Opener

The thing that occurred to me was one of they 'duck ladders' that you see in odd places where banks are smooth/vertical/high and locals have taken pity on the local foul/fowl population. Presumably for the benefit of chicks rather than adults who should be able to fly out if they apply their common sense. 🐤🦢. How sophisticated and permanent it needs to be will depend on boat design, frequency of mooring and common sense of feline 🐱.

Hmm! I suppose my 'solution' was based mainly on internal works. But even externally the thread of the screw and the wood are going to be in very close proximity and the screw head - ?countersunk?? - should also seal the hole so I would hope there would be very little scope for washout. I'd be a bit concerned about silicone grease or similar viscosities being liable to wick to the surface around the screwhead and stain the surface over a period. I'm talking about using a pretty dry bar of soap so the lubricant is solid rather than liquid.

.. or what about Ronnie O'Sullivan? Although he has sold his boat now. Suppose he'd always be bouncing off things....

For repetitive screwing ( is that what I mean?) I just carry a well used bar of soap. Scrape the thread of the screw across the bar once which picks up a bit of soap - lubricates but is dry and not a liquid which may 'run'.

Yup! Last time I came up Bingley, I was asked by distraught onlookers to retrieve the body of a poor cat that has perished in the pound outside the cafe. After some very dramatic and amateurish manoeuvring i was able to report to the watching hordes, 'your dead cat has webbed feet!!' 🙄

Aha! That explains the rather large black plastic bag hanging in a tree just down the towpath 😕.

Yeah!! You spotted that one as well 😕.

All very interesting with useful information for pedestrians, joggers, cyclists, school pupils and other towpath/footpath users. What about boaters?

Yup, but have blinds instead of curtains. Canal side open. Towpath side - part open with the inside edge of slats up and outside edge down. Towpath users are high - usually at least 1.5 meters plus height of towpath above water - so they are looking down on the whole width of the slats so effectively a solid surface. You inside will be low down and have a view between the slats without being visible (except to nosey dogs 🐕).

Quite agree - I find it much easier using the door🙄.

The porthole vs window equation is about light inside rather than view out. We've got big windows and a light wood inside -a few visitors have asked whether we are wider/bigger inside. But when you are sitting inside you will be low down so you'll be looking out at the tops of trees, sky or nearby hills rather than the landscape.

Keep your eye on Aldi - they have a 'folding' sack barrow from time to time. About £15 the last time I saw them. Loop top handle which telescopes down and hinged load platform. Aluminum I think. The wheels are fixed - I endorse what has been said above about wheel folding mechanisms - used to have a similar thing at work but the wheel fold ratchet died. I've actually now got two of them from Aldi, one on't boat and one at home - got sick of 'it' being in the wrong location when I needed it. Must admit that they are both slightly modified since load platform and back are a bit 'skeleton'

Squeegee mop and bucket for baling the bilge, washing down the boat, mopping leaks. Nice furry blanket for sitting inside/outside on nippy nights and over the bed when required. Several pairs of industrial/gardening gloves for steering in the cold, handling mooring kit, locking through, thumping gongoozlers. Endorse overalls and head torch plus battery LED torch/lantern I/c hanging hook + magnetic base.

Agree the rules with the crew. Close toilet lid and stand bottle of bloo on top. Go outside. Empty/exchange cassette. Inside. Prime cassette. Put bloo away. No risks 🙄.

Cassette lives behind a slide out hatch just outside baffroom door. Slide out hatch and lay flat on top of toilet. Remove and deal with cassette (empty or store). Insert empty cassette, replace hatch, prime cassette. Jobza Guddun. No risks 🤔.