haggis

I have just read on FB that the NBTA are having a stand at Cavalcade and they are looking for people to hand out their leaflets. I am extremely disappointed that the IWA have allowed NBTA to have a stand. Especially as the aim of this years event it to publicise the fact that C&RT need more money. Why, oh why, are they allowing people who actually campaign to deprive C &RT of money to have a stand and publicise their aims?

Personally, I just can't understand why Allan Richards and co spend so much time making Freedom on Information requests and digging into the realms of C&RT papers to produce such negative posts here and on Narrowboatworld.. He never says if his delving produces something positive . It is all very one sided. I, many years ago, took a case to the Ombudsman (and won) about licences for shared boats and Allan was helpful, as were other share boat owners,. However, thanks to Sally Ash BW changed the goal posts and another case had to be presented and Allan sort of took over the running. I stepped back when I saw that he was managing perfectly well on his own with the back up of other owners. I don't know what has happened since to make Allan so anti C&RT to the extent he is. I liked Allan but not so keen on the person going under the name now. Wonder if it is someone else 🙂

I mentioned Northwich as the original poster said he was on the Bridgewater and was travelling down to Beeston. No idea if he is on his way or if it is a plan for the future. If it is the latter he will pass the Anderton lift which is a short distance from the Dry Dock and a detour might fit in with his plans.

Nice dry looking dry dock but it looks like you may not be able to get access to your base plate if you wanted to do it. Probably the wrong end of the Trent and Mersey for you but Northwich Dry Dock on the Weaver do a good job (including base plate) either DIY or done for you.

That reminds me. Himself will need to repair kelpies tiller before we go boating again. The short tiller and I weren't a good match 🙂

Ah, memory failing again ! mention of a PDF reminded me that we got that attached to an email. In days of yore we actually got a printed certificate bearing the BSS stamp and that is what I remembered. 🙂

I don't think you get a copy of the BSS certificate now. The details are posted onto your boats details area in C&RT and that is where I check when renewal is due although I seem to remember getting an email telling me that the BSS expiry is imminent.

Over the years I have tried many anti midge products , including Deet, and the only one which works for me is Skin so Soft BUT it has to be on before the midges find you . I also have net over the head thing which I have resorted to when I am too late with the Skin so Soft. If plane times don't suit, I think your idea of a 2 day drive up, a few days on a boat then a 2 day trip back sounds good.

Could you not have moored a bit nearer to save you a long walk to the pub?

I think splitting your week between Inverness and Fort William would let you do a fair bit of exploring or the area (including a train to Mallaig) . I am not up to speed about boat hire on the caledonian but as your time is quite short, a trip on Loch Ness would enable you to get afloat, albeit for a short time. Re midges, I think they are at their worst in June but I find using Avon Skin So Soft, applied BEFORE the midges find you, works really well. You would probably be safe from them out on Loch Ness though 🙂

I may be wrong but I have a feeling I remember it being said that he didn't have insurance. I might be thinking about a different sinking though. Very sad to see the boat in such a state

I don't think we do but we are keeping quiet about it 🙂 . I have heard on the grapevine that some suppliers are quite happy with zero propulsion for any boats but I couldn't possibly comment on that !

If a boat never moves (apart from going for fuel) then it can claim zero for propulsion . It could either be a liveaboard or a leisure boat which never moved. I am pretty certain that is what the legislation said but in more flowery language 🙂

The congestion on the canals in London has been mentioned and it might be worth your while taking a walk along the towpath to actually see how close you need to live to your neighbours and speak to boaters about how they cope with working full time and continuously cruising. If you can get a residential mooring life would be less stressful!

I have seen a hinger tiller on cruiser sterns which seems to work well. You can just hinge it up out of the way to allow access past the tiller or when there is a risk of the tiller extending beyond the boat in a lock.

It hadn't been sorted when we last went through it in January!. The towpath side bottom gate I find almost impossible to close and I have been known to play the helpless female and summon help from folk sitting at the pub tables 🙂

I've done it - years ago. You just need to use a smaller sieve than the usual kitchen size and move it lengthways along the gunnel

I have noticed that occasionally when I try to set up a new business payee, the bank says it cant find the company. But when I then set up the same payee as a personal payee, the bank gives me the name of the company I just searched for. Odd . Banks are very sensitive now about fraud and I don't blame them.

Is the space where the tank was still vacant or has that part of the boat been modified? Without space for a pump out tank it might be difficult to install a pump out loo. You don't want a small tank or you will spend a fortune getting it emptied

Glad it got sorted out and that you and your kitchen fitter are on good terms again. Long may it continue 🙂

I expect that most marinas will email the mooring contract to he moorer who can then email it to C&RT. We certainly got our contract with park Fam by email several years ago. Marinas might provide a shorter version just giving the info C & RT will need . We didn't have that problem when we renewed our licence as we don't plan to leave the marina yet 🙂

We had the poll tax in Scotland when Mrs T wanted it trialled somewhere where the outcome wouldn't affect the chances of her party being re -elected. While on the face of it, making the charge relative to the number of people in a house on the basis that more people resulted in more use of Council facilities was fair it didn't work out well. You could have non wage earners (undergoing education etc) which were counted but weren't in a position to contribute to the charge. Then you could have a big house with one occupant paying the same as a Council house with one occupant. For one the charge would be a minute part of their income and for the other it could be a major part. The system was deemed to be unfair and was ended and the current Community Charge was brought in. It too has it's problems in that if a house doesn't change hands it stays in the original band whereas if it had been sold and a more recent valuation was available I believe the house could change bands. A very large % of houses are in too low a band but I don't see a national revaluation taking place any time soon.

As well as the folk who "week end" their boat there are also the "continuos cruisers" who only move the minimum distance as seldom as possible in a fairly small area. To my mind the weekenders boat is at least "navigating the network". You couldn't say that about the bridge hoppers 🙂

That's good hat they didn't cash your cheque, Arthur. Not good to have had the hassle but at least in the end they seemed to accept your word.