[Advice on repaint or varnish interior?]

I like it! I’d tidy up here and there, few bright cushions, pictures etc and see what it looks like then? The wood looks pretty good to me.

[Something wonderful from CaRT]

7 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Depends on your definition of "pay handsomely".

Total CRT income in the last financial report was £202.9M, of which boat licensing itself contributed only £19.6m

So our licences are contributing less than 10% of the total.

As I couldn't possibly afford to pay 10 times what I currently pay for my boat licences, it is of course fairly essential that CRT continues to be able to secure 90% of its income from sources other than boat licences.

Please don't pretend that boaters come close to paying what it costs CRT to provide the waterways for us to enjoy!

I think what we get for our licence fee is a bargain. As much as people moan about the state of the canals we have been out for two months now No hassles whilst cruising and mooring. It’s brilliant out here! 

[Unexpected Expenditure]

Just now, Parahandy said:

Thats my thoughts on it .

Happens.

[Unexpected Expenditure]

3 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

Its been absolutely great trawling through everyones contributions , why cant I ever be moored near some of you Blokes in my time of need ? ? I have rechecked all the connections and they are all visually perfect , in addition the New Battery seems to be turning the starter over with more vigour . 

Maybe the battery was knackered after all??

[Vexatious Requests to CRT under Freedom of Information Act ?]

22 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I just go boating. Its fab out there. Nowts changed in my near on thirty years, still fab and still getting awesome service.

Not boated for as long as you. But the ten years we have done have been great. I hear the complaints and I know it’s not perfect on the canals but it’s still pretty good. Some just look for the problems I believe so they can moan.

[Tecno drive tmc40 problem]

Is there room for another nut  so you can lock them together? 

[Joining the shiny boat brigade]

I have used craft masters wash and wax sets for years. Wash as instructed on bottle. Rinse off then wax. It goes on easy and polished off with little effort. Brilliant stuff. Make sure you apply the wax with a damp cloth! 

[Good and bad brokers?]

I fins the majority of businesses that I deal with lacking in many ways. Be that customer service, product knowledge or downright crookedness. This seems to apply right from your corner shop to big business. I expect no better from boat brokers. Find your boat then tread carefully when dealing with the broker and surveyer.

[Durite LED tunnel light.]

I have the light a few days correct way up, no drop in the water level. Yesterday I drilled a 1 mm hole in the plastic lens, bottom corner. Left it a few hours, no water came out. I assumed this suggested that the unit is sealed. Drilled a further hole top of lens and our poured the water. So, no idea how it was filling up,but hopefully fixed now. Thanks to all for your input. Edit to add guess it was condensation.

[Rickmansworth Festival]

2 hours ago, Neil Smith said:

I might have a nose on sunday, looks like a bit of fun.

 

Neil

I bet you’ll bump into mrsmelly. I reckon he is a happy go lucky party animal, despite him pretending otherwise!

[Due Diligence]

10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Why ?

The broker has no liability or responsibility, they are not the seller, (boats purchased from Whilton have been known to sink after departure and before arriving in London - there is no come-back on a broker)

 

It appears as if it is felt that every seller should sell the boat fully & correctly equipped to go cruising.

 

But well done to Parahandy.

I would hope that Whilton and other brokers would advise new buyers of any obvious requirements for a boat they have sold. Probably few do though. I helped a guy on a brand new wide beam last year. The ropes on that were I’d guess only 4 or 5 mm diameter. Re Whilton, just how many of their boats have sunk on the way to London? 

5 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

it might be more relevant to suggest that anyone in charge of a vessel (and the registered owner - before he/she is issued a licence) above a certain size should have a basic qualification in helmsmanship and general boat management if they cannot show reasonable previous experience.  That is what happens in France, why not here?  I'm surprised the insurance companies don't insist on it.

Just what we need... more H&S.

[Looks like Bosworth Marina are getting in on this mooring charge lark!]

32 minutes ago, nipper said:

It seems that Bosworth Marina are charging boats to moor up on the tow path outside their Marina.

This is not on the off side, but on the actual towpath.

Is this right?

I though that the canal towpaths belong to Cart!

Any views?

Nipper

Towpath has always been that side though hasn’t it? 

[From inside Braunston Tunnel]

50 minutes ago, MJG said:

 

Blimey, caravaning has certainly changed your appearance. 

[The north Trent and Mersey]

We have spent the last couple of weeks on the Llangollen. Loved most of it. Spectacular views, lovely walks, hood pubs..Do like the T&M as well. Not been on the Weaver yet but should be up there in a few weeks after we pop down the Monty. All canals have their own charms.

[Fender ropes - how long please?]

22 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Pipe fenders in locks is a bad idea, often they catch whilst exiting the lock and snap off leaving fender and but of rope just below the surface for the next boat in to the lock to pick up on their blades as they engage reverse to stop.

I used to go into locks with fenders down. Then about 4 years ago 1 of them wedged between boat and gate as I steered into the lock. I heard the rope strain and then it freed itself, the fender shot past my head catching me a glancing blow. It scared me and had it caught me full on I’m sure it could  have knocked me out. Never again! 

[Almost a banter]

12 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

There are about a dozen of us.  I've met 6 or 7.  Shared Sutton stop lock with another Cygnet once.  Have to keep a sharp look out for pike, though.

Edited to say that the 'other forum member' that Haggis mentioned is none other than DHutch, the high heid yin.

Then I will have to guess whether it was your boat. I waved anyway. 

[Almost a banter]

We passed a boat named Cygnet the other day.

[Modern trend or brand spefic]

9 hours ago, WotEver said:

.... no, I won’t bite...

Phew...

[Should I buy a narrowboat]

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

My wife has retired early and now seems to have less spare time compared to when she was in full time employment. Such are the demands on her time I sometimes have to ask her out for a date in order to have some time together.  The boat  does remain a haven, even in retirement.

That’s very romantic. I hope the lady says yes to your date invite. It is a busy life when one is retired.

[Should I buy a narrowboat]

48 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Don't mention caravans! I mentioned them once, but I think I got away with it!

Don’t be to sure lol .

[Should I buy a narrowboat]

1 hour ago, Lily Rose said:

Similar here, I sometimes say we're off to our country retreat or to our other home. 

 

I also felt a lot better about paying marina fees (though most of our time on the boat is spent away from the marina) when I discovered that they were cheaper than what we would be paying someone for the privilege of owning a static caravan as our place in the country.

That’s how I feel. I’ve a friend that had two weeks booked in a static caravan costing him over £2000 for two weeks. My daughter and boyfriend have a ten day holiday booked costing £2700. We will cruise our boat till October for that. Boat owning isn’t always the expensive option! 

[Should I buy a narrowboat]

Something we found since buying a boat in 1999 is that although it’s quite costly, you do then have a holiday home. Before our boat we were spending maybe 8-10 thousand a year on holidays. 

[Durite LED tunnel light.]

Well I’ve turned mine upside down so it’s the right way up now. Il see if it dries out. Maybe it’s a build up of condensation, seems possible as mrsmelly has some in his too. Let’s face it his have been well leak tested...

[Should I buy a narrowboat]

Yes you should buy a boat. It’s flipping brilliant, we love being out all summer, best thing we ever did was retire early to go boating.

[Durite LED tunnel light.]

8 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

I think that the main problem with led lights is not so much the brightness - though some are stupid bright - but the colour temperature, ie they are very white, so a lot of blue light that degrades night vision and takes a long while to recover, sadly the older you are the longer it takes.  So if/when you can buy ‘warm’ colour lamps it will help old people - like me - coming towards you if you replace those very ‘cool’ temperature lights that you have now.

I take your point but as I said it’s really a very friendly light to be approaching. Pointed very much upwards and not silly bright. Completely agree that some lights are way to bright and often directed poorly. Not only LED though is it?