WhiteSuit

I drain my horizontal calorifier in the following order:- Turn the tank tap off, run pump with hot and cold taps open till they run dry Turn off water pump at distribution/fuse board Attach bicycle track air pump to water pipe exiting pump using homemade adapter Pump air into calorifier (past non return valve) pressurizing it to expel water via open taps. If your prv is plumbed outside you can also put the prv onto it's cam to pump straight overboard.

I use a haxxor to cut metal

This means next year is a must for the weaver (and a possible blacking window at Northwich)

If you love dogs and a dog lifestyle then go for it. Totally agree with Beo's first comment. We took our lab/lurcher with us from a pup and our rescued greyhound after a few months of getting used to us. We have just got a lab puppy who will be joining our explorations asap. For me boating is an ideal way of life for a dog. The lurcher used to sulk like mad and refuse to go to the car when we returned to the marina. She was a very handy size for a narrowboat, loving to walk with the wife alongside the boat. The greyhound didn't like it when we weren't together. We thought he would be too big for the boat but we found it improved his agility. He was too big to get under your feet so you wouldn't trip over him. We never found any difference with toileting than walks from home. You do have to plan stops when you're on a river but have never had a problem on the canal. Most adult dogs have a pooh time which I have always found predictable so you plan for it. The lurcher if she got desperate for a pee would jump off at a bridge hole, pee and walk herself to the next bridge hole to get back on. The dogs have always been happy to stay on the boat while we went out just as they would at home. Temperature depends on the design of the boat, we have always found on the move to be coolest with front and back doors open. The first year of retirement was too hot for us so we found shade during the hottest part of the day. The dog will find the coolest place, usually the floor, and you can use damp towels or cool mats to make it more comfortable for them. If it is that hot I wouldn't shut a dog in the boat.

It's bad news for businesses on the Weaver which have earned a good reputation. With limited time on the boat this year we cancelled plans for the river as CRT kept closing the lift at short notice both for mechanical and staffing problems. Is Dutton a personal recommendation?

Many thanks for your swift responses. Northwich is obviously near and handy but is there any truth in the rumours of the boat lift closing for next year? I thoroughly enjoyed the Erewash a few years ago but I would end up single handing there and back towards Stoke before swmbo could join me. With the health of her parents and grandchild duties our boating has substantially changed. On the other hand a few months on my own...................

Well the blacking is due next year and now based at the north end of the T&M I am looking for recommendations as I have only used yards in East Midlands and East Anglia previously. Looking for a proper 7 day turnaround for bitumen coating. I would like to diy but time constraints may mean having it done. Langley Mill has had good reviews but might be a bit too much of a trek but possibly could coincide with a revisit of the Caldon. I have tried a search but nothing recent turned up so I would be grateful of your suggestions.

Always fancied a proper boat, lusted after Birmingham when she was for sale at Alvecote a year or two ago but scared of running costs compared to a modern boat. Just seen on Alcor on the duck Harland & Wolff 71 Traditional for sale UK, Harland & Wolff boats for sale, Harland & Wolff used boat sales, Harland & Wolff Narrow Boats For Sale 1935 GUCCCo 71ft Small Woolwich ALCOR - Apollo Duck Time to dream again or is an old boat with a wooden bottom really a bigger hole to throw money in?

For us the automatic option works well, with the travel power it can chunter on doing our washing whilst we cruise without being a drain on the batteries. Just have to plan an area with few moored boats and locks. Drying has never been a problem using an airer on the roof or hanging in the cratch and engine room

I borrowed a friends brompton years ago, brilliant as it is I never liked it on a rough towpath due to the wheel size. I have used a Dahon D7 for several years, initially folded in the car boot for the final commute into work but now on the boat. It has 20inch wheels and rides well on a variety of surfaces. Doesn't fold as small as a Brompton, but still easily fits in a modern trad engine room. 7 speed gears and comfy enough to ride for a distance, mine came with a carrier and I believe they are still in production

Hotpoint aquarius 1200 wd62. The rcd reset with the machine switched off, I will have to dismantle some carpentry to get it out enough to switch off at the plug!!!!!

It's a combined washer/drier

Thank you all for your thoughts. I was thinking of the easiest route back to a washing machine. I did ponder a faulty rcd, it has tripped occasionally with no apparent fault over the years, as the easiest thing to change. Digging the washing machine out is going to be fun as MTB said and I would need to do that to either repair or replace. From washers at home the first thing to go is the PCB which is almost the cost of the machine. The other advantage of our machine is that it has hot and cold fill. Having racked my brains the last time I used it was with the tumble drier which makes me wonder if the problem lies there. I did about 3 loads of washing but had to dry the last one because of August's weather. It tripped the first time of use after that (on wash only). How easy is it to test heating elements? Oh the expensive and time consuming Joy's of boating!

I think our Hotpoint washing machine has died (I believe it was an original fit to the boat so 20 years old). It worked from either mains hook up or 3.5KW travel power. By process of elimination it is the washing machine that is tripping the rcd. I don't believe it to be financially viable to attempt to repair so it is time to replace. I know some modern machines are prone to not working with certain inverters but wonder if there are problems with the travel power (silver box)?

I too took a while to work it out, it seemed weird to have speedwheel and push/pull controls. On one of the pictures you can see the very short shaft disappearing above the drop down table so presume it is lurking beneath the crumb drawer and bed. Funny how bored one can be!