Sea Dog

Ah, I see. I'd better give the EQ mode a go first then to see if I get the 30 minutes issue before moving on to plan b. I have the 2 little remote panels, APC and ICC as I recall, which would be junk if I went for the masterbus option, but I was considering the USB interface - just haven't done the think-through yet. Thanks for sharing your own experience, much appreciated. Edited to remove double post. Serves me right for doing this on my phone!

Hi Nick, just reading through this thread and noticed this earlier comment you made. I also have a Mastervolt Combi and thought I was rather well placed since it has an equalisation mode. Can you explain why you don't rate it? Is racking up the charging voltage instead pretty self explanatory?

I read your original thread Raz, which beggared belief. So sad to hear that you had no joy here either. I can only imagine what an awful and frustrating experience this has been.

Bread knife?

Excellent informative post on an important subject. FWIW, I have the natty little CO-9D fire angels from screwfix which have the ppm graph display, the max ppm reading and a digital temperature display. They are marked that they comply with both the -1 and the -2 standard for boats

Many different views abound, of course, but I think you're worrying unnecessarily. I have auto jackets and I see just 2 main scenarios for use in normal cruising. One: if heeding the advice to use them when transiting tunnels. Two: for some river navigations. For both of these there is unlikely to be frequent mid-evolution costume changes. I don't see a compelling case for lifejacket wear in, say, the Wolverhampton 21. Others will see things differently, but I think there's a good case for lifejacket being carried and few reasons not to wear them when necessary. It's your choice when you do wear one but, if you do go over the side, it won't be any help if your jacket is either in the chandlers or your wardrobe

Well thank you anyway. I spent 8 days iced in at the bottom of Tardebigge a couple of weeks ago, only to miss the open slot in the works programme and have to go via the Severn. It would be nice to time my return to avoid a similar hold up at Stourport!

I'm on the visitor moorings opposite the museum right now. Very nice they are too, but few in number. The facilities block is good and was only built in 2004. Quite secure and a reasonable walk to the Fountain Inn! Building work is continuing apace, and I was chatting to folk in the museum who were all pretty positive about it and sympathetic to DCT's need for better facilities. I know nowt about the impact elsewhere though, or on the permanent moorings. If there's anything that would be useful I could ask in the morning. Stuart - My home mooring is Droitwich Spa Marina. I'd be very surprised if you don't find the place, and Nick and his staff, an absolute delight. Welcome!

I don't know your particular unit, but you mention the possibility of replacing it with a Mastervolt Combi, which is what I have fitted. I can therefore confirm that the feature you are worried about is selectable (or otherwise) in the MV. They call it Mains Support. I'm really quite impressed with mine, which is a 12/2500-100. It's really very controllable, but in order to achieve that is also quite complex. However, it is a clever bit of kit, will support the correct bulk/absorption/float voltages for all battery types and will also allow you to equalise your batteries at 15.5. The manual with all the possible settings is downloadable from MV's website. I'm a Chartered Engineer and I confess I had to give it a few reads before I was sure I had everything as I wanted it. If you read it and scratch your head I'd be happy to interpret if I can! ETA: It's never, ever buzzed at me, and I turn it off when I don't need 230v - unless I'm on shore supply and then I leave it to do its stuff.

Tickled me!

I sent an email update earlier and had a very speedy thank you response from Bob Draper so the site is very much alive. This is a potentially very useful resource if we all support Bob and send in the prices we come across.

I've always used the ash method on the woodburner at home which works well, but the coal ash from the boat stove is a bit scratchy. Tried vinegar this morning on quite a badly sooted glass and it worked a treat. No more ash scrubbing for me! Cheers Watcher

I like the look of that so much I tried to buy one. Sadly, I can't - the IWA website keeps telling me my email address is wrong. I tried 5 different ones, all genuine (.com and .co.uk) to no avail.

I passed Napton Narrowboats on the Shropshire on Sunday. They were charging £1.10 composite - it's also useful to know where not to go, eh? Web spreadsheet update sent.

Excellent stuff! Actually, we stayed in Wolverhampton for an extra day today and can confirm that the Great Western is a gem. Tried their hot pork baps, very nice. Batham's had run out, but the bitter and the golden glow stood in very nicely. They had a wake today and the buffet surplus was put on the bar for grazing. Slices of black pudding at a wake or any other buffet occasion was a first for me! Good pub. Thanks for the directions and identification of Ma Pardoes and the Bull and Bladder. I'll be seeking them out later on. Tipton tomorrow, and I'm fair looking forward to it now. Thanks again for all the pointers!

Some great stuff there fellas, thanks. A pub close to the NIA we can take the dog to is a good discovery too. I'm reasonably familiar with much the canal navigations, but this local finer detail is really good and I appreciate all of your input. It's so easy to miss some hidden gems, isn't it. Quite apart from the usual excuses to drink good ale, I feel I owe Batham's some patronage for sponsoring Michael Rutter in Superbikes! Oh, and is Ma Pardoes actually called that? Sounds like one not to miss, so I'd quite like to be able to find it!

Thanks Richard, moored there last year but didn't know about the Batham's pub. Did some awful "2 uninspiring meals for a few quid" place and the Wetherspoon. I'll know better this time!

Thanks guys! Didn't do the Western firstly because I didn't know about it and secondly because we got so cold and wet today and it was still blowing a hooligan earlier, so we just hunkered down and stoked up the stove! I'll bang that one on the list though. We'll be going through Tipton of course, but haven't been there for years - any particular recommends? The journey can be as long as it takes if there's good places to go, and with the dams in place and Tardebigge out, we'll have a second bite en route to Netherton tunnel in a few days time. Grateful for your input.

Hi All, Currently at the top of the Wolverhampton 21 heading towards Brum. Having been weather-beaten today, we're in no hurry to do it in a one, so does anyone have recommendations of pub and mooring combinations we ought to try? Minor detours are ok. Thanks in anticipation.

We finally escaped the clutches of the ice at the bottom of Tardebigge yesterday, ironically the first day we couldn't get up through the works! So it was reverse for a mile and 5 locks to turn in Black Prince's basin avoiding some ice still there and back the way we came. 8 days iced in and nothing gained but the experience! Lower Worcs and Brum ice free today and all very nicely trimmed - winter cruising bliss.

Thanks Laurence! I'm still frozen in preserving my recently blacked 6mm sides, but at least I had a TV signal for the rugby. Edited to spell 'sides' right!

Ah, I see you're a speed reader!