Tuscan

I think we are close to agreement , i am on a 4- 6 week cruise and happy to report as I find , will park his and let you know how I get on.

Serious scary, a couple of years ago we got stuck on the Nene when it was in flood and that was not pleasant but this must have been frightening.

I just don't get the issue if you ask the volunteer or the BW staff member to let you work your boat through the lock why would they not do so. If they advise you there is a problem with the lock or that you wait whilst they work a boat up for whatever reason why would you not let them. Assuming this is the case there should be no problems and the scouting issue is just a bit of a red herring.. I help or don't help others on a lock on exactly the same principle if my help is welcomed its given. I have not received any scout leader or lock keeping training. As both are institutions that I assume have to carry public liability insurance I assume both have to have a training regime that complies with current H & S regulations, it seems strange to denigrate one volunteer training code over another.If the training that a volunteer lock keeper receives Is the same as a new staff lock keeper then you attitude does come across as somewhat dogmatic and arrogant.

You will have no problems, you might find it useful to have some cabin lights on so they light up the tunnel walls to give you a reference point, I have gone though with just a strong torch on the back with me several times, enjoy

Well said In CART's eyes I suspect there is no difference between a paid staff member and a trained volunteer as far as being responsible for assisting at a lock is concerned. It would be foolish I suggest to ignore the local advice being given by a CART representative regarding a specific lock when approaching it for the first time with a crew of fairly inexperienced scouts or any other group. If your risk assessment doesn't take local advice and conditions into account then it is wrong.

Guess that was my point , nothing wrong with ignoring the topic and engaging in a public slanging match, if it floats your boat.

I think I missing the relevance to this and volunteer lock keepers, my point in my earlier post was that having people help the boats through might be good thing or not, but if the infrastructure is not fir for purpose do we care. It seems they now they are being accused of being uninsured pedophiles , why do you need a CRB as a lockeeper if you are assisting (let's assume only if the offer is accepted) the helmsman of a narrowboats who is likely to be an adult.

Ok a pirouette it is....

They were working the first two locks at Fradley today, at the second lock they left the paddle up at the back when winding the filling paddles up, too busy talking to my wife. However all these volunteers count for nought if we don't look after the canal sat on the bottom before Wood Lock , guy on his boat happily told me it took President over an hour last week. I managed to persuade another boater to go into the lock ahead of me towing me up against the lock gate. Even at the lock we had to bow haul in. Not a volunteer in sight of course.

Cheers was just interested whether depth was constant,

Thanks probably will if last weeks gales returns

We will be getting to Middlewich about then, I normally steer clear of Rallies, but could be tempted do we need to book Aber in or can we just take pot luck with a mooring and join in for a day.

We are coming off the Coventry onto Trent & Mersey today going to Middlewich but we want to spend a couple of days Tixall Wide. Question can you wind easily on the wide with 3' draft? Thanks for your help

Interesting point , agreed it's a wonderful resource , but I would be interested in knowing how much of what I pay in license, BSS and mooring goes on the maintenance of the canal as opposed to the "linear" park it sits in. Now I am in a hole I will stop digging.

Bet BW were mythed......

Thanks for posting these they are excellent. Especially the motor back cabin.

I have so much sympathy with any hirer last week, the weather was truly awful, we have had the advantage of just tieing when the weather was it it's worst. However if you enjoyed your self in this weather then you are hooked !! My wife and I had a good chuckle at the thought of the in laws stewing in the boat as the steam rose of the wet clothes.....

Ok I see so have you contacted Beta direct to get their side of he story straight from them i would rather do that than rely on the builder whose first instinct i guess would be to ensure none of this comes back on them. I would then as other members have suggested get some advice, might also be worth getting some technical advice regarding how much additional work is required on the gearbox. Good luck.

If you find any decent weather pleas send it his way - Coventry canal

Allegedly what does this mean, if you have a written guarantee is the wording confusing, I suspect not. Averaging 30mins of use for over two years can't be good I think Beta are being pretty decent replacing a part which is not covered by your guarantee. I assume you had a service at 1 and 2 years did this reveal anything. It's always worth making a fuss but I suspect you will not get far in this instance unfortunately.

Excellent....................best advis I I was ever given years ago before important meetings is to remember the Client sits on the loo just like you, so that makes it a cassette then!

Don't know if this helps , but I have had an ariel fitted connected inside the boat to 3 dongle then a globe surfer wireless router. I can then use iPad or laptop wirelessly stream music etc etc. Works for us. Mark

Have a greenie for chuckle factor and truth