Sea Dog

I have a relatively short chimney with a coolie hat and I've never had this issue. I only burn smokeless fuel or wood, and sweep my chimney once a year removing only dry light coloured soot. Am I just lucky with my stove and installation, is it purely a problem for those burning unseasoned wood and/or coal, or is it something else?

That's interesting. Is it concentrated or pre diluted? Not that I need to know for another 4 years 6 months!

Oh I agree entirely, but what always seems (to me) to be missed when the subject of anchoring a Narrowboat is that it's unlikely to be whilst one has lunch or takes the dinghy to the pub. Rather, it's likely to be deployed whilst helplessly travelling downstream without power or steerage in an uncontrolled 'Chuck it and hope' fashion to avoid fetching up on that nasty looking wier. For that to work, you need a shock absorber in addition to the chain. Getting the anchor back is a low priority bonus for later on.

Hang on, I thought GPS was down due to WW3 and there's been an electro magnetic pulse - what's the chances of a mobile app still working? Quite a good app to have this side of the apocalypse though. Eta: Psion - a sad loss that, Symbian was quite pioneering and I still remember my devices as outstanding in their day.

Hmmm, I have a certified chronometer from a very well respected Swiss manufacturer which I treasure. It is, however much I'd like like to say otherwise, pathetic in comparison to the average 2 quid petrol station digital in terms of accuracy. It needs a service at about the same interval as most quartz watches need batteries but at many times the cost. The wind up timex i had as a kid was less accurate, of course, but not the casios my kids had. I love it, but I understand why old fashioned Navigation resulted in the Caribbean islands being named the West Indies! If anyone is about to give me a lesson in Nautical Horology, I was joking - please allow me some latitude. And having set that one up, I'm off to set my chronometer by the pips on the TV in the kitchen, the TV in the lounge, Fm Radio, DAB radio... Oh no, they're all different!

Yeah, but it's all the books needed to interpret the sightings that make that a difficult back up plan, not to mention the perishable skills involved in the calculations after you've taken the sightings - assuming we're talking stars and not just Sun-Run-Sun! Well, that and also we might not be going sailing during WW3! Plus, I prefer narrowboating anyway.

John, it's so easy to accidentally pick up your rose-tinted specs when you're looking at a boat which ticks so many boxes for you. If you see two boats, one with a new engine but a suspect hull and one with a good hull and a suspect engine, which one would you go for? Now factor in that there are many on the market which have neither issue.....? Not edited at all - thought I had an auto correct error but turns out I didn't Actually, it turned out I did after all! Sorted....I think!

It's a but of a drudge whenever you do it, but I don't think it improves in winter temperatures!

All chain may be fine for marine anchoring purposes, but I'd suggest not for a Narrowboat. The function of an anchor in a Narrowboat is essentially as an emergency brake to be deployed on rivers in case of a propulsion or steering gear failure. Whilst the chain is effective in assisting the anchor to set and hold, a length of warp is necessary to allow stretch to absorb the shock when it does.

Might I suggest that you also look at your venture from the other end? By that I mean work out your cost of living on a boat at a standard of living that you're happy to accept. Factor in all of the annual mandatory costs of keeping a boat without coming into conflict with CRT (much of which can be found by searching here or by basic Googling), add something for fuel, maintenance and sundries, and add to that your own wants and needs, etc. Once you have that total, then you can look at the business model to see if it can raise that amount reliably. Good luck with following your dream!

Perfectly true, but it may be worth adding for those less experienced that when used on an occasional basis, perhaps when staying somewhere a night longer than your batteries can easily cope with, it's still the most practical option. The cost of buying a generator for these occasions will never be recouped, so you have to have other compelling reasons (which do exist) to go that way. Neither will either method beat being plugged into a shore supply. However, if we factor in Solar.... but that's another thread! Tony Brooks' post above is bang on (somewhat unsurprisingly) I think, and is very helpful in resolving the age-old in or out of gear issue raised by the OP imho. I'd give him a greenie, but I don't think I can do that from my mobile. Maybe someone else can and I'll see them right when I get my new specs

Alan, you're right to be as pleased with this kit as you obviously are! My sailing buddy is a very experienced Royal Navy navigator but a bit of a techno gnome. Nevertheless, he is a complete convert, and has sailed from south Devon to the Western Isles via Ireland, done 2 years in and around the Hebrides and then brought her home again all on an electronic chart app on an obsolete Blackberry Playbook. He's a real sceptic about such things, but totally sold on it now.

I bought a cheap plastic syphon pump for draining the skin tank. It works a treat.

Ooh, really? Sounds like a tenner well spent - could you expand on that please?

They surely didn't build it like that without reason so I suspect that the more screws and glue, the less your boat will sound like an old pirate ship! I hope you put plenty back in!

Exactly. Slow down so you cause least disturbance and so as not to suck their keepnet towards you, go straight down the middle for similar reasons unless requested different and it's safe to do so. It's no hardship and we can hardly expect or encourage them to consider their impact on what we do if we don't show consideration to them. We'll still find the odd grumpy angler and they'll still find the odd grumpy boater, but the rest of us will get along just fine.

I think you misunderstand, Sir! The magazine is simply reporting things as it sees them and, whilst I'm sure they do their best to check that their sources are genuine and their stories are factually correct, they can't be expected to check every fact right down to the page number! Your allegation is scurrilous and neither can you prove that you're right and the page numbering is wrong since it would be unethical for them to reveal their source.

Ah, I really liked the look and feel of Saul and those I've met from there seem to love it. You'll be getting to know the River Severn and all her moods quite well!

That doesn't sound good at all Pennie. If there's no seal, fumes could get back into your cabin. Get someone who knows what's what to have a look before you use it again.