oarfish

Nosey now, that's quite a bit less than I pay. Guessing its more than the sticky lift bridge

Walker services at Aynho did a good job fitting a stove to our boat, they may have some spaces left. The marina is 1 minutes walk from a gastropub too which is handy.

But easier to patch up when its not high gloss.

Surely it scuffs too easily? First tree encounter would leave a right mess. Have considered it as I have a matt boat, think I'll stick with blackboard paint and a roller.

Yes, we really enjoyed it after realising we probably wouldn't die. It's a *bit* disconcerting having your boat rock and roll quite so much at first.

Things are changing quickly there, but earlier this year you could moor on the banks in Wolvercote opposite the Trout (nice) near the Abbey or below Donnington bridge (not so nice) without hassle for a few days. The council is pretty determined to get rid of the liveaboard boaters round there, so I wouldn't be surprised if shiny new no mooring signs have been put up.

Not quite, you can stay at Henley & various other moorings on the Thames for a week or so if you pay. They also supply bins and don't treat you like vagrants. Quite handy for a few days. Oxford is increasingly a no go area for cruising liveaboard boaters given the increasing restrictions on the canal and river even going as far down as Donnington road bridge and bank round Sandford. I wonder if the contractors have been told about river conditions, 2 months on red boards would be a great little earner.

+1 on getting an external antenna, the handheld picked up very little except for battersea bridge control.

Only done it the once a few weeks ago, but things got quite close going through bridges. We had one of the slower trip boats right in front of us.

Fill the bowl to just under the lip and add some tank treatment solution, leave it for a couple of hours and get a bog brush under the lip. Got rid of the bacterial growth we had.

I thought New Islington had improved? Or is that just DeanS' boundless optimism? We were there for a few weeks before it opened and went cruising. It's cheap, might be worth getting a place there even if thats not where you spend your time :cough: There are miles and miles of beautiful waterways near train stations less than an hour from the city centre.

I am ..slightly anally retentive about having crap on my roof. Solar panels are amorphous walk on jobbies, 2 center lines either side of the central flue. We travel lots when we can. Might end up with some coal bag this winter though. I need another 2x130w panels if anybody is interested in sharing the horrific P&P from the US.

Pikey Prawns sometimes climb up my plughole and live in the shower for a bit. A bit of salt in the water purges them faster for their afterlife as ravioli.

Boat is about as black as boats get and its pretty damn hot on the outside. I think we get away from the worst of it inside because of only having portholes and decent insulation. It's only evenings where the shell is still radiating heat that it's noticeably warmer inside than outside. My life currently revolves around cocktail manufacture and finding shops with bags of icecubes. It's hell.

Another +1 for the Cobb. Hot smoking things needs lots less attention than direct heat barbecuing, so it's ideal to run as you go along. Cherry / maple smoked chickens, pulled pork, hickory smoked ribs and hot smoked salmon or trout are all doable on it. Beats my bloody vanette oven any day.

Our cat seems to love living aboard, he's a Bengal and the breed tends to bond strongly with their owners rather than a territory. He will follow us on walks for miles and beg to come into the pub.. He's a good, if reluctant swimmer as well. Is able to get out of the water by grabbing onto the back button and climbing onto the counter. The only real worry we have is roads, he's fine with the water.

There are some nice spots opposite the Trout in Wolvercote, bit shallow but doable with gangplank.

Dying now. Is that yours?

Usually some moorings opposite the Trout on the river you can stay on for a week. Also below Donnington bridge. Oxford council is kicking off over liveaboards though so this might not be the best advice right now.

I was amazed, love the little islands. It all got a bit Swallows and Amazons. There's a lovely square rigged humber keel near there 'Daybreak'.

Finding a 24V water pump on very short notice in the middle of nowhere with no car was fun.. I now know to keep a spare.

Yes, they are soft and flexible. Will match the exact curve of the roof. They are much less efficient by area than mono / poly crystalline though.

Just a bit. Especially as many of us are not actually legitimately resident on our home moorings in the first place.

Can't you just use a cheap mooring outside of the SE and bridgehop inner London to your heart's content?

I use those on my NB quite happily. Biggest risk is that they can pull up much easier than a pin, by accident or mischief.