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Joelsanders

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Everything posted by Joelsanders

  1. i can think of absolutely no reason whatsoever why I would pay you to take your boat to France either.... unless you put yours on a truck, I can put mine alongside yours and this scenario works out cheaper for me than any option. I can't wait a million years though. You are taking 'canal time' to an unrealistic extreme. Closed? Like I said, I have a good imagination.
  2. We'd like to move around and see as much as possible. 2 narrowboats side by side on a truck is definitely something I'll look into. Seems obvious but, as a cost cutting possibility that hadn't occurred to me.
  3. Thanks. Maybe I'll have to settle for Berkhamsted. They have a Cafe Rouge and I have a good imagination.
  4. Ok. Thanks all. That's plenty of great info to get us started.
  5. I have one (Brompton) but don't use it so often. It's uncomfortable compared with my previous (and vastly cheaper) mountain bike. In my case, I put this down to my own size. I'm a bit bulky and better suited to a regular bike. Take from that what you will.
  6. Hats off to Cariad but I don't think we would have the courage to take that risk, even tied abreast.
  7. Thank you for placing your thoughts in my bagging area
  8. A friend and I have talked for years about taking our boats to France and living abroad for a year. Has anyone here done this with a narrowboat or have knowledge of how to turn this dream into a viable, safe reality? Tug? Lorry? And costs? 'Narrow Dog To Carcassonne' was published in 2006 so really hoping for the most recent , practical information & options available. Merci beaucoup
  9. Our priorities change throughout life - very true. The things we love can turn to objects of loathing .... and so we move on. We hate what is forcing us to change at the time because we're creatures of habit & comfort but, without that cycle , where's the motivation to explore, change and grow ? For myself, there's a point when I get far enough outside of my comfort zone, something snaps and I reinvent myself. That's how I got a boat in the first place. For the honeymoon period, the sense of belonging is at its strongest . After a while, the infatuation period fades and it becomes normal, and, a few years later, i'm too focussed on the downsides and pining for the gold old days. Then the choice is to put up with it and stagnate or start anew. Perhaps the sense of belonging is strongest when we are happy and excited. It's that energy that draws us to other people and draws other people to us.
  10. When I started boating, I stayed in a marina and, in my first year, only made one (weekend) trip away from there. The idea of being unplugged and on the loose was frightening . It took me around 2 years to find the courage to feed my nomadic spirit and leave the security of the marina community. I still get back there once a year (Apsley) and feel a connection to it. I like going back.... but I also like most of the places i go. Apsley sort of feels like my boating home although I wouldn't say I feel that I belong there - not anymore. When my mooring fees stopped, so did my sense of belonging. As with most things, belonging needs to be paid for. That sense of belonging to a fixed place isn't so important to me but - especially as a single boater - avoiding loneliness is. Yet, I also value my own space. I often find myself juggling to balance those two needs. I took a winter mooring last year, enjoyed the part time community thing and, as the mooring period drew to an end, realised I'd again become institutionalised. Staying in one place for a while had been comforting and I didn't want it to end. I'd forgotten about that feeling.
  11. Unless I get a much longer hose, my 60 ft narrowboat will not be pumping out at sea
  12. That's still a big tank, 10 back & forth fills of a 25 litre container. I'd be more reluctant if my tank was that size. What bacteria do you use? Yeast? How much / how often and does it make a big difference ?
  13. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  14. I have one actually. My light used to come on at around 3/4 full but recently - since I moved things around to stop my boat listing - it comes on much later. I try not to let the light come on. I hate it when the light is on. The worst thing is, sometimes after pumping out, the light stays on. Even though I know the tank is empty, that little red LED troubles me way more than it should. All that said, it's a useful gadget - much like the MCS fresh water tank gauge.
  15. Also no one would care if you dropped dog poop into an elsan. Try emptying your cassette into a dog poo bin though.
  16. You can buy a manual pumpout at most chandlers though (including BWML ones which are owned by CRT).Surely that's an endorsement of their validity ? You can't buy a speed camera detector from Halfords or DVLC. Compost loos are too new for my liking .I don't trust them. They occupy the same part of my brain as the zx81 and Betamax.
  17. I know of a couple of private marinas with smaller elsan points which do not welcome self pumpouts. If it was forbidden across the board though, why would anyone buy or sell the kit? i don't know much about elsans but am I right in thinking that some (private) get full and have to be emptied whilst most (public) are bottomless (contents direct to the sewer).
  18. I'd suggest the point of a pump out & a bigger tank is that you have to deal with loo emptying less often than with the cassette option. I'm trying to think of yesterday as a practical experience in character building and humility rather than outright humiliation / indignity. In my land based days, I had unlimited water and unlimited toilet flushes. The same is true of gas & electricity . Consequently, I took those things for granted. Part of the importance of this lifestyle is that these essentials are no longer limitless. They all require some effort and, for that, i appreciate them more. Engaging with these basics, unpleasant as it might sometimes be, makes me feel more alive and that's why I love boating. It's not for everyone but, for me, it's been a good thing. 400 litres is a huge tank. Mine is about 120, I think. Presumably ( if you are a solo boater ) you only need to pump out every couple of months ? On the one occasion my tank got too full. It broke the non-return valve in the pipe work. Hmm. That might do the trick y'know It's easier to dispose of dog poop than it is for a boater to dispose of his. That can't be right, surely?
  19. You have to do it less often. If you're in a marina with a pump out facility , there's no hassle, If you continuously cruise, as I do, you'll generally be aware of pump out facilities on your route and plan accordingly. A lock closure had kept me from accessing the next pump out on my route and my Plan B (service boat) had a full pump out tank when he passed me. In 3 years, it's the first time I had no viable option of getting get a 'professional' pump out (other than 5 hours cruising in the opposite direction to where I'm heading). It's not a frequent hassle. That said, since I have the kit & have finally used it, I'm now inclined to save money and stop worrying about where my nearest pump out is. Just need to improve my technique. I only have experience of a pump out. Yesterday was the first time I've looked at an Elsan point. It's an experience I'd like to keep to a minimum.
  20. By "proper boat toilet" do you mean a cassette? I'm unclear. It's often a case of making the best of what your boat came with. I've owned 2 boats - and they both came with a Pump out. If I ever get a new boat, I'm finally at the point where I know exactly what I want and where I want it. I don't have room to carry a 2nd toilet but I know several boaters who do. If you had a cassette, why would you trouble yourself with the expense and practical implications of having a pump out as a spare? Makes sense. Similar principle to my thought about attaching a weight
  21. What's the capacity of your holding tank?
  22. This def won't work with a 7 ft hose (it needs to be fully extended to work). The other issue would be - if standing - I won't be able to reach the pump . It would, however, work if it was a foot pump Simple & obvious ! Might just work - thx
  23. This def won't work with a 7 ft hose (it needs to be fully extended to work). The other issue would be - if standing - I won't be able to reach the pump . It would, however, work if it was a foot pump
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