boingy

Maybe they got stung by a few non-payers in the same circumstances or maybe they just decided that dealing with the public was more hassle than it was worth, especially now that we are all supposed to haggle over the tax split thing, something I personally dislike doing. Thanks for all the replies.We'll have a vague itinerary and mostly no phone signal so trying to meet a fuel boat is not going to work, even if it would save us a few quid so it's looking like Calcutt. Is the Calcutt pump on their frontage where the hire boats live? We've only been through there a couple of times and both times I was somewhat distracted by the combined chaos of boats waiting for the locks and hire boats being shuffled around. I remember the lock gates opening and me looking out and wondering if they were re-enacting the D-Day landings or something...

They are looking back to make sure you are not looking back at them. Either that or they are checking out your, um, stern....

I'm way out of touch with current diesel prices and availability. Can anyone suggest the best place to fill up between Braunston and Warwick?

There is an update here: http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/towns/marlboroughheadlines/10000066.Pub_at_Honeystreet_insolvent__chairman_of_Lottery_backed_buy_out_group_confirms/ They are insolvent despite the large throughput of customers. That's what management by a committee of amateurs does for you!

Before you go too crazy on locking filler caps, consider the weakest point on your fuel system. On our boat the easiest way to nick the diesel is to lift the (unlocked) deck board, hop down into the engine compartment, pull a fuel hose off the engine and stuff it into a jerry can. Gravity will do the rest. There is even a handy shut-off valve for when you need to switch jerry cans. No messing with pumps required and it will not look as suspicious as someone using a pump/syphon down a fuel filler hose. I've been on construction sites where diesel has been liberated from plant by cutting the fuel line and rewiring the (electric) fuel pump such that it fills your barrels/cans for you. That is a double whammy as you not only lose the fuel but you lose the use of the vehicle until it can be repaired. And the thieving toe rags are not exactly careful in gaining access to the pipes/wires.

Don't just go by the ads in the magazine, you really need to see the boats in the flesh. Visiting a few of the "super" brokers would help give you some idea of prices. We spent hours and hours at Whilton, learning that boat descriptions can sometimes be like estate agent descriptions. We were looking at low priced boats and we saw some right old wrecks. One was described as having a 3 piece bathroom suite. When we looked at it half the floor was just loose (and filthy) plywood boards and the bathroom suite was there but still in B&Q boxes!!!! Decide on your budget and go and look a few dozen boats in that price range. You'll soon figure out whether you need to change your price range!

There is also a fairly wide range of tinted varnishes available so you might find one that gets you a closer match. It's an interior application so it doesn't have to be anything special.

I think many of the "block the air intake" folk are not taking into account how utterly terrifying a runaway diesel engine can be. By the time you notice it the revs will already be way in excess of comfortable and there will a huge amount of smoke and one heck of a lot of noise. I'd have to climb down into the engine bay to get near the air intake and the fuel cutoff on our engine. No way, Jose. Frankly, unless you are very brave and very sure of yourself the best advice would be to get clear and let the engine gods decide its fate imho.

Our Funky Monkey vinyl name has just started to lift at the edges after 5 years.

A couple of years back we discovered the delights of blackberries in white rum. Same process as sloe gin but it is ready within days rather than months. We nicknamed it Blackardi. Real dearth of sloes round our way this year too. Blackberries have been OK but the fruit in our garden has been very poor. Very few apples and the rasps and strawbs are only producing a few fruit each day, although they are still continuing to fruit. The leaves on the cherry tree were eaten by bugs quicker than they could grow. The veg has also been variable. Great carrots and parsnips but the other root veg have mostly not swollen or have just rotted. That'll be the insane weather we've had this year then.

Mostly you get what you give. We've woken up on a Sunday to find ourselves in the middle of a fishing match, one peg having been moved a tad to place it at the stern. I exchanged a few pleasantries with that fisherman and when it was time for us to move off I expressed regret that I was going to have to disturb his swim. He shrugged and was fine about it. I moved off as gently as I could and proceeded down the middle of the channel at tickover. In general, on canals, boats don't particularly scare fish but the wash from the prop will decimate a fisherman's carefully placed ground bait. Just like most boaters, most fishermen appreciate a nod and a bit of courtesy. Yes, there are grumpy fishermen. And probably about the same proportion of grumpy boaters (many of whom seem to be on this forum). You get what you give. Try slowing down, nodding and smiling next time!

And as already pointed out, the speed is not constant. The water will flow faster through narrow bits, bridges etc. Stay put or risk being featured in a photographic forum thread!

I was wondering how he still has glass in his windows. If you annoy that many people it's surely only a matter of time before you try it on with someone who is equally unreasonable...

Woo woo! Oh, sorry. I thought the contest had started...