cuthound

I find it the other way around. I can remember 50 years ago in detail, but not where I put my glasses down only a minute ago...

I've always believed that the only stupid question was the one you failed to ask. Anyway we all started as beginners, it is just that some people have forgotten that they too were once a beginner.

I was glad the boat I was on was 58', not 72'.

When I first got my boat back in 2014, RCR would do the course on your own boat for a small additional charge, so I took that option as I hadn't done any DIY servicing for over 30 years, due to having company cars. The instructor/mechanic was very good, and led me through servicing my own boat's systems. It was well worth the money, I learnt a lot and have more than recouped the cost by doing my own servicing since.

You mean like this photo which I took in 2013 when trying to traverse lock 13, which was filling up over the gates faster than the paddles could empty it? It is caused by the back pumps operating. Once they stopped normal service resumes. It has been like this ever since they installed the back pumps, way back (in the 1980's IIRC).

I have that type of filter in the feed to my oil drip stove.

Spiral tubular plate lead acid batteries were becoming popular for telecommunications use in the 1970's, but were expensive. In the 1980's VRSLA's became almost ubiquitous, they were not as long lived as tubular plate lead acid batteries, but were much cheaper and maintenance free.

I've seen loads of VRSLA batteries mounted on their sides in data centres and telephone exchanges. It makes access to the terminals so much easier for large capacity batteries in confined spaces. Not recommended for wet cells though, tends to get messy. (Replying to @nicknorman's post of 5 hours ago which I forgot to quote).

Same with my wife and she has been boating since I introduced her to it in the early 80's. I always tell her "water can only run downhill" when you open paddles and she suddenly remembers how she has done it all those thousands of times before!

All born there and Welsh speakers.

My wife's relatives come from North Wales, so I asked them individually how to pronounce the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Each one gave me a different pronunciation...

You can always take legal action over sub-standard work. One company of solicitors specialising in this type of work is Doowee, Cheetham and Howe...

If it turns out that the motor is not working, it may be worth getting Cox Auto Electrics of Atherstone to look at it. https://www.coxautoelectrics.co.uk/marine-leisure A few years ago my bow thruster motor wasn't working. I asked a boatyard to look at it and they declared that it needed a new motor at a cost of about £2k. I removed the motor and took it to Cox's, who charged me £10 to strip it down for a diagnosis (refundable if you give them permission to go ahead with the work). They diagnosed a seized motor from dampness and quoted £380 to refurbish it, including new contactors and brushes.