Sir Percy

On a Musk-related note: What funky-but-stupid features might you design into a Cyberbarge, i.e., a misoverengineered technonarrowboat?

Similarly water-based, but no murder mystery: Boogie Up the River, a radio comedy-drama series. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boogie-Up-River-Comedy-Travelogues/dp/B0BZ12KTXB

Just been using some of that (Weathershield) today; for exterior wood and metal, quick dry satin. It's a no-thin paint, quite thick. It does dry quickly, which is good for painting outdoors, but difficult to get brush marks out.

I've just spent a hundred quid on these bags of hardwood logs https://www.fireandflame.co.uk/product/fireflame-4x-hardwood-logs-copy/ which were being cleared out at £4 a bag (normally £8) from the local Sainsbury's. You may want to look around at your own; I've never seen this particular seasonal knockdown before. Note: not online. I don't know if you can really compare coal and wood on a therm/£ basis. The wood burns hotter and faster than coal. I'll hold off using the wood until the longer, colder winter nights. As for wood briquettes, I've still got the recycled cat litter idea in the back of my mind.

Presumably those illegally moored houseboats would have been removed now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68677681

Of course. Perfect, that also does away with turning them.

I'd have to use smaller spuds, but the ashpan sounds like a good idea. Couldn't agree with you more, there's something about a stove-baked potato which makes them more delicious.

I like wrapping a jacket potato in foil and putting it into the stove to bake. However, getting the skin crispy and not burnt is a hit-or-miss affair. Does anybody have a reliable method?

Talking heads, a voiceover and animated graphics are classic ingredients of a cheaply-made schedule filler. I think I recognised Mark Benton's voice; jocular style and accent most likely chosen for popular appeal. Interesting though, that 'Cunk' was Liz McIvor, who previously wrote and presented 'Canals: The Making Of A Nation', shown on BBC, which some of you may have enjoyed. She was blonde in this programme, which I would assume was simply a personal choice and not a ploy for popular appeal. As for making a programme cheaply, I don't imagine that it would have cost much (relatively) to make 'All ABoard! The Canal Trip', also shown on BBC as part of their 'slow TV' series. A drone camera follows a boat down the K&A for a couple of hours, accompanied by ambient sounds and the occasional informational note overlaid on screen.

It's almost as if the programme makers were trying to come up with easy-watching TV for watchers after undemanding entertainment requiring no familiarity with the subject.

I learned something, or at least heard something that I hadn't previously thought about; that the operators of boats and their families didn't initially live on board. Also, that they sometimes took on board a child from another family and sometimes had them separated up in the forecabin. I might take that last bit with a pinch of salt.

If he could do it over 5 consecutive days, that would be a holiday in Dublin sorted out.

Thanks @Tony Brooks, I was concerned about the franchise aspect of RYA course provision, hence the post. I think I'll be looking at an RCR course. ...which seem to have now been discontinued!