Joelsanders

You're right! However , the vast majority of people are reasonable. Consequently, even though it's not legally binding, I think it will have a huge effect. If that turns out to be the reality, the minority of unreasonable people would then stand out a lot more and be much easier to target. I think we're all conditioned to believe that - in order to invoke quick change - you need to target the opposition ring leaders first (the big troublemakers), rather than the soft targets. That's what armies do , right? However, low level non-military campaigns - the stuff of everyday life - don't usually work that way. It's hard to sort out stubborn hardcore rebels without violence or terror tactics so, consequently, it usually starts with the soft targets.

It will be fascinating to see how this unfolds. I am not sympathetic to those who exploit the system and barely move. On the other hand, as we all know, the 1995 Act does not specify distance. If a boater only moves 30 metres every 14 days, my opinion is that they are exploiting the system. However, I recognise that they are moving in accordance with their legal obligations. I have read arguments that, if CRT make distance a requirement of the license , then that should be enough. However, if those requirements are not backed by law, those conditions become much harder to enforce and much easier to challenge. The conditions are illegal. Can any organisation therefore issue a contract which is in contravention of British Law? Is that a precedent that would benefit UK citizens in the long term - even if we might be in favour of this particular example? Perhaps the 1995 Act would have been different had the waterways been as busy then as they are now. My feeling - like it or not - is that we're in a period of transition. The new guidance/policy on movement , whilst not backed by law, is going to have an effect. In any hierarchy , it's much easier to push down than up. If I had to make a prediction, however, it would be that, as long as the law remains as it is, this initiative will soon be challenged in court and be ruled unfair and illegal. If it were to succeed, the wider implications would be too problematic for society.

Cheap tix for boaters still available for tonight (Tues, March 3rd) at this secret link. http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/vsD6xkdUE4 After this one, there's just 2 shows left. Hope some of you can make it. For the first time it's mostly non boaters who are coming atm.. 8 pm start (doors 7.30 pm) in Haggerston.

Review of this week's show. http://www.jewishrenaissance.org.uk/blog/review-the-angry-boater/

Fab. Look forward to meeting you , Tim

Cheap tickets for boaters to see Angry Boater Live next Tuesday, Feb 24th. http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/hyVyxM9Wfe

Are you serious? Where was this? At least Llamados, for example, has its meaning hidden.

I'm saving the gooduns for Tuesday, Athy!

Since the subject of names has come up, I wonder what your least favourite boat names are? Either daft , offensive, surreal or otherwise. I have a section in the show on this and a few new examples would be welcome. Someone at a recent show mentioned a boat he'd seen called "Boat" (a name designed to save on sign writing costs, I'm guessing).

I'll certainly take it beyond London in time, Dave. My loose plan is to develop it here over the coming months , tweaking it from week to week. I've had 5 run-throughs so far and just had a major lightbulb moment that has redefined the storyline (there is a story) . I get to try that out for the first time on Tuesday. Some years ago, I worked on cruise ships as a comedian and I want to revisit that period of my life with this show - once I've got it right. My only serious focus for now is on making it as good as I can.

Haggerston is a fascinating bit of London. The stretch of the canal there has recently become known as the Hackney Riviera (and, by others, as De Beauvoir). Several dinky cafes, restaurants & and bars are dotted along the towpath. It's where the canal crosses Kingsland Rd, Haggerston being between Dalston (the centrepoint for London's Turkish community) & Hoxton (our Vietnamese quarter) . Wonderful food awaits in either direction. For traditionalists , it's also a 20 minute walk from Brick Lane where I can be found gorging on London's best priced salt beef beigal at least twice a week. It's undergone considerable gentrification. 20 years ago, it was a run down part of the East End with much poorer transport options. Nowadays, it's an epicentre for skinny jeans and hipster culture.

Thanks John. Needless to say, Barry, I wonder about you every other day too. A fairly new station , Athy - on the stretch of London overground between Highbury & Shoreditch. Thanks for the good wishes

If you are around London, you might be interested in my new project - a solo show looking at the quirkier side of boating & what it's really like living on the canals. The show has been going nicely so far & I'm about to start a Tuesday night residency at The Barge House, a new & charming little venue on the Regents Canal close to Haggerston Station. It starts at 8 pm and ends around 10 pm. Full details here: http://www.angryboater.com If you would like to come this week or next, below are secret links for boater friends to book cheaper tickets. Tues Feb 10th http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/yPkMwzgYcZ Tues, Feb 17th http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/DeZnHAX8zy

My first boat was called 'Th'owd Brid' (Old Bride). It sounded like a Welsh Prostitute. I know a 'Llamados' (read it backwards).

As a continuous cruiser, these are the 2 things that run my life more than anything else. I tend to top up whenever I pass a tap and I pump out as needed. I do have a metre that tells me my water tank level but there's no way of seeing when my pump out tank is full. I get a sense of when it's pump out time though by how far my boat is listing. Then it's a case of finding a working pump out machine (there are far less of those than there are elsan points).

Boots can take care of that for you these days, I think. Check with the phamacist next time you pass one. They can definitely renew on your behalf if you use the same branch. I'm less certain whether it works at different branches. Alternatively, if you have a good relationship with your GP, they might be able to provide you with more than one - post dated - prescriptions.

I did not know James well on a personal level - although I'd bought coal etc from him many times over the years. I last saw him shortly before his arrest. I remember he was talking, with some excitement, about going on the Thames again, something he had not done for a while. I suspect he knew it would be his last opportunity to do it. Some boaters around london - and I noticed this too - commented that he sometimes didn't like stopping to carry out services. Towards the end, he'd sometimes only stop if he was he was pre booked . Consequently, some boaters - myself included -started to take more of their business elsewhere. I wonder now how much of his not wanting to stop was tied in with knowing that his days were numbered. To me, in the last 2 months that he was around , he seemed more interested in enjoying his boating than taking care of business.

Respectfully, I disagree. The association between the boats and this story will make it much harder to sell them. For that reason, if they do sell, it is likely to be for under their market value.

I had a freeview aerial for 2 years before someone pointed out that I had it in the vertical position (how it was in the box when I bought it) . My signal would improve by approximately 500 percent if I removed the screw and adjusted it to the horizontal.position. It took a few seconds and it worked fine, The vertical position is only ideal when the aerial is pointing at a main transmitter. The horizontal position is for repeater transmitters. Most of the time -especially is you are in a rural setting - it will be repeater transmitters that you are getting your signal from. I don't know whether this relates to your problem at all but - in case it does - I hope that makes a difference for you.

Last year, I was about to enter a tunnel on the Leicester arm - I forgot which but it was a longish one. It was a designed for 2 way traffic anyway and signposted accordingly, Another boat was coming the other way and - as I entered the tunnel - the boater started to sound his horn. I wasn't sure what to meme of it . It couldn't have been a widebeam as the locks are too narrow. I thought perhaps he was in some kind of trouble. Anyway, I waited for the boat to get through, which 20 minutes later , it finally did. As he passed me the boater said, "NOW it's your turn!" it wasn't even a hire boat . I explained about the 2 way traffic and he didn't seem to care at all. I think he had simply wanted the convenience of not having to pass another boat whilst going through the tunnel. I was fairly annoyed tbh. I told him that - when he'd sounded his horn - I'd thought he was in trouble so I had called the emergency services who were on the way over. At that point, he seemed to start caring.

I have that zanussi model and the only way I can get it to work is(a) when the generator (or shoreline) is present and ( if I also have a resistive load (like a fan heater) running at the same time. The resistive load is not needed on shore power though - just the genny. That said, my inverter (even though it is 2500 watts) is not pure sine wave... so perhaps you'll be alright. For me, the zanussi might as well be unplugged if I try to run it through the inverter. As others have said though, candy do seem to be much more consistent & agreeable with boat electrics. Sorry if that all sounds a bit pessimistic.

How awful! I'm sorry to read about this. I'm quite paranoid about leaving my boat unattended on the towpath -even for one night . Experiences like yours certainly keep my paranoia alive & kicking. Hope it doesn't affect you too much and that your insurance will do what they can to alleviate some of the inconvenience. Gd luck

Rachel with an A has just threatened to jump off a bridge. She might land on me, Dave. Your rhubarb & cinnamon one is my favourite. Hmmmm.. Yum yum, sweet Rachel with an A. But the thing is ... when Sainsburys offer 2 pots for £3 , where's the profit?

Sorry for getting your name wrong, Dave. I do not have a clue why I thought you were an Alan . I'm not going to challenge you over this any more. I understand where you are coming from. Let's try to be friends now. We are not so different, I think. You might disagree, Sorry this has eaten into your lunch hour. Enjoy your lunch. Is it yoghurt (see above - or maybe it's below) Maybe. I'm trying an experiment .

For the record, I wanted to say how much I love your yoghurts , sweet organic Rachel with an A. So much better than Muller. Please share your secret,