Scholar Gypsy

I did the same, found I had 6 rolls of gaffer tape of varying vintage. Compared to photos here, the bed is now back in use.

just to go back to the OP, the Nene at Wisbech is tidal as well ....

My own arrangements are set out in this extract from the boat manual. Takes 5 mins to fill the calorifier on arrival, and under 10 to empty it. Slightly OTT, I know - but it works ...

Thanks - I appreciate that (especially as I left the weedhatch off for a couple of weeks in January for the paint to dry...). I hope to get to the boat fairly soon - working in Nottingham today - and son #1 will be on for a few days during half term.

A cautionary tale...

Their twitter feed suggests (9th Feb) all is going well: "Works on Salters Lode Lock going well with the entrance piling complete. New lock gates to installed later this month"

Given most boats slope downhill (ie with the bows higher than the stern) I don't think you will have a problem with the pipe run. You may want to think about adding a drain point to the pipe between the stop cock (which should be as near to the tank as possible) and the pump, as close to the pump as is convenient. Mine drains into a plastic pot in the bilges, which I then lift out and empty. Once I have run the pump for a few seconds with the stop cock closed, there is very little water left behind anyway....

or dustbins - they fill with water quite nicely, and stack when empty..

I will take some readings with my new depth sounder when I am next up there (next month!).

I've found this website very helpful: http://www.lifejackets.co.uk/ as I have just decided to rearm all nine of my lifejackets. It includes helpful videos on how to do the maintenance. I would only buy second hand if you can inspect first, and leave them fully inflated (you can do that by puff-power, and should do so every year anyway) for 48 hours to see if they leak. Especially when wearing other winter clothing, I find you really don't notice the self-inflating ones - as you say the bulky ones get in the way, impede all round visibility etc. You then have a choice between manual inflation - not good if you knock yourself out on the way in. (I have 1) hydrostatic (often described as "Hammar", a common make) which detects when you are a foot or two under water (I have 1 of these) automatic which just detect water. In theory these can go off in very heavy rain or spray or if you forget to take it off when having a shower. This has not happened to me yet, (I have 7 of these!). As to make, I have a mix of Crewsaver and Plastimo. Look for the EU number. PS prompted by the question about the duck ring above: some (a minority?) have crotch straps as well.

Over the Wash from Denver to Boston in May. Then after a bit of time exploring Lincs, in August via the Trent and Chesterfield to Worksop. Back over the Wash again to Wisbech, and the Middle Level back to Ely. Hoping for no wind.

Red oxide = raddle red, at least as far as Craftmaster are concerned!

Has anyone managed to moor recently at Nassington? I bottled out last Easter, in a rather silted up backwater.

My problem is I am colour blind. But here is a sample of Craftmaster bilge paint (work still in progress, I need a small child to finish the bit behind the weed hatch).

It is requested (via signs) on the Great Ouse system. I think not on the Nene (see here).

I agree it is a fabulous river. To comment on FadetoScarlet's comprehensive list: The Elsan point at Billing (actually within the campsite) is the most fragrant I have ever used. On the other hand the facilities at Irthlingborough were a little lacking when I was there last Easter .... The moorings at Ashton are in the backwater above the lock. If you are there in October you can visit the world conker championships.

"Please let the boats out of the lock before attempting to enter", and "Please move along the lock chamber" .... Keep right (on escalators, and on some walkways) or Keep left (on other walkways).

At a slightly more prosaic level, I tend to start early in the morning, and aim to moor early in the afternoon. Moorings can be more tricky on rivers compared to canals. Although I have two mud anchors if necessary, it is not much fun cruising for two hours later than planned in order to find somewhere to tie up.

The author here would not agree with you that they do punt from the wrong end in Oxford ...

The wind on the Great Ouse was so strong this morning that it was quite tricky to get away from the bank at Brandon Creek - quite exciting. No way I would have gone out on the Wash ...

Oddly the punts in the foreground are Oxford style, not Cambridge ...

Craftmaster red oxide bilge paint (photos on my blog) is also known as Raddle red. https://nbsg.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/january-2015-water-pump-and-bilge-painting/

On the last point, another option is to have a hatch in the roof over the (4 foot high) front door. We added one some years ago - though it is quite heavy and needs a bit of care when opening and closing it. It is also important to remember to close it if it starts raining hard (don't ask).

I am afraid I don't think that will work: see here.

I have been discussing my Wash trip later this year - see separate thread - with Daryl the pilot. So for me the mandatory list is anchor, chain and ridiculously long rope, securely fastened to the boat lifejackets well maintained engine, clean fuel filters, possibly get the fuel polished? sealed up front and side doors No or little wind Nav lights if any prospect of navigating in poor light (quite likely given the whole trip will take 10 hours or so from Denver to Wisbech) And then optionals are VHF radio (the pilot will have his own) GPS navigation (ditto) flares (fireworks not trousers) depth sounder (see my blog!) charts