Puckle

The only Pariahs on the system are those that constantly moan about others.

I posted on this site about the night visitor who was knocking on boats at 11.15pm on the North Oxford canal two nights ago asking for direction to Napton. Well I am currently moored on the GU near bridge 100 and the same person pushing his bike and with his brown Staffordshire bull terrier has just walked past the moored boast here casing them out. I have informed the Police. He is a young white male mid to late 20s thin built medium length fair hair. wearing black t shirt carrying a rucksack. heading in the direction of Napton Junction.

A lady boater who was moored next to me on the North Oxford near bridge 81 last night got a knock on her boat at 2315hrs by a man on a push bike with a staffordshire bull terrier asking for directions to Napton. sounds very suspicious. Has anyone else had a visit from this person.

Yes Mr B what you say is exactly the condition and temperature is what I get. nice to know this is normal for the Bunny.

My Becton bunny does not have a top vent just a bottom door which controls the draw of the heat. which I basically shut right up at night and always manage a good overnight temperature. and never had smoke.

I have been through before outside locky hours. so I can't see why not.

Actually tehmark. i would and every car i have bought I have had a test drive first. Joe it was not a stock boat and I expect that was half the problem. There was a warning sign when the broker said to the purchaser after the survey that the seller had asked has it dropped out yet.

The boat had overheated as soon as we got it on to the diesel point. I checked the water which was below the plate. just thought it had not been checked. filled up with water checked oil and team up with another boater going through the locks by the time we got near the top we were overheating again. Just before Braunston tunnel two large holes appeared on the side of the header tank. They had obviously been filled in before and painted over. The boat we locked with tow us through the tunnel and the remaining locks to a boat yard, where a chap named John who is and expert on old engines informed us all the pipes were on the wrong way, there was also a problem with a pump on the engine. After we got no joy with Wilton we contacted the surveyor who said the boat had overheated when he started the engine but found a inner-tube from a bike around the prop. but after clearing it the engine ran for 20 minutes without overheating. (A load of old bull I think ). I know people will say its not the marinas responsibility.but they were totally unhelpful. I would like to add i was just helping the purchaser to move the boat to his mooring and do not know whether the engine had been run before. There were many other issues we found on the way once we got the heating problem sorted. I also personally think the purchaser had not done his home work and bought a heap of Poo

I can assure you the chap buying the boat is the most inoffensive person I have met. even when he was talking to them on the phone he was calm and polite. I certainly would not have been

I have to totally disagree about poor reputation being undeserved. I went and assisted a friend of a friend who purchased a boat from Wilton two weeks ago I found their service disgraceful. We arrive in the morning they basically got my friend to sign the paper work gave him a folder and that was that. No one came to show us how to start the Perkins engine we had to work that out for ourselves. After we found the boat and struggled to get it out where it was moored, we then broke down going through the locks with a serious problem. My friend rang them and they basically said tough you had a survey nothing to do we us. There was not even a offer of sending someone to have a look. I do not find this customer service. When I was looking 3 years ago to buy a boat I was warned about these people. And would strongly advice any one wanting to buy a boat to go elsewhere.

Being both a narrow boater and a level 3 canoe coach with the BCU. (British Canoe Union) let me throw some light on some of the points raised. BCU membership entitles you to canoe on any CRT waters. additional licences are required on the Thames.and Avon and one or two other rivers. Regarding BCU members you will find 99% would wear a buoyancy because it is the terms for the Liability insurance that you are covered for in your membership. Even like boaters there are canoeist and canoeist those that apply by the rules and those that do not. I have canoed through small tunnels but personally would not go through a long tunnel unless there was a tow path i.e. Netherton tunnel which I done with 30 other canoes and yes every one of us was wearing head lights. we also return through the Dudley tunnel with the escort boat. For someone to canoe out of a tunnel with no light and no buoyancy can not be class as a canoeist only a kamikaze paddler. Regarding the person that said that canals are not for canoes. The canals are for everyone, I along with canoe clubs that I belonged too, have given up many a weekend to canoe along rivers and canals on litter picks. There are some serious bigots on this forum site.

Wayne Shrubb Gloucester based 07967 790317

On a positive note I called Matty40s for some advice today and a potential boat move, and he was most helpful so it has restore my faith a little on calling people.

Been there got the T Shirt. I am self employed now and always return calls, like someone said. out of 5 calls one maybe a job. Thank for all the replies and comments. I can see I am not the only one who gets frustrated.

Only just returned to computer and no it was not you.

What is it with People who advertise canal boat services and when you ring and leave a message. they do not have to common courtesy to call you back. over the last few week I have rang a boat gas fitter who did not return my call, An engineer twice, who also did not return my call. and quite recently someone on here who advertises a canal boat service and has not return my call. Very disappointing to say the least.

Getting back to the original question. I am at Hanbury Wharf and yes it is frozen and it has been for a couple of days so a little on the thick side.

I prefer the visitor mooring just down stream of Diglis lock on the river.never had any problems there.

Hi Tony I purchased your book two years ago before I bought my NB. I found it very useful in all the decisions I made before buying my boat. I fitted two 4amp solar panels and believe it to be the best investment I have made. I only have to leisure batteries and mainly use it for lighting, TV and charging phones etc. Never had a problem in any weather even when it is grey and cloudy I still get a charge of around 2 amps.

I think the place you are talking about is on the Birmingham & Worcester near bridge 31. Most people just ignore them. There has been a boat there all this winter

Were both dogs the same breed. I am moored up near there and see dog walkers every day. Which direction were they heading.

Having canoed the Thames twice from Cricklade to London, I camped on many of the locks that EA allowed as official camping areas. I wonder what would happen to theses. I always found the lock keepers very friendly and helpful and always had the odd cup of tea.

Let me throw this into the pot.I have worked 44 years and to this day I have not claimed a days benefit. I had my private pension screwed by Gordon Brown when he took 4.2 billion out of the pension Funds. I am now out of work but currently living on savings. I may at some stage have to claim benefit . I think the Op had a valuable question. to be told to get a job just shows that some people are totally pig ignorant. In my opinion if you put in to the system all your life and at some stage you hit hard times, You have earned the right to take out.

You could do the Droitwich ring easy in 16 hours or if you had a crew and in the summer I reckon you do it from dawn to dusk.

Go to a garden centre that sell garden ornaments. Buy one that is a fox, if it is concrete paint it in fox colours and place it on the back deck.