Mike Todd

I am surprised about the feeling that a light is needed to be aware that there is a boat ahead of you. Maybe I am not thinking this through but I always seem to tell from the change in the profile of the the other end - if you can see it, of course. I also thought that the point of tunnel bands was just for this purpose. Given the way in which engine noise is projected backwards I am surprised that anyone can be unaware that there is a boat ahead in the tunnel, even with my dodgy hearing. If you want to ride up the rear end of the boat then perhaps send a lookout to the bow but in my view it is much better to hold back, not least if thei r engine is at all fuming. But perhaps my view is why we need sceptical H&S gurus!

Does not have to be BSS it could be some other set of conditions.

But don't forget the Traders Licence,extra Insurance, the Food Hygiene Certificate etc etc!

Many organisations are arranged so that the front person can be the Nice Guy and someone down below can be the Nasty Guy. Gives the flexibility that when the hard line needs adjusting then the top guy can over rule but not if they said it in the first place.

Even better if at the bottom then you could carry your elsan across as well.

I wouldn't expect a porter . . .

And so many city centres have seen massive investment and redevelopment since the dark days of industrial pollution. Not all is great architecture and built environment but most is. Despite some recent adverse comments (mostly I suspect with an axe to grind) Liverpool is a really great canal destination. Access from the Salthouse moorings is great. Sheffield, too, is interesting but the final basin is a bit away from the bustling city centre. I could go on . . .

Can I disabuse those who think that a new boat comes without problems! Any large and complex bespoke construction project has flaws and one of the more important factors in choosing a builder is to find one who will go the extra mile in fixing them as they arise. 'Teething troubles' used to be the name but, from the building industry, snagging is more common now. Also important is to make sure that you try out everything well withing the snagging period - few new boats will come with a warranty period, other than set by consumer law.

Pushing on a pole like that is plain daft and could be dangerous. How about steering and going rather slower?

If is also important to take a view on your age at the time you decide to move back into bricks and mortar. There is an age above which you cannot get a mortgage so you would need to ensure that the residual value in the boat is enough to buy a house - somewhat unlikely I guess.

Thanks for the additional detail but I think that is what I was saying . . . even if it is probably a tad more complex than you suggest. (eg shape of canal bed underneath the boat on a mooring)

There are just a few people who enjoy shouting at passing boats to slow down. Not sure how they get their kicks but . . . since most boaters do not actually know what speed they are doing, nor to the moorers either, then the immediate reaction is more often than not one of embarrassment. Perhaps that is what some folk enjoy . . . In our case, I generally have a GPS speed display given the inevitable lack of accuracy, for what it is worth!) I can rebut most claims. In any event it is not the raw speed that is important but the disturbance created for the moored boat. This is a function on many things, in particular the hull shape and t4he be,ow the water canal bed shape. As has been pointed out many times before, it is also a function of how the boat is tied up. It is also worth noting the surprising effect of a canoe being paddled past - often more than a driven narrowboat. A passing vessel does ta least two things - it creates a surface wave (or two!) and also displaces water under the surface. Both affect a moored boat in their own ways. Another beef - those who shout that you must drive on the right - no, you only have to pass on the right.

I suspect that what you are concerned about is not quite the issue you believe it to be. In most cases the side sections of such bridges are just para[pets intended to stop humans, animals and equipment from falling over the edges. They are not part of the main strength of the arch. This can be seen in those cases (several on Oxford) where the parapets have been removed to allow wider equipment to pass and only the structural arch remains. It is remarkably thin! (Just shows the strength of the arch structural design principle) As is shown quite often when vehicles run into the side walls, the main problem (apart from a red faced driver and an insurance claim) is the material that is pushed into the canal which then has to be removed. This has caused navigation closures more than concerns about weakened arches.

Even better: start the scheme as a trial for boats travelling out of Birmingham and if it works then in the Autumn extend to those coming into the city.

and also there has to be some come back for malicious reporting. In the case of pilots, such action would, I suspect, quickly lead to the loss or suspension of their licence. In the case of canals, no such powers seem to exist. In general, unpleasant behaviour is not a criminal offence (or even a contravention of CaRT's T&Cs) unless it passes a quite high threshold. Most of what I have seen posted in this thread is inconsiderate but not criminal. I also note that those who want to be able to report bad behaviour to CaRT and for them to take action on behalf of the boater are likely to be those who, in other contexts, complain about the Nanny State when kit seeks to limit their behaviour. Always good to remember that there will always be those who think that your entirely reasonable behaviour is a crime against humanity and should be prosecuted accordingly.

Since I believe that it is now sold (am I right?) then the market price has already been determined - just that we don't (yet) know it. If it has sold, within days of coming to the market, then I doubt it will be much below the asking price.

Perhaps because they don't want to admit to drinking whiskey

I think that they were hoping for support from a wider constituency than boaters. But the licence could be said to include a membership - an excuse for an additional licence hike!

Looks similar/same as the huge wb moored just 100 m behind us near Flecknoe. (Can't see name of either!) When we came by the couple on board seemed desperate for a smile despite having caused an obstruction with the narrowboat coming the other way.

I thought that your funding proposal is the status quo. You are fast becoming a snake oil salesperson - promise to deliver what you already know to be true. More particularly, I can remember, alas, what towpaths were like before alternative funding came along.

Sadly like so much in life, strange but true!

And I don't think I had heard of bickerstffe before this thread!

And you were entirely within the rules, I believe.

No. Why do you ask?

Hire companies generally impose limitations that do not apply to the rest if the boaters. Like not towing not cruising at night etc. Most reasonable.