graham robinson

Dear all, I am US at DIY and have found a drip(apart from me) on my Calorifier. I am sailing from Wigan/Bridgewater/Middlewich/ Barbridge over the next two weeks.start Monday. If there is a competent DIY boater(or you know of one I can contact) who would like to earn a bit of cash along this route, please contact via poprobinson@btinternet.com as I won't have access to the internet but my wife will monitor our "e" mails. Regards Graham

Well !!!! for those that don't "give a d...." there were plenty of comments in the few days since i posted my view.Showing that people do "give a d..." When the grass has grown around a mooring stake on a 48 hour mooring, I think? they may have been there longer than TWO days. When I can't take a friend to show him a place of interest because all the moorings are taken, that's annoying but acceptable. When they are obviously overstaying on those moorings that is selfish and unnacceptable I also think that most of us can tell ,up to a certain point, non payers. If a licence is a month or two out of date I don't bother too much, I understand "cruisers" may not have been able to get a licence but when you see 06/05 and 10/06 I think they have had long enough, don't you.I re-iterate non-display is also an offence. 06/05 until now 05/07 is about £1000 of unpaid licence!!! Would they be insured ?Would they have a BSC? all three probably not. My BRASS is hard earned and yes I do feel we end up subsidising these people. Often I have (on obviously un licenced boats) seen a brand new Generator.( Expensive ones to boot). If they can afford one of those????Also much more expensive cars than I can afford parked outside. I am not daft enough to think that some are not genuine (apart from their inability to put their licence on display) but by law of averages it must mean a lot are not. Thanks for your opinions and any that are yet to come. Graham

Do we respect those that don't respect us??? We are supposed to respect other boaters ie. by slowing down as we pass them. My thought is........those who choose to refuse to pay their way on the canal (licence, insurance,overstaying on visitors mooring etc.) are quite happy to use F.O.C, water, refuse and sewage points etc . Do they earn our respect?? I've just had three weeks around Birmingham and the boaters that BW have managed to shift from around M.Keynes are now taking up residence elsewhere. Still intending to pay NOWT!!! Just a thought Graham

Shorty, my boat is 54 plus fenders Graham

Two or three things sprung to mind and they happened whilst watching a 60 footer on the Huddersfield Broad Canal. 1) You use a WHOLE Broad lock to yourself, wasting valuable water. and it is a very slow process see (3) 2) I would hate to be following you as we would have to wait and not share a lock as would normally happen. 3) Most important you would need a minimum crew of THREE as you would have to diligently watch front and back whilst you are diagonal in a lock especially filling because I am sure you could easily straighten without realising and get trapped front or back on the gates whilst you are going up, or on the cill whilst dropping down. Sorry to be negative but they were purposely built for shorter boats. I purposly bought a shorter boat to be able to fit all locks throughout the country.

I will be in the vicinity of Trent Lock around 11/06/07 and need to leave the boat for about 5/7 days. any members any ideas?? Regards Graham Robinson

Thanks very much Graham

The bridge 70 @ Wolverton should be opened by 20/2/07, can anyone confirm this has happened as I want to go up to Cosgrove tommorow 25/02/07. There is no mention on BW stoppages page Regards Graham

We(hopefully)are coming thru' Tamworth, ,a bit later on you can give Bazza your phone number, bring your "Hamster" and show us which is the best pub nearest to the canal Is that(guinesss and Chateau) a "cocktail" I've never tried. We dedicated fishermaen pop the maggots in our mouths prior to putting them on the hook, it makes them more lively for the fish. Graham

Bazza, There is a pub near to the Lapworth locks it's near Kingswood Junction and on the Grand Union.If you lok on the BW map site you may find it's name from there. It will mean you having to find your way back from Rugby(ish) when your hols are finished. The Crick show is the end week of May(bank hol weekend), one week after you leave. Earplugs are not a requirement. Graham

From Graham,Bazza, is the Pope Catholic?, to all three questions.

I am putting together a 10 week cruise and wonder if any users who find the hire prices a little daunting would be interested in helping me out. I can take either a single person,I think my wife would prefer I took a male(unfortunately) or I can accommodate a couple.You can come for one or multiple weeeks, up to you. When I said free(ish) ,I would just need a small donation to help with costs and we would share food costs. You would be expected to find your way to start and back at end of holiday. Week 1)1/05/07 MKeynes to Lapworth(covered) 2)6/05/07 3)13/05/07 4)20/05/07....These three weeks I can either go round the long way toCrick eg. Lapwoth /worc./wolverhampton/Gt. Heywood Jct.and then down Coventry/Oxford to Crick.Or....Lapworth to Fazeley/Coventry Oxford detouring Ashby onto Crick. I'm not bothered either way.I'm working at the show,sohe third week(20/05/07)( I need to be in Crick by Friday) would be shorter 5)28/05/07 Covered 6)3/06/07 I can poodle about on the Soar or if anybody fancies a return journey on the Trent/Mersey.Trent lock/Fradley Jct./Return 7)10/06/07Covered 8)17/06/07Covered 9)24/06/07Covered 10)1/7/07 Coventry/Oxford GU towards MKeynes and home. Thanks for taking the time to read this Graham

Some pubs and help?? Day 1 Go extra lock moor between 1/2 reasonable pub beyond Lock 2 Day 3Walk into Yardley village ,if early enough there is a shop and there is a pub called Coffee Pot Day4Go on a couple of locks and walk up to Stoke Bruenne. Museum worth a look if early enough and Boat Inn worth a pint as they have Guest Ales. Either(one mile) before you turn at New Bradwell ,or after, on your way back there is a BIG Tesco @ Wolverton, right next to the Station where you can restock your groceries. Have a good trip Graham

Any help would be appreciated, I was always willing to split the trip into any lengths of time ,obviously minimum one week,but any multiples, you just have to get towhere I am and back from where I finish. Graham

Now I see what Yoda was on about, sorry but seem to have pressed the wrong gender button. Graham is definitely a male. Sorry to have excited you hot-blooded males Offer still stands Graham

Basically Beginning of May 'til end of August. Graham

I am,in 2007, going to cover most of the canals I haven't cruised so far.. i hope to go basically up the west side of England.(Grand Union,Shroppie,Trent Mersey) across the top (leeds Liverpool), down the Rochdale,Detouring to Lincoln then home. What I need is Crew to help me. The journey will be about 17 weeks I will monitor this site, or, if it is allowed my "e" mail is graham.robinson@homecall.co.uk Regards Graham