TheBiscuits

Because: (My bold)

I flogged my old system to a mate for exactly half of what it was then available for at retail. Suited him and suited me at the time. If flogging it on eBay or Facebook marketplace I'd probably have asked a bit more (2/3rds?) True, that's why I started out by seeing what the equivalent bits were available for brand new as a good starting point. That does of course require exact makes, models and specifications of the panels and the controller, and a list of what extras if any are included. I just sold the panels and the controller, but threw in free the resettable circuit breaker as it would have been too small for my new system. Helped him install it too, but then he is a mate.

Wigan dry dock for a proper fix, engine can probably be sorted while afloat. Either free the rudder up with a sledgehammer and some plus gas or a blowtorch , or get a tow from someone to Wigan. As mentioned above, working on boats out of water is a pain in the backside but for some jobs it has to be done. Have you spoken to a good boat fettler or are you just assuming it needs craning out to sort it? Try Dan at RDE Narrowboat Services 07405 996310 see if he can help - he's mobile and covers the North West. Add a bit: you can get to Wigan Dry Dock, it's the flight itself that's shut and today there was an issue with the junction pound.

Personnel changes mainly. In the last five years a couple of those who were there have passed away and others have left to go elsewhere. For some jobs I recommend Wheelton boatyard, but they are very limited on space so can't/won't have a boat on hardstanding for a few months, which the OP was asking about. Hesford marine is another place that might work, but due to the breach you can't get there from Lathom either!

I get a regular look of misery from crewed boats when I'm single handing. Until we start working the lock and I'm doing three quarters of the work ...

No hard standing at Crooke Marina, but the storage site and new moorings the other side of the bridge used to have a crane so may be worth an ask. I've stopped recommending Botany in recent years, despite it having used to be my first suggestion. Also, even if it seems a good idea the boat can't get there with the locks shut. From Lathom Junction I'd be asking Tarleton boatyard about availability, it's just the other end of the Rufford Branch.

I think that's booked to certain staff salaries

That's no excuse for instant tea ...

I have both a gas cooker and a standalone single plate induction hob. Making a brew or cooking a single pan meal with sunshine instead of propane just makes sense - I don't see any point using gas when my MPPT is shutting itself off before lunchtime because the battery banks are full. Especially when we still have another 9 or 10 hours of daylight left ... A full 1.7 litre kettle takes 6 minutes to boil at the default 1200W setting, pulling just over 100A from the solar panels and battery bank (inverter efficiency losses). By my reckoning that's 0.12 kWh, compared to a standard 2.2 KW electric kettle that uses nearly twice that (measured at 0.2 kWh but comes to the boil faster.) It's usually been replaced before I need another brew, even on a dull day. The induction hob can be varied between 200W and 2000W in 9 200W steps so quite controllable, and has a built in timer function. It goes away in a locker when I have to start paying to make electricity!

Oh it's not you then. T'other rusty would have known the answer is "How do you drive this thing?"

You're the one with the smutty photos, but yes, that's the one I suspect! Hey @Russ T two fish in a tank, one says to the other ...

Mine don't. Am I doing it wrong?

Fill your boots. I strongly suspect that @Russ T used to be around 69 ... Sense of humour, experience, familiarity with forum regulars, posting style. If he is who I think he is, he's been both an offshore sailor and a liveaboard narrowboater for decades. If he introduces Dr Bob's fish jokes again I'll be completely convinced.

Morlock speak. It translates to "not going" in unmangled English ...

Congratulations Rebellion! I thought you preferred second place though 🤣

Well nobody seems to be recently complaining about high water!

It's odd, but north of about Middlewich most of them seem friendly with the odd exception. South of there the proportions switch round so there's only the odd friendly one and mostly grumpy ones. Yeah, but all of those would be only occasional incidents and from what I can gather the OP seems to be getting a lot of different people shouting.

The only thing I can think of that would cause that much aggro is going too fast. @rhapsody blue, are you going as slowly as possible past moored boats? And are you cruising in the middle of the open water or are you keeping to the right even when there's no other boat coming towards you? If your (new to you) boat is set up incorrectly then even at dead slow on the morse lever the boat might be going faster than you think. This is adjustable usually. Watch carefully what happens to moored boats as you pass them - if they all seem to rock a lot or surge backwards and forwards as you pass them then you're going too fast, even if that's not what you're trying to do.

Yeah, but if you're up you could be boating!

Good for you. Mine isn't a Victron.