Zayna

Hello again. I see some narrowboats with a lifering (life preserver/ lifebelt...) on the roof, and some without. What are the reasons for not carrying one? Thanks. I know this might seem a dumb question, but I'm very new...

Can you tell? I can't wait to start looking after her properly. It looks like she's been bashed about a bit and just left sitting by herself, with nobody to love her...

Tis blue...

Tesco. Think of the Clubcard points.

Hello, can anyone help with this please. Our boat has some corrosion around the windows, the paint is bubbling and flaking off, it doesn't look disastrous but we need to stop it getting any worse. So I guess the windows have to come out, the paint rubbed down and the metal primed and repainted? My chap is of the handy variety but I don't want him to start this job without getting some good advice from you guys please. I was wondering whether he should paint around the windows in a totally different colour, or will the paint match ok if he uses the same colour (the boat is only 3 years old, the paint might not have faded that much???), or if anyone has any more suggestions please, I'd appreciate them. Thank you very much.

This thread is such a comfort. When we hired (to see if I actually liked it), we were met with nothing but kindness and friendly folk, and it really sealed the deal for me and made me want our own narrowboat even more. Likewise on this forum, so much help and information, nothing is too much trouble. Of course there will always be the exception, there are some folk who are only happy when they're miserable. I'm really quite nervous about the months ahead, but so far there have been many many shoulders to lean on, and it makes me feel so much better. I have absolutely TONS to learn, I don't like being the 'new girl', but folk on here and people I have met along the journey so far have made me feel like family.

Thanks all. I could always stand in front of a politician or similar, the hot air they talk would dry my fringe in no time. I think I'll opt for the aforementioned butane gas styler on my wayward fringe, sounds like a solution to me!

I can't. A fringe is much cheaper than Botox.

Why didn't I think of that? I've got more than one somewhere in my house, in fact I bet I could find straighteners as well, I remember buying those in the good old days.

What about this though? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hair-Dryer-12v-Caravan-Motorhome-Portable-Folding-Travel-Car-Boats-Hairdryer-/251096246227?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Hair_Care_Hair_Dryer_PP&hash=item3a7680a7d3 I'm sure my chap would gladly blow on my fringe but he'll be too busy cooking my dinner.

Would it be better to buy a 12v hairdryer than use a normal one? There's a 12v socket in the bedroom. I know they're not super powerful but I only want to use it for a few minutes to dry my fringe, the rest of my mop can air dry but my fringe is unruly if I don't use a hairdryer on it.

This is genius. Can you get a clip on version from Maplins or Argos or similar?

I'm chortling at all these photos... Don't get me started on Google images though, I've too much work to do!

I can't see your photo and I'm intrigued.... ...and carlt, that's genius!

Surely, after all these bottles of wine I've quaffed, I could fashion my own keyring? Unfortunately we seem to be forced to drink wine from bottles with a screw cap these days, but I'm sure I've a bag of corks hanging around somewhere. Who's made their own keyring instead of forking out a fiver (which would buy a bottle of red, or even go halfway to three for a tenner in Asda)...

Well that looks very comfortable! Hope you enjoy many happy hours luxuriating on it!

How terrible, I'm so sorry for everyone who has been flooded out, it must be horrendous and very frightening.

Thank you so much! I love the windows too, in fact, I love everything about her I have TONS to learn, but I'm looking forward to it all. I hope she looks after me as well as I will look after her.

Thank you all for your nice comments. I'm still a bit miffed that I've not got my medal, but hey ho. I must admit to being a bit 'girly' about our new purchase, and have shopped for various items for her (do you say 'her'?) which is totally out of character for me. I'm usually tough as old boots, but seem to have fallen head over heels for this beautiful vessel. How can that be? I've never felt like this about a car or a house. I'll try and upload a photo, not sure if it's going to be massive, if it is, I'll take it down and resize it. She's due for blacking and some paintwork needs touching up, we can't afford a complete new paint job this year but there's some corrosion around the windows which needs sorting, and the interior is unfinished. Quite a bit of work to do but I love a project.

Oh no. I want my medal. I'm proper looking forward to it.

Surely nobody can be that predictable?

Oooo, am I going to get a slating?

Hi Jo No, but not far away from there. We did go to the festival this weekend though, after we had been to pay for our boat. Had a cracking glass of cider in the beer tent to celebrate.

Hello all. Well this is my first post as a narrowboat owner. I'll post pictures eventually but just wanted to shout from the rooftops that we've purchased a 57' cruiser stern narrowboat, it is 3 years old and - well, more later I guess. I've been hovering around these forums for a few weeks and just wanted to say how much I have learned from you good people, I should imagine that I'll be picking your brains for quite some time, I'm new to narrowboating and have lots to learn. We won't be fulltiming on the boat to start with but who knows what the future will bring. I do realise that owning a narrowboat isn't cheap, but I've worked solidly for 35 years and deserve a treat. And you can't take your hard earned cash with you, so I've decided to spend it on something worthwhile. The boat we have chosen is exactly the (reverse) layout that we had been looking for, and is an unfinished project which is perfect for us, my chap is capable of fitting out the inside as we want it. It is currently down in Northampton and we want to moor somewhere in Cheshire. I'll work out how to post pictures so you can all have a gander if you like. I'm beyond thrilled.

:D :D omg. How bloody funny! I've had this forum bookmarked for so long I didn't even notice. What a div. My coat is on, tarara... I can't stop laughing...