they decide not to play ball?’ I imagine there are licencing rules that require a hire company to indemnify a hirer against any and all legitimate claims for damages, in other words to make sure their hirers are properly insured. I have no doubt these provisions are included in a standard hire contract. That does not make the company ‘liable’ it just means that if one of their customers is found liable for damages, they will cover the third party losses. The fact that in most cases, good businesses in cooperation with their insurance companies cut to the chase and make their own judgements rather than waiting for a judge to do it after expensive legal argument, has no relevance to determination of legal liability. One might well ask why bother making the distinction, if at the end of the day most hire companies ‘sort it out’. The answer is that unless they are legally bound to sort it out, they might choose not to, then, knowing who is ‘legally liable’ is very important. Insurance companies are run by accountants, if one day they decide that your case is going to be one of the 10% they will arbitrarily challenge this month, knowing who you can and can’t sue (who is ‘legally liable’) will be very important. Carlt’s trip is an accident and he can’t sue anyone, indeed if in falling he damages the curb or causes someone else to have an accident, he may himself be sued for negligence, although if he was reading one of your posts, I would defend him nevertheless.

I ended up buying a GPSmap62s because I was offered a very good deal and it came with the full UK discovery maps. I have two questions that I wonder someone might be able to help me with. Firstly how the devil do I get the maps off the GPS chip and onto my laptop? It is tedious to have to keep connecting the GPS to the Laptop to see the background maps when looking at downloaded tracks. I have tried searching the GPS and Chip directories but can find no map files that I can access to download into Base Camp and the latter does not seem to offer such an option? Second question, Can I directly access the track data or graphics using graphic software like Illustrator or Photoshop? Again I have searched for this data on the chip and Garmin unit but can’t find it. I would like to mess about with my tracks to produce much more graphically rich and data intense maps than Base camp allows. I have tried googling but find there is surprisingly nothing directly on these issues but then again I am probably not being very clever with my searches! I could always put the track up in Basecamp then screen grab it but I wondered if there was direct access to the original data in a graphic format? Thanks.

Goliath, I have the perfect notebook for you. But first, don't fret about the camera, I have a high end camera and lenses and am constantly embarrassed by the equally high quality of dirt cheap digital pocket camera's, just buy one, snap away and bugger the cost, if you lose it just stay out of the pub for a week and that should easily cover the replacement cost. As to notebooks, I don't keep a log but I do keep an engine room maintenance log. I found it while browsing in Waterstones, small, soft black cover, plain unlined pages and (drum roll) its waterproof! I thought it was a joke when I first saw it and no one in the shop was sure. First thing I did when I got it home was write a page of text, rip out the page and put it under the tap, absolutely water proof, I even immersed it in a bowl of water for 5 minutes, no effect, its great. Comes with a graphite type pencil that writes just like any other pencil. See - http://www.luckies.c...derwater-notes/