cuthound

Glenn, there is a difference between slightly overhanging a winding hole and mooring slap bang in the centre of it!

I always make a point of coming into contact with boats moored in winding holes when winding even when there is plenty of room, only gently mind you. It often results in the owner coming out, all guns blazing, who then back down and claim they didn't realise it was a winding hole when confronted with the evidence. Perhaps CRT should insist on a recent eye test as well and insurance and a BSS certificate before issuing a licence.

I've project managed a few government contracts on behalf of private contractors. Always poorly specified (great for the contractor, who combs the specification for "extra's" before quoting ans, as you say, plenty of last minute changes throughout, all of which as to the costs and timescale. Why the government doesn't pay for a company to produce professional specifications and employ a professional to oversee the work is beyond me, it would save billions over the years.

Ah, so that explains why it is unknown for government contracts to finish late or go over budget... 🤣😅

That's what many of the marina based boats manage and better than many continuous cruisers manage, although there are more than a few exceptions.

Are you otterly sure? Stoats are stotally different but weasels are weasaly recognized... 🤣

How much is an average hours usage? Both of the share boats I co-owned averaged 1100-1200 hours a year and the boat I bought had averaged 50 hours a year when I bought it.

I once got a fertiliser bag stuck over the prop on our first shareboat. Took ages to cut the ba*tard off... 🤣😅

Whew, I thought CRT were trialling clockwork locks... 🤣

Personally I would use Sikkens on the roof boxes. I have used Sikkens on my garden gates and cratch board and it has outlasted every other finish I have tried. Over 5 years to date without recoating. I used tung oil on my quant pole once, I put in a coat of tung oil every a day every day for a week, then a coat one a month for a year, then a coat once a year after that, but it still failed (grew some kind of fungus) after 3 years.

If you mean the brick lined bit between the towpath and the woods near the winding hole, it is an old transhipment basin. If you walk along the path towards the WCML you can follow the remains of the railway line embankment that used to serve Amington Colliery and see the remains of the brick support for railway bridge where the canal narrows.

I initially refilled my Webasto system with 50% mix. The radiators refused to get hot. I drained it and remixed it to a 25% solution and all worked well.

They used to be called Great Haywood Boat Sales and I have heard many people say bad things about them. I bought my boat from them, simply because they had the boat I wanted at the price I wanted and found them thoroughly professional. I guess all brokers can have good and bad days. It really depends on the sales person you are dealing with.

Oddly enough I bought my boat from the unmentionable broker. They had the boat I wanted at the right price (after negotiation) so despite the comments on here I bought it. They were professional and I have never regretted my decision.

Indeed, Myself and many others have recommended them simply because unlike most brokers you can ask for the keys to several boats and peruse them at your leisure. It helps people decide which features they like or not, this helping them to decide what is important for them when choosing their boat.

I'd be surprised if many people take their boat out of the water to maintain it there... 🤣

When I began looking for a boat in 2013 I visited Whilton so that my wife could get a feel for different sterns, layouts etc before we bought. Much to my surprise Whilton had a Steve Hudson boat, "Lechi Da", for sale at £90,000. It was in very good condition. However the vast majority of the boats for sale there are at the middle and lower price bracket.

Terry Darlington had an air conditioning unit fitted to "Phyllis May" when taking his narrowboat to the Indian River in the US, but of course he was cruising longish days to avoid the power issues. Not sure how many low bridges there are on the Indian River. I can't seem to find it in any of my Nicholson's guides... As an aside, does anyone know why so many boats are called a girl's name followed by May? Just what is it that these girls may do?

Typical, any thread discussing boats always ends up in a discussion about borgs... Pumpout, cassette or composting, whatever floats your boat.

Many moons ago I had a Citroen BX, which used composite materials for the bonnet, roof and tailgate to save weight. A few days after returning from a hire boat holiday I noticed tiny rust patches appearing on the parts made from the composite material. I guess that someone at the boatyard had done some angle grinding near my car and the hot metal particles had melted their way into my composite panels and begun to rust after it next rained!

No that is what it was generally known as in the early 70's 🤣 Back in the early 70's I used to brew my own beer. White Shield and bottled Guinness were both live ales from which I cultured my yeast.

That word, increasingly used by new boaters, especially those who make YouTube videos really grates with me too.

And Whitbread Tankard (that name made a wonderful spoonerism )