Ratzend

Thanks, pretty much what I had been thinking. I am definitely not looking for new build so may give it a miss and can take my time with the brokers online.

Would I be right in thinking that Crick would be of very limited benefit to someone like me? I am looking for a boat but it will be second hand, possibly historic but certainly with a vintage engine. I had seriously thought of going but the more I hear the less it would seem to be of help in my case? Especially considering costs, hotel etc. Do private sellers take their boats to the event or is that frowned on? Cheers,

Plenty of tight trousers over there, leather too !!! Mainly on the men though sadly

Maybe consider moving somewhere away from all these dangerous boaty competitions? My cousin is selling his cottage on the Isle of Man ?

I think you have already pretty much established it is not the mains 'kettle' lead, and yours may be different, but computer power leads are usually kettle leads, and often the lead to a laptop will have a kettle lead as part of it, although sometimes they are the more rounded 'clover leaf' design. Kettle leads do fail, and sometimes not completely open circuit, I have had to throw a few chinese ones away in the past. Just a thought.

Great photos, thank you. I wish I had been able to make it.

Brought back some long forgotten memories. I still have my old Remington somewhere, no need to worry about conserving battery power with those I wonder what the younger kids today would make of them. Probably end up preferring them to a computer !!!

Never mind Nick Parke, or the Oscar, are you still using a typewriter ????

I brought my two sons up on the basis that 'I' told 'them' how it was going to be. There was always an option to discuss, argue, consider and change, plus an ever watchful eye that no one got hurt. Compromise simply became a habit. They now have families of their own and all relations seem to be good. They also seem to respect that, having sort of 'done my job' it is now time for me to pursue more self centred interests and they are all for it, except now 'they' are doing the 'watching' Which is nice but can get a bit frustrating sometimes!!! I may be getting older but I CAN still think for myself I had a relationship a few years ago with a lovely woman and we had great hopes for the future. Sadly, her children had been brought up telling 'her' how it would be, and there was no question of compromise in their vocabulary, and it was obviously never going to change for her, sometimes I am not sure she wanted it to, but that is another story......... Just life I suppose, different people, different ideas, but there always comes a point when you are either 'free' to now follow your own ideas, or are maybe left waiting to follow the orders of your children, who have moved on but don't seem to think you have right to do the same !!! Only a few words on a very large subject !!!

Is this part of the government's efforts to cut down on illegal immigration ?

Many thanks, just what I wanted. I have never been to Droitwich but assume even I can't miss a large collection of boats together on a canal!

Is the Historic Boat gathering a private event? I hadn't realised there was one, I thought about going but seem to be struggling to find any details, except that it is at Droitwich? Unless I am looking in all the wrong places !!

I think there is also a question of dignity. From personal experience, flailing around on the surface apparently drowning attracts concern, attention and great sympathy. Standing on the canal bed with the water just above your knees just attracts an awful lot of sniggering

I have been thinking along exactly the same lines, however, it is not easy to bake a Pi without the ingredients

£15 during peak season, £9.95 during off peak. It passes me regularly and often has a habit of stopping next to me at traffic lights lights I watch it carefully, sadly the wheels are too big for my Volvo

I practice christening my boat regularly, and change the name frequently, and will probably continue to do so until I actually BUY a boat, hopefully in a few months time