1st ade

As Mike tB - Hadn't appreciated how much a small piece low down could "assist"

If it's in the bilge and reaches 100% you're sinking?

I had a similar experience delving into the innards of a rack of servers. Some bright spark (no pun intended) had made up a connecting lead "IEC male" to "IEC male" such that one complete rack was still powered up when the incoming mains was switched off as it took it's feed from the adjacent rack. Muggins here pulled all the connecting leads as the rack was being decommissioned then leant on the exposed live end. Unfortunately (or fortunately for him) the guy who wired it was brought in as a "Mr fix it" some years earlier and had already departed our employment.

"Borrow" the Sea Gull out of Dad's garage - it'll probably start first pull (it's only lain unused for ~24 years) and it doesn't have one of those pesky impeller things to shred. That will keep you moving while you worry about the more modern stuff. Only problem is it won't charge the batteries...

The OP said after every 3-4 days if he goes ahead

This ^^^^

That has GOT to be worth a (non metric) Greenie - if not several

Corrected that for you...

I stand corrected by my learned colleague... But it goes to show different people understand different things by metric / imperial: - The derivation of the unit (a standard piece of metal somewhere v something linked back to atomic standards) The multiples for different quantities; Multiples of 10 v 12 inches / foot, 20 shillings the £, 16 Oz the Lb, 1760 Yds the mile Whether you use fractions or decimals to express partial measures

Odd - It wouldn't occur to me to convert to a single unit: - VAT on one Pound = four Shillings; exactly VAT on one Shilling = 2.4 Pennies, rounded up. so One Shilling -> 3 Pennies, two Shillings -> five Pennies, three Shillings -> eight Pennies, four Shillings -> ten Pennies Multiple of five Shillings the VAT is a Shilling (exactly) So for £17 13s 4d £17, the VAT is 17 x 4 = 68 shillings = £3 8s 13 shillings = ( 2 x 5) + 3, the VAT is 2 shillings and 8d 4 d, VAT is less than a penny £3 8s 0d + £0 2s 8d ==> £3 10s 8d I guess if I was doing it every day then the "68s = £3 8s" would become automatic I remained convinced for several years that my parents had swizzled me when my pocket money went from 6d to 5p in 1971!

It may be (probably is) what I'm used to but a Pint feels "right". A half-litre and when I finish I'm looking at the glass wondering if someone had a swig when I wasn't looking. A litre and I end up not finishing (unless we're in for a "session"). A Pint in a canalside pub while the lock empties or fills just seems "right".

When we were last in Southern Ireland, distances were given in Km but speed limits in MPH. We took it as a sign they were trying to improve the mental arithmetic of the locals...

No problems on any (of my many) computers but they are all computers, not tablets, and all run Firefox as the preferred browser. Even the laptop I built last Sunday, logged in, took to Cornish B&B's for the week (a different Wi-Fi every night..) never missed a beat.

Take a standard windlass - ten minutes with an angle grinder?

Three years ago and for somewhat complicated reasons we launched a 6.5 m RHIB on the Northampton arm to get it onto the River Nene. Almost every regulation vanished when we said "no cabin". 100lt Petrol tank + 35 litre reserve; No Problem. 140 HP four stroke outboard; no problem. We also had a (temporary) "Authority to exceed the speed limit" [we were providing safety cover for a rowing race]. I never did get the picture of us us doing 29.7 Kt past a sign saying "speed limit 8 Kt"

WooHoo Given! Now just hope Mr Trump let's you take your laptop with you... An envelope full of acetates is good as a back up.

"Where's my blindfold? I can't look at and eat it!" (Tony Hancock I think?)