JamesWoolcock

I had a PHW2 in my last boat. Great little engines. Change the engine oil regularly; adjust the tappets. Done. If you have the Hurth built gearbox you will need to adjust the astern or reverse from time to time too .Done. I had a leak on the Jabsco water pump too where it abuts the crankcase casting and fixed it by making a gasket from a red plastic (?) fire hose. But you might be talking of other leaks elsewhere. Have you got the Petter maintenance manual ? If not get one and it should answer most of your queries and much, much more, Google it or whatever, or try Pete Thompson at Uxbridge Marine Services. Cracking little engine and I miss it. James

Added James

The Leek Arm goes to Morrison's, well after a walk through the industrial estate and could be strategically important on the catering front. James

Just lower your speed and go slowly down the middle of the canal, as confirmed by the Hon Secretary of The Burton Mutual AA as I did just that through sizable match alongside the A38 at Barton on the T&M a few years ago. He made the point of thanking me and in return I was grateful for his acknowledgement. James

Thanks for the great pics Cheshire Rose. But it's also time to say a huge thank-you to Malcolm Burge for hosting this wonderfully enjoyable weekend, Lawrence Williams for organizing, commentator Norman Mitchell, Paul and all at The Samuel Barlow and everyone involved in making this weekend. Thank you on behalf of all of us James

I understand from commentator Norman Mitchell that Richard Parry was with him when he said " Cycling and Runners Trust."

A New Zealander I thought when I met him in there when passing in July?

When in Tipton I use the Noah's Ark as well as the Fountain. The Ark is a Banks's house with real beer and always a great welcome for boaters from everyone; the wonderful landlady Bridget, the staff and the regulars. And they are all very dog friendly too. It was, I think, Caggy Stevens's local. It's full of great old 'photos I've not seen anywhere before, of the working cut around Tipton. Lovely pics of The Tipton Green and Toll End Communication Canal. Well worth the moderate walk and not just for the 'photos which are a must see. James

So allegedly,here it is: Charles Edwin Boater 1838 -1903 Hatmaker, born in Whitechapel, London. In the early 1860's he introduced the flat crown straw hat, inspired by seamen's headgear, that bears his name. Success did not come quickly, mainly because Boater started his sales campaign among the deeply conservative London working class. But once the style had been taken up by young public schoolboys it rapidly established itself, enjoying a vogue that lasted until the 1920's and is still revived from time to time. Source and quoted from: "Stipple Wink & Gusset. The Great Originals Who Gave Their Names to History. Author: James Cochrane Published by Century ISBN 0-7126-5573-5 Now you have it? James

Somewhere round there must be safe going by the number off hire boats we encountered going downhill in June as we were heading up to Minworth for Birmingham about 10ish! James

Middlewich last year at Lock 72: Boater: "What make is your shell mate?". Reply: "The hull was built by Fellows Morton & Clayton in Saltly, Birmingham." Boater: "Never heard of them." Reply: "Well they did cease trading in 1949." Boater: "Not surprised looking at the dents in it." Oh well, James

Try: www.boatsafetyscheme James

Hi Andy. Any decent line for the fore end of LINDSAY? James

Here at Audlem tonight: From Lock 12: Dory, Gort, Stamford, Dove, Buckden, Darley, Whitby, Thea, Marquis. Below Lock 13: Badger, Victory, Electra, The North, Elizabeth, Serpens, Lynx, Ibex, Scorpio. Below Lock 14: Alder,Swan, Aldgate, Goilath Below Lock 15: Viceroy, Gerald So, many more to come in the next 24 hours. Apologies for any omissions and those that may have arrived after dark! James

Roofs??? Are you all talking of CABIN TOPS? James

Thanks Lawrence. MARQUIS will be there. Same mooring would be nice and two dogs this year! Best wishes, James

Alan Have these incidents been reported the HNBC (Sue Cawson)? As you know, the HNBC website has a Pinch Point list under Navigation Issues which might need revising and is available to all. James

I thought that was the "out of hours" service?

I think that given that I was on the North Oxford Canal and said so would have been a clue that I wasn't talking about the GU. But then last year, when reporting on a situation at Hopwas, I was asked by a lady on the 'phone at Peel's Wharf at Fazeley where Hopwas was and where the Coventry Canal was too. I said Hopwas was just a few of miles or so from where she was and that the Coventry Canal was outside her office. That was too challenging so she put me through to "someone who knows about boats" and got a very helpful lady who promised that she would make sure that the the matter was dealt with. She was the Enforcement Officer for South Wales and Severn Waterways in Gloucester. Oh well.

It wasn't being cut off that amazed me, but that by ringing 03030404040, CRT's main number, I found someone who thought the canal name and bridge number was inadequate to enable them to find the location! I'm not a local, but just a boater on a journey. Isn't that what we are all meant to be?

Just a quick thanks to all the boats and crew who stopped to help rescue a very young calf from the North Oxford Canal at Bridge 80 today. But maybe not to CRT who said they needed the name of a town or village to find the location of the canal and bridge, and then cut me off! James

The real answer is to polish your brass more often! Sorry, but a fact of boating and having brass. Mine are done with Brasso a minimum of once a week, two is better and at gatherings it's every day. Regularly cleaned brass becomes easier and easier to brighten up. If it's going to rain for a few days afterwards, I use WD40 sparingly applied on a cloth. This stops any dirty rain tarnishing them and it wipes off with kitchen paper towel to leave an acceptable finish days later until you can polish them again. WD40 will also take the rain spots off newly polished brass if you didn't check the weather forecast. And if it is raining and you still want to smarten your brass up, WD40 works here again, although they may not shine particularly brightly. James

"Open as normal" 30/05/13. Came up late afternoon the day before. Just below the yellow but running strong. Not a problem then. James

I 'signed up' to the then BWB stoppages email list quite sometime ago.. Go to the canalandrivertrust website. You can select the waterway(s) you are interested in and get all the updates daily. In fact mine come through throughout the day, but then selected quite a few. Anyone with internet access aboard will find it invaluable especially as some of them are rather short notice. The updates on progress at Cromwell have been reasonably good. James

MARQUIS is 115 years old. 54 foot in length, iron hull, steel base plate, wooden cabin skinned in steel, and I have insured her with Towergate Mardon since 2006. They are excellent. I made a largish claim two years ago and I just couldn't fault the service and understanding of the predicament. I got jammed going up Camp Hill Locks (watch the iron plates on the lock walls!) and got a total top-end-plus engine rebuild after the FR3M sucked in some of the the GU and hydraulic-ed. The final cost was well in excess of the accepted quotes and there was no discussion, they just met the bills. She is a full live-aboard boat with all the kit and facilities, domestic and mechanical, including a Fischer Panda on-board diesel generator. The policy is with a consortium lead by Royal and Sun Alliance. My renewal has just arrived with Hull & Machinery: £70,000. Personal effects: £3000. Premium £307.14. (I have up this cover a little in some respects.) Full out of water hull survey every 8 years. Suits me. James .