AllanW

Hiya Clipp As someone has already said the Llangollen is very beautiful (ask Harrison Ford LOL) but it depends on the time of year... It can get silly busy at the height of the kids holidays season - certainly worthwhile though if you can avoid July August Personally I loved a weeks run down the Stratford Canal and back from Tardebigge last year. There's quite a change of scenery on route, a couple of tunnels for the kids (!) some excellent pubs for the big kids, and quiet stopping places (even the centre Stratford was peaceful at night) From Tardebigge you get the bonus of the first and last days being lock free, and even they busyiest day isn't all work! Gimme a PM if you want some more info... Allan

Thanks for that Martin Do you know if they are planning any open days? I notice some historically interesting sites are starting to do this For those who didn't see my previous post - there's a webcam giving 3 views (rotated each 30 mins?) of the construction here: http://www.aptb09.dsl.pipex.com/lcl.jpg Didn't realise watching a hole getting bigger could be so interesting... I'll be taking a drive over this weekend - memo to self: must remember camera this time! Allan

Haven't read the whole thread - has anyone suggested a paintball gun yet? Of course it's far more effective if you freeze the paint balls first... LOL Allan

Hi Anode I've posted on this before (do a search...) All I can add is that whatever the merits or otherwise of LBC - and whether rightly or wrongly, many people do not think particularly well of them... Perception and reallity may indeed be two differnt things, but personally I've decided to avoid a LBC hull - not because they are necessarily bad (although there are several stories), but because they have a *reputation* which may make them more difficult to sell on (compared to a more respected name) when you come to change Personally I like STS hulls (Liverpool), but there will no doubt be someone who has had a bad experience of them - so at the end of the day you pays your money as they say Allan

For those who watch the weather (or should do!) - here's a really nice and easy to use *free* little prog for your PC http://www.singerscreations.com/Software.asp (Click on Weather Watcher) From Site: - - - (start) - - - Weather Watcher is your personal Windows desktop weather station. Automatically retrieve the current conditions, hourly forecast, daily forecast, detailed forecast, severe weather alerts (US only), and weather maps for over 77,000 cities world-wide. The current conditions can be quickly viewed by holding your mouse pointer over the Weather Watcher system tray icon. Weather Watcher will allow you to automatically retrieve your weather data at a set interval, display the current temperature in a customized tray icon, display the current condition image in a tray icon, designate which weather information is displayed in the Weather Watcher system tray tooltip, convert the weather data using almost any conversion, display a weather map as your desktop wallpaper, log the weather data in any format, export the weather data in any format, customize the look of the Weather Watcher interface and icons via skins, and much more. - - - (end) - - - I've tried several of these 'watcher' programmes over the years and (IMHO) this is one of the better ones... Disclaimer: I have no affiliation of any kind to this programme or the site above Allan

Saw an interesting snippet Telegraph t'other day - BW apparently cutting pumpout prices - going down to a tenner it seems Allan

Just been looking in on 'Garys' Legard Boats webcams: http://81.149.14.59:8080/ And I've been following the new Liverpool canal being built at: http://www.aptb09.dsl.pipex.com/lcl.jpg But I'm wondering - how many more waterways webcams are there? Would be great to see one from Crick for example... Allan

There's a bit of information here: http://www.btinternet.com/~doug.small/wtwomen.htm The site states... (with snips) - - - (copy) - - - During WWII women volunteered to work on Britains Inland Waterways. Apart from their contribution to the war effort the main reason we remember them is because of the books and articles written them, after the war. These provide a valuable insight into commercial carrying on inland waters. Collected here are some of these writings and any other relevant information I have come across. The obvious place to start is to list the four books which are reasonably easy to obtain. Idle Women by Susan Woolfitt. Troubled Waters by Margaret Cornish. The Amateur Boatwomen by Eily (Kit) Gayford. Maidens' Trip by Emma Smith 1/ Susan Woolfitt's book is I consider the best. First published in 1947, it has been re-printed a couple of times. 2/ Troubled Waters was not published until 1987. 3/ Kit Gayford was one of the trainers and her book was first published in 1973. 4/ Maidens' Trip condenses Emma Smiths experiances into a fictionalised version, but nonetheless contains much factual material. First published in 1948. Copies of these books can probably be obtained from M & M BALDWIN who have (I think) re-printed all of them recently, and who also deal in secondhand books. Tel: 01299 270110. - - - (end) - - - Don't know how recent the page is but the phone number looks fairly new if anyone want to try obtaining a copy Allan

Another useful cheapie... http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c....te_Receiver.ar9 Portable satellite reciever for £59 Allan (edited 'cuz picture didn't show!)

Hiya Gary Did you complete trials on this? And if so how did it work out? Allan

I think the perfect use of those small new 360º cameras that Sony (among others) are producing will turn out to be security... have you seen them? More details on the Sony site - but a Google will find loads more info Just imagine one of these roof mounted in an unobtrusive spot... be like having your own periscope! LOL http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news...featuring2.html Allan

Remember to tie yourself on! Have a word with these guys... Allan

Fascinating topic... I'd not given this much thought before, but I've been doing a bit of net research on this. The idea of using chimney heat has been around nearly forever... The domestic Smoke Jack turned, for over 300 years, the roasting spits of Western Europe! The thermoelectric (temperature difference) devices are Peltier chips. Actually peltier elements can heat, cool, or generate electricity when heated and cooled on opposite sides. It's the same effect, just the other way around. I could post a lot of info here but you're probably better off looking at the source material yourselves: http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Chimney_20power (Actually have a look at the ther links on this site - I like the idea of using a burning candle to power ultra-bright LEDs!!!) http://www.peltier-info.com/info.html Also of interest (when they get it in production...) is http://www.powerchips.gi/ IMHO Power Chips will be the 'next big thing' because for comparison purposes, a typical thermoelectric (Peltier device) generator has a Carnot efficiency of about 5-8%. A Rankine cycle generator, such as a gas turbine, has a typical Carnot efficiency of about 30%, while a diesel or petrol generator is only about 10-15% efficient in Carnot terms. Power Chips are projected to achieve 70-80% of Carnot efficiency. (whew!) For more on Carnot cycles see here: http://cloudbase.phy.umist.ac.uk/people/co...e/lecture15.pdf <-- definately NOT bedtime reading but I found it interesting! There's also in interesting looking link about a woodburing stove bolt-on here but I've not read the full text yet: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pi...196890404001931 Allan

Hiya Knotty and welcome! I had to smile about being a 'liveafloat' rather than a 'liveaboard' - I'll bet that gets rather cold? LOL Anyway we'll follow your story with interest... good luck! Allan

If DEFRA gets to spend money on this flu they'll be looking to spend less in other areas won't they? Wonder how much of a funding cut the canals will get next year if this flu gets serious? On a lighter note - I got sent this earlier today: Warner Brothers' cartoon character Tweety Bird has been the latest death from the mysterious bird flu. Tweety was one of the first Americans and the biggest name star to contact and die due to the illness. Bugs Bunny, long the leader and most famous of the Warner Brothers group of cartoon stars, issued a statement to the press. "When I went to the hospital to visit before he passed away, I grabbed the guy coming out of the room and asked him "What's up, Doc!" He told me that our little buddy just wasn't going to make it. I'll really miss the little guy. We'll have to find someone else willing to work with Sylvester. Tweety was the only one of us who didn't mind getting spit on." "Thufferin Thucatash," said former co-star Sylvester the Cat. "He'th gonna be all infected now, tho I gueth I can't eat the corpth." Scientists and researchers believe that they may have found the source of the disease and trace it back to another Warner Brothers' actor known simply as The Brain. When interviewed, Brain had this to say: "Do you think I killed Tweety? How prepostorous! How would the death of one stupid, simple bird help me to take over the world?" When asked if he had seen The Brain working on anything suspicious, lab assistant Pinky simply responded with a "Narf!" Elmer Fudd, another WB friend co-worker, was crying when asked for his comments. "Th-th-th-that's all folks. We-we-we'll never again hear the sweet chirps of Tweety Bird wh-wh-wh-when he warns us he spotted a puddy tat. I'll m-m-m-m-miss the little guy." Daffy Duck took the news with a different attitude. "Tweety's dead? Let's see, he got 15% of all the cartoons, and I got 12%. With him dead now, I ought to get at least one or two more cartoons a year! That means a new hot tub for me to enjoy with the chicks! Wait a minute, did you say he died of bird flu? Did he catch it on the lot? Did he come to the studio any time when he was sick? Do you guys have the antidote? Sorry boys, interview over. I'm heading north!" Services are set for Saturday at Hollywood Animal Cemetery. LOL Allan

I joined the Friends of the Monty last week and I'm hoping to go on a couple of the volunteer weekends this year Allan

Debbie Does Dudley?

Just wondering if there were any here who belong to the 'Friends of the Monty'? It's a society I've not thus far been involved with, but I'm hoping to go along for the walk and meet a few of their members. If anyone from this forum is going along this weekend I'd like to say hi... For those who might fancy a walk along the Llan this Saturday... (especially since the boats will probably be welded to the banks up here in Tornado Alley!) “Friends” January Walk and Lunch. 10.30 for 11am at the Narrowboat Inn, Maestermyn, Langollen Canal. Ring Judith Richards. 01691 831455 for details. Allan