Bewildered
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Posts posted by Bewildered
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Now that the 14 day rule has been suspended, how long will it be before all the visitor moorings, in towns with supermarkets, are permanently hogged by selfish boaters? I'm happily moored out in the wilds but at some point will need to cruise into town to use the services and stock up on shopping. This seems to me to be the sensible way to isolate; I just wonder if I will find a mooring in town when I need one?
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7 minutes ago, Dave123 said:
Introduce yourself to your neighbours. (from a distance) we need to be there for each other during this crisis. The boating community is in a better position to do this than land lovers. We sort of do it already.
Sounds like we all need to start practicing our semaphore
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1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:
If the infection rate in London keeps climbing at the current rate, we might see all the London Boaters start to move!
It could to get quite busy on the canals leaving London ...
One would have thought that most of the London boaters work in London and if they left they would have to travel back in, therefore making the chances of contracting corona virus higher.
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If the government are now saying not to travel unnecessarily will CRT be suspending the 14 day mooring rule?
or will CRT staff be out in force to disinfect balance beams and paddle gear?
just wondering aloud, as a live aboard shopping occasionally is necessary but continually cruising is arguably not.
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I think they may have stopped doing it now but a few years back the banks always used to ask, what I considered to be nosey questions, if you withdrew sizeable amounts of cash, two or three thousand say. They would ask what the money was for. My standard answer to this question was that the money was for drugs and prostitutes. Then would follow an awkward silence until the cashier worked out that this was my way of telling them that it was none of their damn business.
i can understand that money laundering questions would be asked if you were to deposit cash, I just can't get my head around why they were asking when I withdrew it.
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You can't make brass plaques out of china they will crack when you screw them to the wall
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We are planning to do the Thames from Oxford to Redding this spring but we obviously don't want to do it with strong currents. Our plan was to head down to Oxford for the beginning of April, however due to the excessive rainfall this year we are now wondering if we may have to leave it longer.
So my question is, when does the collective wisdom of the forum think the Thames is likely to be back on green boards again?
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This is why I should use a computer instead of my iPad, theses things would stand out more
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As the owner of a 70ft boat I think a useful feature would be a section where you input your crafts dimensions so that route plans can be taylored to your boat. Some of them northern canals have daft little short fat locks, it's almost as though you northerners don't want us southerners to visit.
perhaps even a warning could pop up on routes your boat will fit length and breadth but is a bit iffy on air draft due to low bridges deigned to keep out the riffraff.
this feature may already exist and I haven't found it, but if it doesn't does anyone agree it would be useful?
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Ironically most burgalars get convicted of going equipped for theft, when it comes to boats the boat owner actually provides the perfect equipment.
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I've seen plenty of boats with the 4 wheel garden trollies rusting away on the roofs they look sturdy enough but not very practically getting up and down some of the steps (or mud banks that pretend to be steps) from the towpath to the road that is quite often the only access from the cut to shops whilst out cruising.
A basic shopping trolley is all I really need as most of the time shopping is all it will be used for, it's just that they fall apart or the wheels brake so easily. I was just hoping a more rugged one was on the market, a shopping trolley with the build quality and strength of a sack barrow.
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Can anyone recommend a good quality shopping trolley? Ideally I want a trolley with a removeable basket so the frame can be used for toilet cassettes, bags of coal or even gas bottles if necessary. Unfortunately most of the trollies on the market have pathetic plastic wheels and just aren't up to towpath use. The obvious robust choice for the towpath is a wheelbarrow, I just can't see me pushing one around Aldi.
if it exists I want a trolley that is foldaway, off road capable, sturdy enough to handle quite heavy weight (50-60kg) and still practical enough to do the weekly shop.
any recommendations or links would be appiciated
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Unless it's changed since I last bothered to look less data is used to download a movie than to stream one. And if you download in a pub it doesn't use your own data at all; this also comes with the advantage of readily available beer.
I download to an apple phone and then connect it to the TV with an AV adapter and hdmi lead.
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At last a solution to the boat toilet question, don't bother with cassette, pump out or composting toilets just import some of this from Australia
does exactly what it says on the bottle. This does, however, come with its own set of problems, increased laudery bill etc.
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On 31 May 2019 at 07:28, Chris T said:
How did I not know about BT / Sky pub finder?! I now have a choice of pubs in Kidlington, thank you! From the Pearson's it looks like Thrupp will be the nicest for mooring.
So, we have a plan. Best get going.
Thanks all for comments.
Thrupp can get busy for moorings, best to arrive by midday
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-45644814
boat supposedly sunk by stag party going past to fast?
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51 minutes ago, nicknorman said:
Yes I understand the problem. However at the very least, a reply could be a little more empathetic. Having a ruined night’s sleep with outrageous incredibly loud and rowdy partying until well after 3am is quite distressing. Humans need sleep, except for drunken students of course. This was the reply I received to my fairly detailed complaint:
Dear Mr Norman.
We have received your email.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
We would like you to know your concerns are being addressed.
Regards.
Rosemary.
Oxfordshire NarrowboatsA totally bland and disinterested pasted response. It gives the impression that “this happens all the time and we really don’t care”. Which I’m sure is the case. Totally oblivious to the trail of upset caused, and can’t be bothered to give an actual response, just a semi-automated one. As a consequence, I never recommend anyone to use Oxfordshire narrowboats.
That doesn't surprise me from Rosemary, she has now left the company. She wasn't here that long after I started working here but I found her to be a bit abrupt almost to the point of being rude. The first time I filled up with diesel I told her I wanted it at 0% she told me I couldn't as it went into a boat and the best split they could do was 90-10 I explained that I was now living on site and as it is a self declaration I was declaring that I had no intention of going anywhere. This fell on deaf ears; an argument ensued until she finally agreed to do it at 0% but told me that I was wrong. A few days later after she had obviously complained to the general manager the Genral manager mentioned to me in passing that all boats must pay duty unless they are registered as mooring on site, therefore confirming that I was in fact correct. After that Rosemary only ever spoke to me when she had too, I don't think she liked being proven wrong.
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1 hour ago, nicknorman said:
Very good. You just need to do it a bit more often!
That is easier said than done. The weekend boats go out on a Friday afternoon and are due back on a Monday morning, most of the stag and hen parties opt to come back on the Sunday afternoon (always a few in each group need to work on the Monday)
complaints about noise late at night tend to come in the next day. If a boat is being rowdy on a Friday we get the call Saturday and call the hirers to tell them to behave more responsibly. If they then do the same on the Saturday we won't know about it until Sunday. There would be no point in kicking them off the boat on the day they are bringing it back as we would then have to provide staff to bring back a boat that was on its way back anyway.
Complaints are taken seriously, however we can't just kick people off a boat after one noise complaint, let's face it their are people out there who would complain if someone on the next boat farted to loudly at night.
each complaint is or should be taken on its own merit
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21 minutes ago, nicknorman said:
Yes I have personally witnessed the chap from Oxfordshire NB waiting for their boats to arrive at the first lock and demonstrating how it is done. That is to their credit. What was not to their credit was when I complained about one of their boats having music on at full volume, doors wide open, and a party going full swing at 3am on VMs surrounded by other boats. They were not in the slightest bit interested in my complaint.
I do sympathise with you Nick, unfortunately Oxfordshire Narrowboats still cater for stag and hen parties. I wish they wouldn't because they can sometimes be a real pain in the arse, unfortunately the boss loves them as they are a good source of revenue.
On occasion groups causing to much trouble have been turfed off the boat, problem is we usually don't get to hear about it until the next day by which time it's too late as the boat is on its way back to us as it was only hired out for the weekend.
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Oxfordshire Narrowboats are particularly well situated between locks, about a mile one way and a mile and a quarter the other way. Whoever does the first show out north, goes to the lock to do lock demos for all the northbound boats and whoever does the first show out south does the same for boats in that direction. They rest of the show outs are given steering tuition to the first bridge and then sent on their merry way to the lock, the guy doing the show out then walks back to base to do another show out.
all customers are sent by email a copy of our hand book and a link to the CRT boating video. On check in they are asked if they have read and understood the hand book and sign in to say that they have, or asked to read it then sign.
they are then shown through how every thing on the boat works, given a demos on how to tie up etc and boat handling tuition whilst underway.
whilst 70-80% of customers do what is told to them the rest seem to think they know better. Many boats come back to Heyford for their last night, as they are due back at 8:30-9:00am; when I walk the dog of an evening it is quite unbelievable how many of them are using bow, stern and centre lines to moor up; with ropes at 90% to the boat instead of the 45% they were instructed to do and with ropes tied to the mooring pins instead of going around the pin and tying to the boat, again as instructed. Often this is done next to Armco railing with the nappy pins left in the lockers.
So whilst some may say certain hire boat companies don't do enough training you also need to realise that some people don't or won't listen and a vast proportion of people are so terminally thick that is a miracle we ever managed to climb out of the Stone Age
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On 17 July 2018 at 12:02, Rick-n-Jo said:
My interpretation of this, and I stress it's only mine, is that if the boat can be propelled by a diesel engine OR an electric motor(a parallel hybrid) then the electric is not the sole means of propulsion.
Our boat has a diesel generator that charges a battery bank. The battery can also be charged by solar or shore power. The electric drive moves the boat, with or without the generator running (a series hybrid) so the electric is the sole means of propulsion, the Genny is just one possible charging source. On that basis we claim the discount.
So when you buy diesel what split (if any) do you declare? Can of worms opened!
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3 hours ago, carlt said:
There's a 42 foot Agenda 21 mooring up for auction at Oxford at the moment...
I don't quite understand why the mooring is listed as 41' 12", why not just put up 42 foot?
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Receptionist wanted with good administration, computer and customer service skills for busy boatyard and shop. Temporary part time position until the end of the season at the end of October. Two days per week and every other weekend. Training will be given. Pay according to experience.
Please apply to Phil Holman, Oxfordshire Narrowboats, 01869 340348 or by email to bookings@oxfordshire-narrowboats.co.uk.
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Gave up on the sunburst, couldn’t get the finish I wanted so went blue instead
Set it up and played it today for the first time in two years. Getting the right weather to paint whilst living on a boat does take time
does exactly what it says on the bottle. This does, however, come with its own set of problems, increased laudery bill etc.
Sterling sine wave alternator died ☹️
in Boat Building & Maintenance
Posted
I have a sterling engine powered 240v generator which has recently died on me.
The control box seems to start and the cooling fans run when the start button is pressed but usually a relay kicks in after holding the start button down for a few seconds. Now when the start button is released the unit just shuts down.
I suspect a fault with the alternator that drives it, but I can't be sure.
As far as I can tell this model is obsolete, I can't even find any archive info online for it.
So my question is does anyone know someone who can repair such a unit, preferably someone who does call out work. We are presently on the Oxford canal but would be happy to move the boat once the Covid restrictions are lifted.
If this unit should prove not to be worth repairing or can't be repaired we will need to start looking at other options.
During the summer our solar provides most of our power needs, we have 3x230amphour batteries but our main engine alternator isn't really up to the job of charging them in anything resembling a reasonable time. We tend to switch on the Sterling 230v unit and the 40amp charger. The only things we really need the 230 for are the battery charger, the microwave (occasionally) and the washing machine. Unfortunately our boat only has a 1000watt inverter which won't run these units.
I was thinking even if we get the sterling unit fixed I should really get the alternator upgraded to a high output unit and fit a bigger inverter.
So a couple more questions
Does anyone know any decent mobile mechanics or reliable marinas who would fit a high powered alternator without the requirement of providing them with an arm and a leg?
And what size inverter would be a sensible choice to run a washing machine? I was thinking 2k
As always your responses would be much appreciated