Woodstock

Hi- I need a new front cratch board- top plank and covers are ok, so just the front board- I've been quoted £275 for hardwood frame and laminated glass- does this seem reasonable?

My partner was recently given a Beer Bell for his birthday- so next year he will probably say that- If he thinks I'm running up and down the boat at the sound of a bell like Pavlovs Dog, he'll be in the canal followed by his bell!!!

Hi Can someone explain to a technophobe how to upload a photo- I tried insert image??? and was asked for the http address?

It's been sold

Thank you all-Enjoyed your responses- we did nearly have a divorce moment when the fan belt snapped on the maiden voyage and the skin tank hose flew off and we then drifted sidewards down the Trent- we manged to moor onto the about to be erected longhorse bridge scaffolding. We're still smiling and enjoying it and glad to hear that you are too. Cheers- Jackie

Hi Everyone. It's easy at this time of year when it's grey and cold to get fed up and snappy- but I'm really excited- Here's why:- After a number of boating holidays- where we hated giving the boat back at 9am on the Saturday morning- we bought our first boat at the end of this summer.Unfortuantely, we arent in a position to liveaboard, but will be using her in Spring, Summer, Autumn and if we can in the winter This weekend we're taking her to Andy Cain to be painted- Dont worry-there's a tunnel!!!! Between Christmas and New Year is when I normally get the boat hire brochures and start booking next years hols- But this year- no brochures!!!!!. Instead I'll be playing with canal route planners for weekend routes, bank holiday weekend routes and the odd extended week or so- and the best bit:----We can start when we want (subject to work- unfortunately) and dont have to give her back at 9am on a Saturday. I think the Queens jubilee gives us an extended weekend in June I'll be dreaming of long hot sunny evenings with a large glass of white, the dog at my feet and the other half refilling my glass- Fantastic!!!! If the weather isnt good- the stove will be on, might be a similar sized glass of red instead and who cares??? When we get her back at the end of January, If the weather permits we'll be enjoying frosty and misty mornings and hot chocolate or mulled wine in the evening next to the stove We're extremely lucky to have a boat and be able to tootle off into the sunset whenever we like- let's all celebrate that!!! Finally- any suggestions for weekends and extended hols from Shardlow, Derbyshire including places to stop and explore and good pub lunches are greatly appreciated Ok enough from me- just wanted to share my daydreams

Sounds like a New Years Resolution to be nicer and not post anything that you wouldn't say to someone personally- and if you would say it- then maybe look at yourself Seriously, I'm a Newbie and I've had some excellent advice from members with more experience, but then occasionally you get some radical or harsh comment. I think people don't know when to end a thread either- the initial discussion goes off on a tangent and a load of waffle commences, again with the odd snipe and at best irrelevence. Since buying our first boat in August, the boaters we've met have generally been fantastic and helpful- only the odd encounter with someone who knows it all and deliberately wants others to be inferior. I think Boaters are a nice bunch- let's keep it that way

I'm sure I saw it advertised again a few weeks ago- from memory price was over £29K- forgot to add- I was tempted by the bed which looked great- made by the Queens bed maker- but not too sure about the flock wallpaper

Hi- I've noticed that there seems to be a dislike of pump out toilets- just noticed a newbie asking for general advice on buying a boat and the first advice was "dont get a pump out loo". We have a pump out loo with a decent size tank-the toilet is a manual pump jabsco which means it doesnt use a lot of water unless you want it to, I use a small amount of chemical in the loo and it has never smelt. We dont have to pump out very often- perhaps because of the size of the tank. So please- what are the reasons behind this fear of pump out loos- I'd sooner pump out once or twice a season than have to empty a cassette every couple of days. Is it if you liveaboard, -the cost of pumping out???

Quote= from "Wanted" I have to write risk assessments all of the time, not quite in the same circumstances but the best thing you can do is present the social worker with a good quality document that demonstrates that you have taken into account all of the possible risks and have made reosonable efforts to prevent incident. This is really good advice from "wanted"- to document the risk assesment- keep it simple, suggest that you use a notebook and split a page into 2- one side for Hazard (eg trapped fingers in drawers and cupboards), the other side for action- detail all the things you've done to remove the hazards- childproof cupboard catches etc and date when you did it. Look at each area,and think what could happen. If you havent completed something- put down what you'll do and the deadline and then date it when you've done it-Do that for each area, plus a page on rules that you have, eg You dont allow the little one on top of the boat or the stern or bow alone, life jacket on at all times when outside etc. It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job- but this will help prove it to your social worker- Good luck

Memories eh??-I didn't know you could still get them- I remember when we were kids we used to sit on ours and then it would spin across the kitchen- I'm sure they wont do that now-Enjoy

It would be good to see a few more boats on the Erewash and it would help to keep the weed down- we tried to get down earlier this year- but the weed was so thick

Shardlow marina Derbyshire, has a static park and a marina

Thanks everyone who suggested Andy Cain to paint our narrowboat- thoroughly nice guy and she's now booked in- just cant decide what colours.

Hi New to boating- Can anyone reccomend a good tv aerial and where to buy it. The boat came with a round plastic one which doesn't do anything- could be a salad drier for all it does. I've seen some that have a black box attached- what is this (signal strenghtener??) and do we need one- We have a white box (staus pack) that the aerial runs into- not sure if this is the same as the black box Thanks in advance for your advice

I've seen a guy on the T&M with chickens - ha has a small wooden cage on deck and then lets them roam the towpath when he's moored in the day- sounds great- imagine those eggs in the frying pan!!!!!!

Hi Had a good look this morning for best deals on antifreeze- it's 3 for 2 in Halfords- just bought 15litres,. It may be cheaper on internet- but I need to do it this week.- I dont work for Halfords- just thought I'd share the offer

I'm a newbie since buying our first boat in August- welcome!!!. This forum is great- I've raised a few questions and people are amazingly helpful and never make me think my questions are silly. Sounds like you'll have a fantastic Xmas- enjoy

Hi- we found out that our boat was made by DA Watts boatbuilders- I think they are still in existence, but cant find a website. Does anybody know anything of their history, how many boats did they make, do their boats have any specific characteristics and did they have a good boatbuilding reputation?

Hi- Before we bought our boat earlier this year, we looked at a lot of boats and none of them had a carbon monoxide alarm. Given that a lot of boats have gas boilers and stoves we were surprised by this and have fitted a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm. You can also get combined ones now- dont know if they are as good Is there a reason why people dont fit them- or did we just see an unrepresentataive selection of boats. Either way- be safe everyone

Thanks everyone- I think we know how to drain- as on our first trip- the fan belt broke and the water hose shot off emptying the water out. I'll measure and calculate based on the skin tank measurements so we know approx how much to buy first and then drain (hopefully under more controlled conditions than the fan belt fiasco earlier this year), measure and mix. Thanks for advising the ratio as I dont think I would have known to use such a concentrated mix Thanks- How do I use the hydrometer- I think I have one used many years ago for wine making but I guess this may be a different type. Do the ones from Halfords- give required readings for antifreeze use. Thanks for your advice

thanks everyone- you're making me think now- I'd love psychadelic swirls- may need to work on the other half though- plus I hadn't thought of black getting hot- good point!- and I kept seeing the peanuts bird when I googled woodstock- whilst I knew the cartoon- I didnt know the name of the bird- mystery solved. We're meeting the painter next week - will let you know how we get on

Hi- preparing for winter this weekend- How do I know how much antifreeze to put in the engine- it's a 1.5 BMC engine

Hi- We're looking to have our boat painted. Any thoughts on colour and design- she's called woodstock . She currently doesnt have the name painted on the boat- just a tatty viny plate on top. Favourite so far is black with a simple coachline in white or cream with the name in a curvy style font with perhaps a line of daisy chain underneath (in the spirit of love and peace!!!!!- my partners not sure about the daisy chain though). Any thoughts on colour and design appreciated and you may just see your suggestion crusing down the T&M next year. Trying to keep it simple and hopefully costs down, so nothing too complex Looking forward to your creative thoughts