skywatcher

Thanks all We're heading out tomorrow, should be on the mac Tuesday, we'll certainly visit the drinking holes mentioned, and maybe we'll see some of you around. Cheers!

Hi l crossed over the shroppie union again by the port, and to my surprise it was quite clear not like last week. I thought like flyby said that it might have been washed down to the basin with the rain at the weekend, but the basin was clear as well, the museum looking quite pretty in the sunshine. I wonder if c & rt have been clearing it.

Hi All, We're going for a jolly along the Macclesfield canal for the 1st time, and would like some info on good places to moor, and places to avoid (if any) and any good pubs worth a visit. cheers.

It always reminds me of that little square game I had as a kid, were you move the squares around to solve the puzzle.

I was travelling along the M56 and M53 motorways crossing the Shroppie union as it gets close to Ellesmere port. There seemed to be an awful lot of weed, the big lily type stuff, that had made islands, some which streched right across the canal. Has anybody had any problems with it

Spiders are really useful, and we'd be overrun with allsorts of pests without them. But walking into webs, thrashing your arms around trying to break them is a pain. I lob ours out of the doors onto the bow where they build their webs across them, I'm sure they're trying to seal us in.

Cheers Paul, I've heard Westport lake is nice, It's mainly the T&M that we haven't done before and was wondering if there were any dodgy places. thanks for the info' we'll take note.

Hi, We're heading around the 4 counties ring next week. Is there anywhere we would be advised not to moor.

While entering Tilston lock on the shroppy, I saw something go in the lock. I thought somebody had thrown something off the bridge, only to see my girlfriends little sad face, while swinging her windlass waiting for me to come in it slid out of her hand and plop. Luckily we have quite a few windlasses but that was her favourite. She was gutted. Ive also lost the odd spanner when it slips off the nut, there's that frantic bit of juggling then the horrible sound of metal hitting water.

Thanks folks for all the useful info. Ive used smooth Hammerite on scraped down rusty scabs here and there, followed with a couple of coats of Dulux trade high gloss. that was 2 years ago and no rust or chips have reappeared, thats why I thought it might be ok for rusty scabs on the hull. I'm now glad I asked. I agree with you Julynian bitumen is a waste of time. The blacking I had done 2yrs ago lasted About 6 months, (if that) Ive recoated down to the waterline myself twice more since then. I thought I'd do it myself properly this time, when I get the boat out of the water, and will be looking up Steelbond, Steelguard, Rustoleum, Jotun and Bondsprimer.I just hope they are in my price range. Cheers Paul

Has anyone used staight to rust hammerite on rusty patches around the waterline, and if so how did it fare?

We seem to be about average, 2 to 3 months for a bottle £19.99 from Bunbury locks.

Hi, I've been reading your adventures with interest, we went to Ellesmere port at Easter and had a fine time. I deliver to an industrial estate in Ellesmere port a few times a week and have been looking out for you. I saw you today about 12(ish), it looked like you'd just arrived but I didn't have time to stop and introduce myself. I was back in the port again about 4(ish) but I couldn't see you, I don't know wether you had left, or had gone down into the pound. Anyway I hope you continue to have fun on your journey, keeping us all informed of course. Take it easy. Paul

I agree! The step to the bow doors has a tool box in it, very handy, and the paint, brushes, rollers etc live in a cupboard, under what we use as a wardrobe, all nice and dry. I wouldn't store paint in the stern/engine bay, it could all go bang.

A boat called Charlie Beere came past us this morning as we were moored up on the shroppie. It seemed quiet, but as it was crawling past moored boats, I didn't think anything of it. I wish I had read this post before I saw it, I'd have taken more notice.