gidh

Cheers Rob, Mike came up trumps and sent me a scanned copy, can i get an official copy from somebody?

Cheers Ray, I was intending to ring again and see if i can talk to somebody willing to engage brain, it is really frustrating, OK i should be more careful, however some common sense would be useful.

Thanks everybody, i looked at the various lists and couldn't see him, perhaps i need an eye test also! thanks...good work, as you were.....

I appear to have lost my BSS certificate, and my license expires at the end of the month. I am really annoyed as BW know that it is in date ( it was only done in Feb) as i sent them the blue copy when i got my mooring from them in May, as they required proof for the mooring application to be succesfully processed!. I rang them today, they say they have no record, and as far as they are concerned my BSS must have expired ( go figure!). They suggested i get in touch with the examiner, however i can't find his number, his name is Mike Price, and he works along the K&A and i think he is from Devizes. Does anybody happen to have a number for him, as i am suddenly running out of time to get this sorted, any help much appreciated.

How about this.... If the fact that you have a 'recognised and legal mooring' means you can basically moor anywhere you like for as long as you like, it would appear to be a good investment to secure the repeatedly advertised mooring at IDR Reading ( which BW can't shift for love nor money) for a song, then go and moor somewhere lovely somewhere else on the K&A...........nice

Having just secured a mooring on the Oxford i now face the task of moving from the K&A to the new 'home',i have a few things i would like to know.... 1: Is there anywhere in Reading (or extremely near) i can moor up overnight, or for even up to a week, without fear of Mugging/burglary/intimidation etc 2: What things do i 'really' need to satisfy the rules and regulations for going on the Thames ( anchors/ size of name on boat etc.) 3: How long realistically to get from Reading to Oxford 4: Is it easy to find places to moor 5: What happens at manned locks ( etiquette!) 6: any other tips/dodges etc. much appreciated Sorry for so many questions, but i could quite possibly be single handed and the more i know in advance, the better! cheers Gid.

Fantastic, thanks very much, another job i can now get on with!

Hi, i have had one for a couple of years, it's not nearly as smooth as the Honda and is a bit noisier. Having said that it starts easily, i can run my Victron charger of off it, and it is still not nearly as noisy as the B&Q specials. I think that if you are going to be fairly highly reliant on using a generator then long term the Honda is well worth the extra, however at less than half the cost the 'Kipor' is worth its money.

Hi, i have missplaced the alternative part number for my Vetus 414 oil filter, would anybody happen to know the 'Crossland' number or any other manufacturer for that matter?, i think that it is the same filter as in the 413/415 series as well, many thanks, Gid.

We are on the K&A and have mixed fortunes, most of the system we navigate works ( you do need to be a bit canny, to make passage sometimes!) The pedestrian swing bridge at Hungerford has been vandalised by some 'Pr**k' driving across it, and the local kids have also used it as a trampoline. These kind of acts use up valuable resources which would help to keep on top of the other issues all the users of the K&A are incurring. My experience of BW on the K&A is mainly positive, when i have been stuck BW have usually got it sorted fairly quickly. I would however prefer to see more 'overalls' peering into a knackered lock than 'suits', but that is the way it is nowadays!.

This is a very good point, i may have to have a rethink...... as is the point about chemicals, thanks for all the responses

Hi all, I keep seeing boats with rubber mats covering the roofs etc. where are people getting these from?.It would help to solve an issue i have where some ejit put a new sandy grip finish on my roof ( looks like a child threw it out of the sandpit onto the roof!) Any website info etc. would be much appreciated cheers.

Hi, The engine is a Vetus 4.14 (1989), the black smoke clears up after a while, but reappears if revved hard. The smoke smells more acrid than sweet, and i leave the engine on tickover for 15 mins a day when on board for hot water. The engine runs sweetly enough and gives me no other reasons for concern Cheers Gid.

i ought to add that if i rev the engine up i get black smoke. i do not tend to go very quickly ( it spoils the experience!), perhaps the engine needs a good long run at higher revs? ( or is this just an old wives tale?!?)