WhiteSuit

Cox's have just serviced my travel Power per their recommendation after 2 years use. Cost 132 quid inc vat dropped it off in the morning and collected the following afternoon. Moored close by and took the alternator and silver box to them . If you strain them with insufficient revs the various diodes and boards in the box burn out which then becomes expensive. Another tip I learnt is if charging phones etc through mains chargers is to plug them into an overload extension lead as they can cause current spikes which the boxes circuits do not like. We only use ours for the washing machine whilst cruising and need at least 1100 revs for it to work so plan our washing around where we are cruising. Our regular wash only takes about an hour anyway. The only period of the cycle where you need all the power is the heat cycle. Don't forget that whether you are using it or not it is always spinning.

Thank you MHS, fantastic map that even I can read.

Is there any good dog walking near the centre?

Thanks everyone, Roland I assume from your half century engine that you are quite deep draft. We went up lapworth at the end June and it was down then, we struggled to get onto the bank a few times and heard tales of boats getting stuck in bridge holes. Spoke to Anglo Welsh at Wooten Wawen whose hirers have not had problems. No notifications to them by CRT, or none revealed. I would rather not come back to the boat to find it beached.

Hi looking for somewhere safe to moor up as above so we can get back home for my daughter's birthday in early August. Any of you good fountains of knowledge have any suggestions? I can't remember what the towpath is like there. I have also been hearing lots of rumors about the Stratford being short of water and facing imminent restrictions. Anyone on there at the moment with non fake news? thank you in anticipation Mark

Honestly don't know it was with the boat when we bought it. I liked it but the wiggle got increasingly annoying then I started rapping my knuckles on he cabin top. Found a non folding one buried under the bed and swapped over about 3 years ago. I have just tried my repair so although it now feels tight it's not been used in anger yet.

Yes I have just taken two lump hammers to mine to reshape. I don't think it will last to long but feels tighter now. It also sags a bit and the threads for the screw have gone. Brass is a soft metal.

Typo error on my posts the newly installed radio in both cases is a Pioneer not a Panasonic. I only discovered text in the brochures of the Sony and new Pioneer when working out how to connect the new one as the Sony has both memory and main feed coming from the one positive. The Pioneer book specifically says that the main feed has to be on the ignition switch. I have never done a power audit on the radio but a car battery will be drained very quickly with radio on and engine/alternator not running. My current car doesn't have an ignition position to make the radio live without engine electrics live. Couldn't afford an Alpine , Pioneer the next best sound quality per buck.

The radio was the only thing that changed. Fitted the switch, charged the batteries and everything was hunky dory after. We went out for our first cruise after and the marina owner lent us a couple of new batteries to sit on the swim in case we needed them whilst out, we were in the fens. Everything else worked for another 5 years with no problem after that. The Panasonic is Designed with a low current memory feed and the radio is live all the time the ignition feed is on whether the radio is switched on or not according to the brochure that came with the new one. It's never a problem in a vehicle situation.

Wired a Panasonic radio into my old boat with a single positive and loved it. Woke in the morning to hear the fridge failing to fire up properly. Turned out the radio drained two 110 amphr batteries in a matter of hours keeping the station memory working. Wired a switched live into it to act as the ignition. I am about to change the radio in current boat, there is a constant feed to the existing positive (fused) and the existing Sony has a mode to take a single feed which shuts off the power live when switched off. The Panasonic I am putting in will have two positives the power one I will again incorporate a switch to mimic ignition supply

we use one of these https://www.tesco.com/direct/minky-free-standing-15m-rotary-airer/207-8159.prd?source=others. very quick drying on the roof we just tie the centre of the stand down to the centre rope ring so it doesn't topple over.

A petition to fence in drunks. Very sad but there is such a thing as personal responsibility. And I am speaking as someone who has do e so e daft things and got away with it

Age UK I believe do 90 days and as many consecutive periods as you like. Most companies only allow one period over 30 days

Thanks for all the replies, I threw the topic in and went to bed as still working at the moment. The better half will not tolerate all winter on the boat, I have tried DMR! I'm thinking more of a grey haired gap year(s) than retirement. The object is to junk the slaving to work which has ruled me since the age of 13. We are fortunate to be able to "retire" early, not eligible for the railcard yet. If money runs out to soon we have the fall back of renting out the house and being fulltme liveaboard. Most house insurance allows 60 days away but not a second period that long. Age UK was the only one I found online that allowed multiple periods as long as you STAY. How you prove that is more difficult. I used to rent a flat so am going back to the broker who sorted the insurance on that. For t'internet we were going with payg data SIM from 3 in a Huwai thingymyjig. Suits use as we can hammer it or ignore it as we wish. Easier to find reeds than fit a piano on the boat! A good point We have got used to cruising when we want to rather than rushing around in our years of ownership. Music, books, pub, wine ........who cares if it's raining? Dog will Hoover anything up ... he certainly won't go hungry.

We are about to retire and start a new era. We can at last spend the time on the boat that our investment in it demands. Thus far we have not managed more than three weeks away at a time. We are going to be out till September or October which gives us whole new waterways to discover. Current plan is to head towards Llangollen as that was one of our favourite hire holidays when we started out twenty years ago, we haven't been back since. We are leaving our current mooring in the east Midlands and will be heading back to our new mooring in the middle levels for the winter. Hence return time is not fixed because of Nene flow. It IS exciting times. The start of a new adventure. Having planned for so long I am hoping I have covered all the most important things but am sure I will kick myself for something which becomes obvious after a few days. Can I ask your advice from the below list what have I forgotten? House security, garden & insurance Solar set up and attempt to learn how to manage batteries Boat servicing, tools and spare parts Data mifi and telephone set up Maps Ways to get back home for family events etc Clarinet Books Music Access to dog food supplies Mark