captain birdseye

I don't think fuel price is an issue, when all's said and done a days cruising for less than a tenner is a cheap day out. We do by the way moor on a marina and take the boat out whenever we can get up there, usually at least twice a month, and we are out most of the summer, either weekending it or on longer holidays There a lots of boats around us that hardly ever move, but we look on it that it's what boats are for. We are also lucky on having a long flat pound that allows for a days cruising to a number of good pubs without having to work locks which means we don't get caught up with many stoppages in the winter

Our 1988 Colecraft needed similar build up at a couple of rubbing points where the wear plate on the bottom had worn and a couple of pits following survey last year. The skeg is the same as the one shown. Apart from that she is as good as new.

I have one of the vacum type oil extractors works very well, then use oil spill granules to soak up whats left, and get them out with a small shovel. E bay have lots of the extractors like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=oil+extractor&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

UCC operated a number of professionally steered pairs, and also Kimberley, which is a Kosher , and Linsey the admiral. We used these regularly in the eighties, but if they were not free we would hire Loughton or Heyford . Both of which were built as new camper boats. We had many a happy holiday travelling the Oxford and the Thames, the Stratford and trips over the Liecester section and down the Sour. I was part of a Morris dancing team and we would dance at canal side pubs as we went along. The last night always finished with a singing and music session at the plough in Braunston. Great days

We always used a railway shunting pole for clearing the prop

Great weekend, boats do arrive early to get a good mooring. Lots to see and some fantastic sessions, and it's nearly all free.

I have been steering traditional style boats on and off for years and never have sat like the guy in the picture, nor have I ever seen anybody else sit like that. You should always sit with legs inside the hatch IMO

We tend to go down Cheshire locks and so anti clockwise. We find Cheshire locks bounce us about a bit when going up hill, whereas the Shroppie ones are more gentle. We usually stop at Stone, then either Etruria or Westport lake for the passage through Harecastle. You then have a choice of stops depending how many locks you want to do each day. Rode Heath or below Thurlwood, there is a pub if you walk through the houses from the bottom lock called the Oak. Wheelock a bit further on. From Wheelock it is about three hours into Middlewich for shopping. Most of the pubs we have stopped at on trips either let dogs in the pub, or we have sat in beers gardens with them, not a problem in the summer but a bit chilly now

Mike, the wood will be oak, and will have been in the steamer for a good few hours. If you look again you will note it was light when the wood went in and dark by the time it came out.

Stourbridge top lock at Leys Junction

We took five days to do this run in April and it wasn't too much hard work for the two of us

Around the Manchester area Joseph Holts is usually the cheapest. Not only that but they have been donating money out of their proffits to the Christie Hospital for the last 100 years.

The last couple of times we have been on the BCN we have had no trouble. Last year we moored at Catherine Dr Barnes , then went down camp hill and out on the gallery. It was in mid August with only myself and my wife, with my two children (6 & 8) the year before we came up the 21 round the old main line to gas street and out down farmers bridge and the Fazeley cut again in the summer holidays and again without any trouble. I think some people must either be unlucky or enjoy spreading apocryphal stories about certain areas

getting back to the original discussion. We had a 1981 H&L Norseman for a number of years. The builders plate was on the bulkhead in the bows. When we had it surveyed in 2005 prior to renewing the insurance the surveyor found the hull to be between 6 and 6.5mm. We still had the paperwork from the build which stated the hull was all built from 6mm plate, so she hadn't lost any over twenty five years. Saying that we had blacked her every two years throughout that time.

Billh of this parish has a very loud locomotive horn on one of his boats

Chris or Gnome

Yes, George I did mean the Liverpool boat Viktoria. That bottom picture of her looks like it was taken at Bedford Basin.. Junior, if you are at Bedford say hello to Paul for me.

No Clio number four built in Victoria

Where to start. As already stated the wharf and the Knott are good pubs. If you walk up Deansgate locks the Britons Protection is good. Oddly I was out for lunch at a Spanish wine importers near there called Elvera with my brother today. He also has a Lorenz built boat which I believe Albion is

What he said

My wife and me, along with two young children have twice done the run from the top of Farmers Bridge to the Dog & Doublet in a day, all be it a full day. The food at the D&D is good as is the beer. The children like ie as there is a play ground and the next day we can be at Drayton Manor park for a day out. We too have usually come up the 21 and stopped at the BCLM overnight and gone into Brum via the Old Main Line

I suspect, if he had of said he was failing it on the breather and then said I have a spare one with me you would have complained he was only failing it to sell the breather to you

The cost and time of travel must always be taken into account when pricing any job. I will include also whether the people travelling may need to lodge when working away. All this would be included in any tender for work. It is far better to be 'up front' about this than charge a flat day rate, and people who are near the perminent place of work paying the same as people who want the inspector to travel miles.