RichLech

Many thanks for suggestions. Looks like Wesley or Channelglaze will have what I need.

I wonder if anyone can tell me who made these windows. My boat was built in 2005 and they are fairy basic windows. As the pictures show, the rubber strips that cover the fixing screws have shrunk a lot over the years and I would like to replace them. Also, several of the little plastic bits that cover the drain holes have been lost. Can anyone point me towards a supplier who may have produced the windows, or alternatively to a supplier who is likely to be able to provide the parts that I need. Thanks

Manuals can be downloaded. Google Barrus Shanks. If you can't get access, be specific about engine model and date and ask some-one to look for you. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/24000708/shanks-owners-manual-10-build-30-30h-35-35h-40-ep-barrus

Lovely skinny little black cat tried to adopt us just recently. We would have loved to have him but we go away a lot so it was not really on. Took him to local Pets at Home store (with vets on premises) and found he was chipped. Owner was over the moon when contacted. Poor little cat had been missing about 6 weeks and travelled about 15 miles. Can only think it stowed away in a car or van.

Yes this should be empty or else you tank cannot vent and if your filter is a charcoal one it will be ruined if it gets wet. In the worse case the tank can pressurize and probably force foul gases back up though the loo - it happened to me. I had a similar issue with my boat and its Lee San system. The vent pipe from the hull vent fitting dropped about 30cm before rising again to attached to the charcoal filter. This in effect created a water trap, ruined the filter and stopped the tank venting. The hull vent fitting is not really far enough above the waterline and water either got in when a passing boat created a wave or more likely when the hull was jet washed for blacking. I have now re-routed the vent pipe so it goes up immediately inside the hull and then drops to the tank/filter. Seems to be ok now although I ensure there is a plug in the hull vent fitting when it goes in to be blacked.

A.M.Marine Trimming, based at Windsor Marina on the Thames. Done a cratch cover and a canopy for me. Excellent jobs. http://www.ammarine.co.uk/

Saltisford Arm. Secure, overnight mooring for a small charge. Very helpull people.

Yes they do indeed, but from the wording above it is not clear these sites will still be free for the first 24 hours. The announcement just says "local charges will apply"

This says local charges will apply at short stay moorings at lock sites ( the first list eg. East St Moorings). These locations have always been free for first 24 hours. Let's hope "local charges" will still be zero for that first 24 hours.

Might be worth mentioning which parts you are after. It might be something for which some-one has found an alternative. I have found some Barrus Shire parts ridiculously expensive.

Back in 2013 I got some parts from French Marine Motors of Brightlingsea. 01206 302133 They were very helpful.

I bought 3 x 110 ah Xplorer from https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/ April 2017 for about £250 delivered. We don't live aboard so we are either cruising or hooked up in a marina, both of which keeps the batteries well charged. I don't think they have ever been below 70%. My view is that if I get 3 years that will be OK, but I hope to get 5 or more. If I only get 3 years, that's about £80.00 a year which I can live with. It's not a huge amount when viewed against all the other boating costs.

As has been said, you'll have plenty of time so a trip up the lock-free Ashby could be included. Personally, I would rather do that than motor down the arm to the centre of Coventry. Mooring near the Arena in Birmingham is great.

I've a Barrus Shire 45. Engine is actually a Yanmar as used in some tractors and diggers. Built in 2005. Done just over 2K hours now. Only thing I've had to replace is temp gauge sender unit. I priced up spare Barrus Shire alternators and they were prohibitively expensive so I managed to find alternatives. Yanmar filters are pretty expensive. There are alternatives but I don't bother just to save a few quid once a year. Uses somewhere between 1.0 & 1.5 litres per hour. Overall, I've been delighted with it.

I had a similar experience in Braunston tunnel back in early September. I just couldn't see as a boat with LED tunnel light approached. I slowed right down but unfortunately gave him quite a clout as I just could not see the outline of his boat. I find my old halogen light perfectly adequate. It's pointed slightly upwards and sufficiently illuminates both the roof and sides of the tunnel.

We had a similar issue with ours when the tank vent got blocked. Ours has a charcoal filter on the vent pipe but water had got back up through the vent outlet into the pipe and filter and blocked it. This leads to a build up of gas in the tank which is eventually forced out through the bowl.

Lots of great advice about Thames cruising above but don't be intimidated by the number of things you need to be aware of. When the Thames is normal it is easy and absolutely beautiful to cruise. Different to canal cruising but no more difficult once you have been on it a while. Don't know when you intend to make your trip but parts of the Thames are often "in flood" until late April/early May. After that usually fine until late autumn. Occasionally goes in flood for a couple of days after periods of heavy rain. In last five years (three cruises each year) I've only been caught out once and it just meant we had to moor up at Wallingford for 3 or 4 days.

Is it a cruiser or narrow Boat? Can't think of anywhere with a crane for a narrow boat on the Wey. TLC have a crane (for surveys, blacking etc.) but I don't think you can get a truck near to it to get a boat lifted into the water. Might be easier to get a narrow boat craned in on the Thames. If a cruiser would be easier. Pyrford Marina has a slipway. I think there is a public slipway at Stoke Lock. Not sure what new Cartbridge Basin has.

There is a new marina on the Wey navigation now. It is at Send and called Cartbridge Marina. I think it opened for business early this year. Not sure has all facilities yet but there are boats in there.