Neil@CanalVoyagers

If you need to get from one end of the boat to the other when underway, surely the quickest route is across the roof? Then a quick mop of the roof each morning (or evening if not down the pub) will keep things under control. We manage a shoes off at the door/hatch policy when boating when its pouring with rain and muddy. Not all of our guests follow suit but thats their perogative - they don't tend to walk the bits of the towpath with waist high vegetation and knee-deep mud (South Oxford last Spring).

http://www.johnson-pump.com/JPMarine/produ...quajet_wps.html Can recommend the Johnson range. The 5.0 @ 19 lpm is fantastic and very reliable.

Water entering the system with the fuel?

Top one Somerton Deep? Bottom one Napton Junction Still workin on middle one

Guestimating: If you're purchasing over 3000 litres of fuel a year?

Not every boat has gas on board - should you have a quick Q&A session with whoever you moor up next to each time?

Ask at Warckshire Fly Boat Co - Shop Lock Cottage I agree with David that it can usually be found wandering around where it shouldn't be. Warickshire Fly will know and be able to help you contact the owner I'm sure.

Just a guess, but the team working on Midgham lock probably padlocked Old Heale's lock (93) as there is a winding hole below there. People don't tend to see notices on gates regarding stoppages, but they do notice when the way ahead is padlocked! As it was the bottom gates that were damaged on Midgham, it may have been necessary to lower the pound between the two locks, and hence restrict access.

I had my update on Friday too. Haven't had time to update thread until now. Midgham being worked on through the weekend, with the aim of reopening the lock on Thursday. Either a repair of the damaged gate to make it last through to the stoppage in a few weeks' time, or a wet drop of the new gate if the old one is beyond repair. County lock due to open tomorrow afternoon.

Update just received - full inspection due tomorrow (although I don't know what that makes today's engineering survey). Recognising the severity of the problem of leaving boats stranded, BW are now looking at what temporary repair / replacement can be considered in the interim. Although I am being told that nothing can be promised (nothing new).

One of the bottom gates has failed on Midgham Lock. Initial assessments suggest it is beyond repair. With the gate due for full replacement this November (3rd - 19th), it looks as though BW's likely course of action will be to close the canal until then. With the County Lock stoppage still in place, it means that the K&A will have been inaccessible from the Thames for 8 weeks! We're due on our home mooring in Newbury in a week's time - I just can't believe this farce!

The cord is a 240V supply from a hydraulically driven genny. This passes through what is effectively a long extension lead to the battery charger and bank at the stern of the butty.

From Staffs & Worcs Canal Society Website:

This might confuse matters further, but I was told that at one point The Bratch was only two locks and was later converted to three - hence the reason why the bottom lock is much deeper than the first two.

We're stuck with the pair at Shillingford, between Benson and Day's Locks. Been here since Wednesday afternoon. The hope is if nothing further comes down from above Oxford then we'll be on to yellow boards tomorrow at some point. Its a real pain for us as we're supposed to be picking up in Thrupp tomorrow! Having to do our guest turnaround in the middle of nowhere is a pain, but what can you do! It's gonna be a busy week trying to get from here to Warwick by next Saturday, especially if the Cherwell is interfering with things above Oxford. Also having to run the pair on three crew at the moment (being one short), we'll need a rest the following week... except we've got Hatton, Lapworth and Tardebigge. Grumble over - its frustrating getting stuck and watching £100k gin palaces cruising by on red boards.

It's slightly but it's bugging me so I'm going to have to point it out - a swan's neck is a piece of ropework that hangs of the back of a butty elum. The item you all repeatedly refer to is called a 'rams head'. Common misconception. It was common place for boatmen to remove the tiller whenever it wasn't necessary for it be there (in a lock / moored). I suspect it made it easier to nip in the back cabin and check on the kettle or stew on the stove!

There's probably extra focus on the area too, with the IWA Festival at the bottom of the flight in the summer.

Yay! No additional paperwork for me!

6 days to Teddington via S.Oxford at 9 hours per day.

I am biased, but as an owner of an oil-cooled 4 cylinder Vetus Deutz, I can't fault its reliability, power, efficiency and low noise over the 1500 hours it does each year. Of course, if I had to go old skool and didn't have the butty it'd be a 9hp one-pot bolinder.

BSP, I know its but get yourself a timer with thermostat for your heating, so you can set it come on an hour before you get in. Then you walk into a boat thats nice and toasty! Most of them come with the ability to set a few on/off points through the day, so you can compensate for your shift patterns.

Blimey that is deep!

I have to say Meg I've got no idea. We have a two-way (240V in winter/hookup, gas in summer) dometic RGE400 fridge/freezer which is excellent but we also have another gas fridge, and the cooker is on most of the day preparing the next meal, so its difficult to tell how efficient it is. The link gives readings of approx. 3.9kWh/24hrs for electric and approx 500g/24hrs for gas.

If you store garlic in a pot/jar, you can also use rice to keep it dry and it won't go soft after a week.