comfortably numb
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Posts posted by comfortably numb
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When popping into a Marina for a pump out, is it common practice to use their garbage bins at the same time for disposal of a couple of bags of garbage from your boat? Or is this frowned upon by the Marina's?
Also, they pay to have their bins emptied, I would expect to have to pay a small fee for this, anyone know what the general going rates for this are?
We have always deposited our rubbish at marinas when using their facilities for other things as well. But of course it might be different for your garbage disposal in the American marinas.
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As a pest controller I have a little knowledge about these things. The queen ant lays batches of eggs specifically to produce flying ants. These lie dormant until the conditions are just right and then they hatch. Those conditions are usually when it is a hot and humid day because apparently the thermals in the air are more conducive for flying. This is why they emerge together, i.e flying ant days.
The purpose of the flying ants is specifically for reproduction and they mate 'on the wing' and that's why they head for your windows because they want to get outside and have their fun. The fun doesn't last long though, because afterwards the males (the small ones) all die, as do most of the females (the large ones), but some of the females survive and become the next batch of queens.They are suitably fertilised so are able to settle elsewhere and begin a new nest.
That is why they are so prolific and can nest virtually anywhere.
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What about spraying windows with fly spray? I have just moved into ancient house on hill(long term rip out project) and I noticed flies all perished overnight, neighbour advised me it was because they all sprayed windows with fly spray.
We use an aerosol insect spray called Dethlac and use a rag to smear a finger width around the edges of the windows. It is a residual insecticide which means it remains active (for a few weeks) even when it dries so any insect that comes into contact with it dies, not instantly though so it isn't as quick as swatting them but it certainly helps. Most shops and supermarkets sell it.
The only downside is you'll have a smear mark around the edges of the windows but it does wash off. Also I believe it isn't recommended for upvc type window frames as it may stain them if any gets on the frames.
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There sems to be a general lack of supervision over the contractors. Are CaRT staff too thin on the ground to check their work.
Steve
You're right, the CRT workforce are thin on the ground but this is because they spend most of their day either sat in their vans or inside their work boat cabins to be able to supervise the contractors.
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Just over 14 months living aboard now. No regrets whatsoever. Having been hirers and boat sharers this was a natural progression, however it has been a bit painful paying the whole of the bills rather than a 12th of them. But that's far outweighed by having it all to ourselves.
Winter was fine, although it was a mild one which helped, and in the fine weather we are able to enjoy it far more than we ever did when we lived on the land. There've been a few problems along the way but as Black Rose says, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Our plans for long cruising were shattered when after having retired last September I had to go back to working in February (family business problems and only temporary hopefully), but the lifestyle of living aboard is still there and we still get out and about on the boat. The nature/wildlife, the socialability, the relaxation etc is so wonderful.
For me it perfectly summed it all up the other day when I returned from work and had to stop the car and wait for the resident pair of swans and cignets to cross the track. I'd never have had to do that in suburbia..
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Thanks for all your suggestions. I will wait for the chap to come back to me with a price and then weigh up the options. I'm guessing that to have the veneer sheets cut to size and over-laid onto the existing walls will cost a fortune and therefore probably wouldn't be worth the expense.
I would be quite happy with wallpaper or perhaps that vinyl, but the wife isn't convinced as she wants to keep at least some kind of wood finish. Perhaps when we find out the cost she will change her mind!
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The veneer panels in my 18 year old boat are in a bit of a state. There are small holes where hooks and pictures have been mounted, places where past water leaks have either stained or damaged it, and places where the finish is now in a general poor condition.
I had considered re-varnishing but it would be difficult to hide some the aforementioned damage, and with the problems with dust etc I don't think I'm up to doing a decent job of it. I've considered painting or wallpapering over it too, but once that's done I fear there is no going back if we don't like it, and my wife isn't very keen anyway.
Somebody suggested to me that there is an option of having the existing veneer over-laid with new veneer sheets about a mm and a bit thick. This I would have to be done professionally as the cuting and sizing of the sheets would have to be spot on.
Has anybody any experience of this and can enlighten me as to what is involved, how it looks, and approximate cost etc? I realise it wouldn't be cheap but would be willing to pay if it achieved good results.
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No it isn't mine (it looks a nicer boat, LOL). I think there are about 8 Comfortably Numb's on the system of which I have seen 2 of them (4 if you include mine and the one in your photo). One i saw on the Weaver last year, and one is based on the Calden Canal.
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Lovely piece. I'm not a gardener and festooning the boat with flowers and plants isn't for us, but yours does look great I must admit.
I've been told that my submission for the regular Canal Boat magazine feature 'Me and my boats' has been accepted and that I'm on the waiting list for it to be published, so I'll be soon getting my little bit of fame !
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What kind of after-sale support would you be looking for?
I've never bought a boat so wouldn't know lol
As mediators between the vendor and the buyer (us) regarding negotiating/agreeing a price, and then the financial transaction that followed.
Dealing with the documentation such as licensing, transfer of ownership etc.
Liaising with our surveyor and arranging for the dry dock to facilitate the survey we'd booked.
Organising the agreed work to be carried out following the survey and ensuring it has been done.
Ensuring that the boat was ready for us to take away on the date we had requested.
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Definitely Rugby Boats, and we found ABNB to be very helpful and knowledgeable too. The others we went to just gave you the keys and left you to it and didn't show much interest, or know anything other than what was on the brochure.
We ended up buying a boat from Braunston Marina, (but only because the others didn't have a boat that suited our requirements) who, once we had chosen the boat, were fine to deal with.
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I've lost count of the many times that I've been on just above tickover whilst passing moored boats and the boat following me has caught up and appears to be pushing me. I don't think it's me going too slowly but the one following wanting to go too fast. I'm experienced enough to know that I'm travelling a 2mph which is the recognised acceptable speed.
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Well, for the record I've been pleased with my top-box that Doodlebug made. There were a few minor adjustments I had to make to it but basically it was exactly as stated on the website and it's proved to be very useful.
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Update - after a few drinks last night I got the wife take the stitches out as when i took the dressing off it looked fairly straightforward..
Thanks for your information and help and knowing the location of doctors and hospitals in relation to the canal is always useful just in case. Talking of which, it would be useful if a directory of these was produced for canal users.
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Thanks Mike, I'm sure a vet would be fine. After all the stitches are the same type I presume!
Sorry I didn't wave Bottle. I read your email about 10 minutes after we'd passed you.
Many thanks for all the suggestions. I think Crick is the best option provided we are still in that area, but if not, at least I now know there are other options.
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We are currently in Foxton and today will be going through the locks and heading south, before turning west to Braunston and then north up the North Oxford and Coventry Canals.
After a small operation last week I have 5 stitches in my hand that need to be removed by Thursday at the latest so I was wondering if anybody knew of a doctors or one of those walk in clinics that is fairly near to our canal route (within a short walk/taxi or bus journey).
If not then I will have to consume a few whiskies and get the wife to get the scissors out !!
It doesn't help with tomorrow being a Bank Holiday (bad planning I know, LOL) but we would have the time to wait until one opens if need be.
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Wanted to buy a couple of these. Had a look and it's only for the Monday 26th may. Are the exhibitors packing up on the last day? Also, I don't want to be a damp squid, excuse the pun, if the weather is adverse do they not have a tendency to cancel the Monday.
Sounds like a clever bit of marketing by the organisers.
MartynI know a few people who have tried this Groupon company. There are some good deals to be had but there are also rather iffy ones too. Also you have to register with them and you then get bombarded with offers on a daily basis by email.
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Well done. It's a wonderful life and I'm sure you'll have no regrets.
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We've just completed our first year as well. Our only regret is that we didn't do it earlier.
Congratulations, you have much to look forward to.
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Thanks for accepting my comments about the tag facility Phil and I apologise for the rather curt wording of my OP.
And yes David,you're right I should have sussed out the pole problem before buying it. I'm not the sharpest tool in the box and as usual folk on here have been most helpful. That's why I love this forum so much. But in fairness the pole thread appears to have helped a couple of others in a similar situation too
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I think it's pretty damn poor when people post headings like this that don't even give a clue as to the contents of the thread and they can't even be @rsed to use the 'tag' facility either, which would help.
I'm not just having a go at you Phil, but to all the others who do this too. I've enough to do without having to open threads only to find that they are of no interest to me.
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Here in the Midlands on the T&M it seems to be much busier than it was this time last year.
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Well thanks for the helpful replies, and the slightly humourous ones too. As for the suggestion of laying the pole on the roof and the inane comment which followed, yes of course I'd thought of that, but if there is a way of avoiding this I'd prefer to keep it in the existing cradle that is designed to hold it, as any other option I can think of to lower to the pole onto or closer to the roof would mean it or something else being in contact with the roof and thus the subsequent possible paint damage or rust problem.
I do have two centre ropes so I could after use re site the rope between the pole and the edge of the roof, but sometimes I prefer to throw the rope back on rather than specifically placing it, particularly if the boat is not right by the bank.
I think Matchpoint's suggestion fitting of Fairleads might be a good option but even these might not always prevent it.
Or perhaps I should just put up with it and learn to put the rope back on properly every time
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I've recently replaced my short and rotting wooden pole with a new and longer one. I very rarely use one but feel that it should be there just in case.
The roof mountings for this and the gang-plank are towards the rear of the cabin. Because I have a small roof-box behind this (right at the rear of the cabin roof) it prevents the extra length of the pole being able to protrude aft of the cradle which means it protrudes quite a way forwards instead.
So I've now found that after using it, it's harder to place the rope back to the 'ready to deploy' position without it going underneath the protruding pole.
Somebody told me that you can buy something that fits underneath the pole or onto the end of it, which prevents this, i.e something that fits virtually flush with the roof and has a slope on it so the rope travels up and over the pole rather than underneath it.
I've searched the internet and cannot find anything, so I was wondering if anybody knew of somewhere these could be purchased, or any ideas as to what I could use or how I could make something that would do the job.
Edited to say that I could move the roof top-box to another position or even get rid of it so that the pole could protrude further back, but I'd rather not if possible.
Our boy Tim
in General Boating
Posted
So sorry to hear of your loss Colin. People who don't have dogs or cats don't understand why we grieve for them just as we do with humans and that they are loved and cherished the same. I'm dreading the day my beloved dog Laylah leaves my side for good.
It's going to be so hard for you but as with any loss of a loved one, time will at least eventually begin to heal the hurt.