WhiteSuit

Good news as it is likely to be several months before I can get to the boat. Fingers crossed that the lockdown might be over by then ( and the Nene out of flood)

It had been persisting down all afternoon then the sun suddenly popped out with a most earie light. The picture tells me I'm on my boat in one of my favourite places. If it wasn't for family my wife would very happily live there.

😇

That is the puddy tat on the bridge, one that Enzo doesn't chase and I can salivate over beer and pork ribs🍺🐖🍺 Sad days, love the sound even if a non attendee. I know it's only a short walk to fetch pies and triple smoked streaky once the rainclouds have cleared. Enjoy the abuse as well which he doesn't charge for

I have just rung the MLC and spoken to Kev Russell who is in charge of the licensing, although he has only been in that post for about 3 weeks. He has been to the marinas telling them to inform boaters about licensing and is equally frustrated about the lack of communication/website. I explained that I was likely to leave for the main system as soon as possible as it is no longer financially or practically sensible to remain on the middle levels. His advice was to keep my head down and leave without bothering with a license . He was responsible for taking action and wouldn't. I know this is not in writing and not official but he came across as someone I could trust and took my name if any call was made from Stanground on leaving without a license.

I thought the title of this thread meant others had been having my problem today. Life's necessities were only partially available, plenty of gin but precious little tonic🍹

I have to thank Scholar Gypsy for bringing this to our attention but surely this is the MLC responsibility. I was aware it was coming but they have not communicated in any way. The information is so scant on their website as to be impossible for my simple brain to understand. I realise they never wanted to be a navigation authority but for an equivalent rate as the EA they provide 3 x manned locks and 2 x unmanned. Not a single mooring place or water tap. I had assumed they would not be able to charge for boats remaining within the marinas which are privately owned. As traveler says, we would appear to have no option to escape before 1 April, just remembered its all fools day! Are we going to be able to escape via Stanground without paying fees? A gold licence could be the best option, using the summer to tour the Thames and to Bath but with kung flu would I be able or wish to cruise a heavily populated area. London appearing to be the hotspot in the country at the moment

I have looked at the letter and the only item on the MLC website and am very confused. This is due to begin in 2 weeks time, not much time for anyone to comply. I normally get a week visitor licence on the Nene and 6 month CRT licence before returning to make use of the excellent Bill Fen. If I venture out at the end of May I will need a years licence on the MLC at 75% of the £1091, an EA visitor then my CRT, seems like the end of boats using Bill Fen and Foxes. With the levels the Nene has been running at this winter early escape is unlikely to be an option. Anyone of you middle level experts have any better idea?

Hi I am looking to relocate my boat up north as I've not yet made much use of the canal system up there. Searching the wunderweb I found the above marina which opened in 2016 but looks as if the site hasn't been updated since then. Anybody have any knowledge of the marina. security etc?

If you have the ability to build your own then you remove the high cost. I made timber boxes with a swivel top (lid), the swivel I manufactured out of the base of a cheap redundant office swivel chair. I mounted the panels on the lid using upvc window hinges. The boxes give me extra storage, they fit under low bridges without needing removal, even under the lowest bridge on the middle levels. At 9am in the summer my two x 150 watt panels give double the amps into the batteries when pointed at the sun compared to laying flat. Spring and autumn see similar returns for more hours during the day with the sun at a lower angle. With my usage when I'm moored up wanting to maintain my battery I tend to be around the boat so pushing the panels round every hour or so is no hardship. If it's windy I will leave them flat. They are not the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye but sometimes function over form is better. It enables me to be self sufficient for most of the time I am on the boat with panel sizes that mean I can still walk on the roof and the panels don't get in the way of using the center rope.

I relied on heaters, with thermostat switches, to keep the inside of the boat above freezing. For the last 6 years to be honest temperatures never dropped low enough to be a problem but it is an insurance policy isn't it. I had minor frost damage in the last boat with the really cold winter of about 10 years ago despite draining. Copper pipe had a low joint in a long run and water feed to the toilet flush.

I drained my cauliflower last year for the first time. The only way I could manage it was to make a shrader valve to 15mm connection to fit in the top hot feed from the cauliflower. I then cranked open the prv, connected a bike pump to my shader valve and pumped the water out by air pressure. I am now on a mooring without electric as previously I used greenhouse heaters.

Sounds like the kit I got several years ago from screwfix. Pink Stuff applied with A fabric washing scooter gets rid of the tarnish. Savers had it recently at around per pot

I took one look at the Gallows and decided I wasn't desperate enough for a pint. Locals said the Bridge used to be ok but that is sold for housing conversion. The Barge looked interesting but I didn't fancy stopping near it. Our last day was the real hot one, would have tried the Steamboat but without shelter for our dog opted for the Trent Lock. Beer was terrible couldn't finish 1 pint despite a desperate thirst. I took one look at the Gallows and decided I wasn't desperate enough for a pint. Locals said the Bridge used to be ok but that is sold for housing conversion. The Barge looked interesting but I didn't fancy stopping near it. Our last day was the real hot one, would have tried the Steamboat but without shelter for our dog opted for the Trent Lock. Beer was terrible couldn't finish 1 pint despite a desperate thirst.