Arthur Marshall

I was at the Salt Barge by the T&M at Marston a few weeks ago. On a Friday night, there were six people in the pub. I don't know how they stay open.

I think I used Matt at Edgley Plumbing, 07960 772422, matt@edgleyplumbingservices.co.uk though I can't be sure. If I've got the right guy, and he's the only one I can find in my bookmarks, he fitted me a new cooker. I'm on the Lower Macc, so it should be in the right area though he doesn't specify on his website, which is annoying. But he def does nbs. otherwise, there's someone at Heritage who can do it, 01782 785700

No it doesn't. The introduction implies that it does, but the actual analysis says: "3. The prompt payment discount will be reduced to 5% in April 2019. From April 2020 the structure of the discount will be changed so that a 2.5% discount will be offered for prompt payment in full, and a 2.5% discount for those using automated payment methods (including monthly direct debits). " I would imagine that just paying online with a card doesn't qualified as "automated", though what else could apart from DD I have no idea.

I bought my boat (the one I've still got) out of Exchange and Mart...

You don't have to be a weirdo, new age, or a nonbeliever in the law to be poor, broke and unable to find anywhere to live in this country these days. Which doesn't mean that it's a problem CRT can solve, nor can your local council. Just let everyone keep voting for lower and lower taxes, and for those who sell off industries to them foreign parts so that all the money they take goes overseas (and no taxes get paid there either). Although, thinking on, these are the real people who believe that the law doesn't apply to them, because of course it doesn't. Just don't blame the poor for occasionally taking steps to look after themselves, legal or illegal. Sometimes, yes, it's just excuses. More often than not, it's reasons.

If it's of any interest, when my brood were young I got a two foot wide chunk of ply, attached it to the boat wall in the dinette with gate hinges, fitted a bolt at each of the loose ends and drilled a hole into the bulkhead at one end and the cupboad at the other. It just swing down when noti n use and got it out of the way, swung it up, bolted it in and put a mattress on it when they needed it and the two seats underneath made up another bed. At the time it had seats both sides which turned into beds, so I did the same above the other one and it then slept the two lighter brats at the top, the older ones at the bottom and me and the wife in the double at the other end. All this on a 40ft boat with a 23 foot cabin. Much to my surprise, no-one ever fell out.

Yes and no. You're right about the focus, but the cause of a vast number of assorted wrong doings, and probably in this case, is simply not having enough money. Those of us old enough to remember a time when you went out to work and earned enough to buy food and pay the rent or mortgage (or, if elderly, on a pension) tend to forget, if we're not careful, that this is not the case today. Even the black economy has shrunk too much to make up the difference. In my factory labouring days, all the old guys who had been there years paid their rent, had nice family lives and went abroad for their two weeks every year. Now, crap pay is subsidised by the government with tax credits, housing benefit etc, and if you aren't capable of navigating (see what i did there?) the paperwork, or, in fact, not on the net, you simply can't get anything. And claiming benefits is much the same, worse if you're old, uneducated etc. Doesn't matter how capable you are in other ways. What I'm trying to say is that there is a difference between excuses and reasons.

With luck there isn't one. He's obviously much liked, knows about boat stuff and has a home again.

Well obviously if he could have got his last boat sorted (everyone said he was a whizz at that), tested, insured and licensed he would have done. Presumably, he simply couldn't afford to. If so I don't suppose he'll be able to crowdfund his fees every year from now on, so what's changed? He simply won't be able to meet the three conditions, he won't get a licence, and bang goes another boat.

I've moored on two farm moorings on the Macc. One was happy to allow liveaboards albeit it a higher rent, my current one doesn't. I would imagine it's down to the site owner, whoever it is. Personally, I can't see the problem - if you're renting out the land, you don't use it (which is the case with most of CRT's moorings), why should anyone care if you live on it or just go down every weekend? Pleased to say I've never had a BW or CRT mooring.

I'd got the impression from other posts that the Springer was unlicensed and the guy living on it has been rehoused. I may be in error.

My 40ft boat, with 23ft cabin, happily slept six in my family days.

It's tight enough, but I haven't taken it off and had a look. It's been on and off quite a bit, so shall do so tomorrow...

After a disastrous leak about five years ago, I had the engine rebuilt, so I'm slightly paranoid over oil leaks. What I'm getting is just a weep of oil where the arrow shows, it seems to be worse when the engine's cold and then more or less stops as it warms up. Even after a forrtnight's cruising I can't really detect any difference in the overall oil level and every engineer I've mentioned it to tells me it's fairly normal for a Lister and not to worry about it. The guy who rebuilt it says the fan blows through a bit of oil anyway, which, to be honest, seemed fairly unlikely to me, but what do I know? I've checked all the obvious bolts for tightness.

Fitted the bedazzled tubes this morning. Certainly seem a lot brighter than the old ones - shall be trying them out properly over the weekend. Thanks for all the advice as ever.