She25
-
Posts
107 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Blogs
Store
Posts posted by She25
-
-
13 hours ago, dm6045 said:
office cum music room cum art room
Could these three not be combined into the space of any regular second bedroom on a regular boat? You could get something lower than 56k, and spend the surplus having the space redesigned to suit your needs?
-
My two pennies re heating - I have only a 4kw multifuel stove, and live aboard full time. Heats my 57' boat nicely, and because it's well insulated I don't need to keep the fire in 24/7.
But I am out at a full time job during the day.
-
With a £45k budget it's surprising you haven't found one a bit newer (up to 10 years old) that's laid out pretty much how you want it already.
What issues are you finding with the ones you're viewing?
Edit to add - if you put your "wishlist" on here I'm sure you'll get plenty of suitable links from folk!
-
My question has come about because I'm selling the boat, and the survey was particularly thorough (more so than the one I had when I bought it!).
If there's a chance they won't work (fully expect they've never been shaken monthly, certainly not since I've had it) there's no point in keeping them as spares. I'll contact the company and they can collect / recycle them or something.
-
Thanks chaps. I thought the same - no expiry date, so assume if in the green they're still good. Cheap enough to replace however so maybe I'll do that. Seems a shame to just chuck the old ones though.
-
The three 1kg fire extinguishers on my boat are probably 10 years old (installed by previous owners). All are happily sitting with pins in the green.
Do I need to replace these at some point? Is there any official guidance on this?
-
Sounds similar to mine. I have an immersion heater which I switch on when on shoreline, takes about an hour to heat the tank. Don't have this switched on with the engine running because the engine is heating the water anyway through the calorifier.
Maybe switch it on (if you're on shoreline) and after an hour if you have hot water - you have an answer.
-
nabru.co.uk
-
I found this useful. Not a complete answer though...
-
I do carry one but have never needed to use it because I'd never suffered a reaction. As well as having eradicated about 2,000 wasps nests in the 10 years I was a pest controller, I also used to do relocation of honeybees nests and swarms and bumble bees nests rather than killing them. This was very satisfying work but meant I got stung quite a bit even with my bee suit on.
It's ironic that now I've retired I suffered a reaction, probably due to a build up over the years.
Argh! Sounds horrendous. Well done you for being brave enough to do that!
-
It must be horrible getting up in the morning!
If that was in response to me, no it isn't too bad. I have a dressing gown lay over the duvet so ready to cover up before I escape from bed. And of course slippers before I touch the floor. Yes, I got rid of carpets and have a wood floor.
That said, I've never really felt the cold. And if I have visitors, I do make sure to light a fire and keep them warm!
-
All sounds dreamy and easy but that article is appallingly researched. £600 for 15yrs of electricity because that is what he spent on solar panels. Errrm, I bet he will go through more than £600 worth of batteries on top of that for a start. Also, I don't know what he's running in the winter but it can't be a lot if he's claiming that all power generation comes from solar. It notes that the he's triple moored but then seems to suggest that the lifestyle is easy, there's room for everyone to moor up and remain compliant and its tone encourages the naive to think that living on a boat will solve their London accommodation costs.
Each of these articles seem to be written by jobbing journalists not people with any knowledge of our canals and rivers, CRT, EA etc. We may read them and see through the BS, that it's not that easy, but people who have never had a boat before will read them and see an instant quick fix and cosy home. Yep when over winter the alternator packs up, loo is full, batteries and lights failing, engine won't start and CRT on your back to move along, will it still all seem just as idyllic?
I've never considered working and living in London but family do have a boat that could be lived aboard, currently marina berthed on a northern ditch. The article seems to suggest I could save money by heading down to London for a job in the big smoke and shuttling just 20miles each year. Simples! Or not as the case may be. I strongly suspect that each of these articles is responsible for at least one person to make the most catastrophic financial and housing decision imaginable for them, one that will have ramifications for years to come.
Worth a real boater writing up an article for publication?
-
Always surprised that everyone seems to go for keeping the fire lit 24/7 if they're not on board. I'm no scrooge but don' t see the point in heating when I'm not there. The cats have plenty of fur and each other to keep them warm.
Keeping my coat on for an hour until the newly laid fire gets warm works for me. A 20kg bag easily lasts over a week. If I don't get in until late I don't bother with a fire either - but I do cheat with hot water bottle or electric blanket.
-
I have a cratch cover and grow herbs there but no flowers. When I've had the side rolled up for a few days and take it back down I noticed a few dead wasps in the folds.
Today I've basically been held hostage by three live ones that appeared as I wanted to go out (yes I'm VERY scared of them and had no spray to deal with it!)
Does anybody else find they like to shelter under the cratch cover this time of year, and more importantly, what are your tips for getting rid and putting off?
-
I think that is good advice, I wish I could say I employ it.
But falling in the cut at this time of year doesn't bear thinking about, even clearing the prop (via the weed hatch) can be a painful experience.
I wonder why your first line is true, if the second line is! Hopefully you won't have to fall in before employing it.
In the winter the most important item of clothing to wear is a life jacket especially when working locks. It matter little whether you are on the canal or rivers if you fall in weaing a lot of clothes it is difficult to swim and further more the shock of the cold water can render you incapable of doing so! Remember on the canals you may not be able to stand up in the water and in a lock you will be out of your depth.
The other issue when falling in is how to get out. It is almost impossible to climb out on a piled bank especially when wearing a lot of clothes. Its worth thinking about how you would do this before you actually fall in!!
Finally jeans are not good in winter they are not good at insulating from the cold and when wet are cold and clammy. Better to wear windproof trousers with fleece lining - they are not expensive.
Agreed.
Imagine getting all cosy and prepared for a day of cruising through winter weather. Count the layers you'd put on.
Then imagine swimming across the canal (or wharf, much deeper) to try and find a suitable place to pull yourself out.
Then imagine not being able to move much or pull yourself out because you're so heavy (with all the layers you just counted), and so shocked by the cold.
Hopefully there'll be somebody strong nearby able to yank you out and maybe break your ribs in the process.
I did stuff a hot water bottle down my top once. Lovely
-
I know a fair few canal dwellers love their folk music. Anybody into jazz and classical?
Jacqui Dankworth (daughter of Johnny Dankworth and Cleo Laine) is joining my orchestra to sing some Shakespeare-inspired numbers in a couple of weeks.
Not only that, Michael Collie (of BBC Midlands Today) has an incredible theatrical voice and will be narrating Gregson's The Sword and The Crown.
Promises to be a fun evening, slightly different to what you'd expect from an orchestral concert at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham. It's 2 minutes walk from Gas Street Basin (maybe 3 minutes stagger on the way back after you've visited the bar).
Details and tickets - https://www.facebook.com/events/1733532330247717/
-
I'd say you have a sensible approach, and a decent idea of what will be involved. Not got a family on board with me but know of one and they manage just fine. I'd make sure your kids can swim, but understand the cut is not for swimming in - and how dangerous it can be. You can't watch them every second and if they should fall in accidentally (fully clothed and weighed down, shocked by the cold water etc), you need to know they're as safe as possible.
This family are continuous cruisers and able to find a circuit that suits cc moving requirements and keeps them within commuting distance of schools. As long as you have a vehicle that gives you quite a wide cruising area.
Marie Brown's books are brilliant. Shows the difficulties in moving aboard and gives a fair impression of some of the issues you'll face!
If ever I did have a family, I'd love to bring them up on the boat.
-
I was going to look into Chromecast dongle (I'm also on 3 with unlimited data but very limited hotspot tethering). Saw on the ad for it yesterday that it requires wifi though. Have just ordered HDMI cable and will be very excited if this works!
Nothing like cosy autumn / winter nights with a bottle of red, the fire, candles, cats and a box set!
-
Nobody has mentioned there is another route from the marina - go up the three locks from the marina and turn right at the junction, which takes you down to Diglis basin. 17 locks in all (if I remember correctly) but nicely spaced out. There are usually volunteers on the three outside the marina anyway (they're very deep, which is why the side ponds are there).
Plenty of turning points if you didn't want to go all the way to Diglis, or up to Tardebigge or on the Severn.
Importantly - the pubs are good. Carvery at the Eagle and Sun on the juntion, pub grub at the rudge at Tibberton, Mediterranean at the Gardeners Arms at Vines Park, pie and mash at the Old Cock Inn Droitwich, gastro pub at the Queens Head Stoke Prior.
-
Apologies if there's a similar thread somewhere, but thought it would be good to have a list of decent marinas / long term moorings where we could share knowledge of upcoming vacancies.
I'm looking at moving from my current marina and need to find somewhere in the Midlands (South Mids ideally but open to further afield) where I can be a "higher user" and bring cats. Would also need electric.
Can anyone suggest places to try (have checked CRT but only leisure moorings available currently)?
TIA
-
Anybody know what's happening with this? When I bought my boat a couple of years ago this looked an ideal place for me but doesn't look like anything has happened since.
-
Haven't seen anybody mention an eco fan. I just have a mid-boat stove with an eco fan which circulates the heat nicely. Definitely a knack to managing the heat from your fire is the difficult bit.
I got rid of all carpets, and accept that life in slippers and a few well placed rugs are much nicer.
-
As has now been reported on the BBC Hereford & Worcester news website the correct name of the boat was Sonskit and the gentlemen who lost his life was Allen Green.
Allen and his mother Jean both had boats on the permit moorings at Netherwich Basin in Droitwich. Allen's boat was on the adjacent pontoon to my boat and Sonskit - on which his mother and her dog lived - on the adjacent pontoon to Allen's boat.
I first met Allen last December on the day I arrived at Netherwich with Vulpes and he helped pull me on to the mooring as I struggled with the wind. I can only endorse what his mother says in the article on the BBC news site that Allen was a cheerful and helpful soul who loved the opportunity to help a visiting boat manoeuvre onto the visitor mooring pontoons. His presence at the basin was a reassuring thing for me as the owner of an adjacent boat. He was the most visible part of the canal community in Droitwich.
Over the the past seven months I have seen and chatted to Allen on a weekly and sometimes daily basis as my home is close to the basin and I visit my boat regularly. However it is important that I point out that I didn't know him that well - I only found out his surname ten days ago and am relying on the BBC for the correct spelling of his first name. There are others on the moorings who had known him better and for much longer than I did. I believe some of them may visit this site as guests and it is to his mother and to them I offer my condolences.
One thing I did know though is that Allen was tee-total and his drink of choice was a glass of Coke. So if you ever find yourself struggling to reverse on to a pontoon at Netherwich Basin, stop and take stock for a moment and remind yourself that much worse things can happen. Then when you finally get moored pour yourself a Coke and raise a glass to Allen.
JP
Lovely words JP. I saw that his funeral will take place this Sunday, info at Droitwich marina.
-
The gentleman's mother has been talking to the local news about what happened. She confirmed the rudder got trapped.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-36902019
Hill Farm Marina opening
in Living Afloat
Posted
http://www.hillfarmmarina.co.uk/
Had an email today that Hill Farm is set to open soon. No longer relevant for me but maybe of interest to some of you.