captain birdseye

I would think 007 means no permanent mooring on crt waters . So in the second and third that is used followed by place of mooring on ea waters , in the fourth instance it is used to show no mooring. Just my thoughts

I would think 007 means no permanent mooring on cry waters . So in the second and third that is used followed by place of mooring on earth waters , in the fourth instance it is used to show no mooring. Just my thoughts

If you suspect the hull get it sorted now. Why would blacking it now be a problem. If it is done now it won't need redoing in six months

Is the tug at the back next to Glosser Sprite

Not sure where you are, but Chas Harden at Beeston on the Shroppie has boats with stoves in for hire and is reliable and fairly cheap.

My renewal notice for a licence starting 1st January arrived today!

The bridge with the lock in the distance is Nanny's bridge between Middlewich and Barbridge

Not a problem up here, the tunnel keepers only let people in from one end at a time. The ones at the west end of the T & M have timings on. If I meet somebody coming the other way it's their fault as they shouldn't be in the tunnel

I have a Durite LED tunnel light, if memory serves me right it cost about forty pounds. It is amazing, like daylight in a tunnel. I have a twin cylinder engine and vibration has not caused any problem. Used it for quite a few tunnels as have been up and down the Bridgewater and T&M a couple of times this year, including Harecastle three times.

We changed ours from Canvas to PVC and they have kept better looking with less work.

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