RichLech

You can overnight at Saltisford Arm OK. Very friendly and secure. Easy walk into Warwick and several pubs.

I can recommend wall panels from IPSL https://www.interiorpanelsystems.co.uk/bathroom-wall-panels.html Easy to fit and good company to deal with. Much better than panels available from Wickes, B&Q etc. i

Thanks for that. My system is Lee San so that makes sense. Looking at the fitting instructions I can't quite make out how the bottom plate goes through the hole in the tank. If I really need to find out I'm sure a call to Lee San would reveal all. I've found them very helpful in the past. I've gained a lot of information from this thread. Thanks to all who have contributed. I really favour the Gobius gauge but not the £300 price tag. I think I'll stick with the "bright torch" method for now. I can't convince myself that the inconvenience justifies cutting a new hole in the tank for the MCS gauge.

Thanks again for all your suggestions. I like the look of the MCS gauge but am reluctant to cut another hole in my tank. I have a couple of questions. When you use a hole cutter on a plastic tank, how do you stop the circular cut-out dropping into the tank? I have a black plate on top of my tanks (see picture) approx. 120mm in diameter. It has a bolt in the middle. Looks like some sort of access hole. Does anyone know how it is held in place? What happens if I undo the bolt? Does the internal fixing for the plate drop down into the bottom of the tank?

Thanks for all your suggestions. Unfortunately only the Gobius 4 from Leesan meets my wish to avoid drilling holes in the tank, and that one is £300 +. Looks as though I might be sticking with the "Bod bright torch" method after all. Thanks again.

I've seen reference to tank gauges that use ultrasound to measure the level, through sensors stuck on the outside of the tank. I'd like to put such a gauge on my plastic pump-out tank. It currently has a "full" indicator but some intermediate awareness of level would be useful and I don't really want to get into drilling holes in the tank. Does anyone know where I can get such a gauge, or better still does anyone use one that they can recommend?

I use this Exol Victory 15W40 API CD in my Barrus Shire (Yanmar). http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EXOL-VICTORY-15W40-MINERAL-ENGINE-OIL-API-CD-SF-4-X-4-5-LTR-CAR-COMMERCIAL/350465431780?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I'll be checking ours in the next week or two so I will have a look then if you haven't had a better offer in the meantime. Where is Jam No6 moored ?

I've sent you some pictures of my pram hood. For better visibility I really recommend having a front screen you can completely remove rather than roll up. I think roll-up sides would make it difficult to fold the "roof" section up and down easily. Mine is canvas and cost just over £1500.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-CARAMAST-JOCKEY-WHEEL-KIT-TO-FIT-ALL-1-CARAVAN-TV-AERIAL-POLES/252610596078?epid=1239300054&hash=item3ad0c3ccee:g:jOIAAOSwR5dXSB4e The caramast comes with a couple of clamps like these. Obviously you don't use the U bolts to fix to the jockey wheel as you would on a caravan. You just fix the black plastic clamps to the boat. When you need to put the aerial through the clamps, simply tighten up with the butterfly bolts.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Caramast-Telescopic-3m-Satellite-Dish-TV-Aerial-Mounting-Mast-Pole-With-Wheel/152661773978?hash=item238b59ce9a:g:tTsAAOSwtTVZj~qf I've got this aerial and fixings. Fixings are obviously permanent (on the cratch in my case) and aerial pole just slides in whenever required.

You need to ensure that when folded down towards the front of the boat the hoops do not obstruct the hatch. On ours that is achieved by having the fixing points on the sides of the semi trad mounted on sliding rails. Hence as you fold it down you also slide the hoops forward to clear the hatch. I would also recommend a front screen that has a top zip and is completely removable. This avoids restricting visibility with a rolled up screen and also facilitates use as a simple canopy to provide shade or shower protection. I find it very easy to fold down/up once you have done it a few times. If it would help I am going to the boat next Friday and could take pictures. Ours was made by AM Marine Trim of Windsor Marina.

Personally, if I was in your position I would try to keep both options open ie. house and boat. Having taken the plunge and bought a house I would do everything I could to hang onto it because once you let it go, with the state of UK housing market you will find it very difficult to get back to ownership if the boating life doesn't work out so well for whatever reason. Is there any way you could let your house and buy a boat, at least for a couple of years until you are 100% sure you want to give up your bricks & mortar for good? I stress this is a personal view. We have a boat that we spend 2 or 3 months a year on but we also like our house - particularly in the winter months!

The hour meter on my Barrus Shire control panel rev counter doesn't work either, except very, very occasionally on very hot days! Can't recall it displaying at all this year but it has in the past so I do know total hours since new. I have subsequently fitted an independent hour meter so that I can be sure of servicing needs etc.

I have a Barrus Shire 45. No experience of anything else but very pleased with the Shire. Always starts well (no heater plugs) and fairly easy to work on. Done about 2000 hrs without any issues. Based on a Yanmar engine that is also used in many tractors, mini-diggers etc. I was shocked when I looked into the price of Barrus alternators that I wanted to carry as spares, but managed to find suitable alternatives at sensible prices.

We've had one made for our semi-trad. Wouldn't be without it. Gives us an extra room when we moor up for the night and with two dogs that is important. Couple of things that we specified to make it convenient. Firstly, front screen can be completely zipped out so that with side screens removed as well, it just provides a canopy for shade or shelter from showers. On wet days on the Thames (where bridges are higher) we can cruise with the canopy up. Secondly, to ensure that the stainless steel hoops do not obstruct access to the boat, the hoops are on sliding rails on the sides of the semi-trad. Hence when the canopy is laid down the hoops slide forward, keeping the whole thing clear of the access hatch. Ours in canvas. more flexible for folding down. When we moor I can have the whole thing up, screen and sides fitted and water-tight in about 5 minutes. Ours was made by Tim at AM Marine Trim, based at Windsor Marina.

Athy, this water may have been coming in through the bilge pump outlet (and hence back through the bilge pump). See my post above. I had the same puzzle for a year after I bought my boat, until I twigged that the bilge pump outlet skin fitting was only just above the water line. h

I used to have this problem with my semi-trad. Not Liverpool boats but built by some-one who used to work for them so very similar. Eventually realised the outlet from the bilge pump was only just above water line and inside the boat, the outlet pipe immediately went down to bilge pump. Turns out that when water covered the bilge pump outlet, water back-siphoned into the bilge. Sorted by re-running pipe so that it ran up from the outlet fitting before turning down towards the bilge pump. Also fitted one way vale to be doubly sure. Lovely dry engine bilge now.

Many thanks.

Cruising through tamworth in a couple of days. Anyone know a supermarket near the Coventry canal?

It is because this outfit Thames Visitor Moorings has placed themselves between the boaters and EA. Seems they managed to convince EA that if they took over running of the EA moorings they would collect enough money to pay EA more than they were getting before AND pay their own costs. Can't see it myself. I use Thames EA moorings extensively during the summer, just for an overnight while cruising. I find this system of logging on and giving card numbers a totally unnecesary, cumbersome intrusion into my leisurely cruising. I will not be logging on anyway; I will have to use a mobile. I hope the phone will be manned whenever I call.

They were £10 last year. They are good value. I always pump out at Abingdon before I leave the Thames at Oxford. As far as I know a card you buy will work in them all - but I haven't tried it myself. It seems there are always one or two out of order but there is usually advance notice at nearby locks so you can plan ahead. Even with allowance for out of order machines, there are enough as long as you think ahead.

I used panels from IPSL. Brilliant. Available in various designs. https://www.ipsluk.co.uk/