Alan Saunders

I agree with other posters, a heavy frying pan or skillet is better. Cast iron is great, even nicer if enameled (e.g. Le Creuset) but a bit heavy for tossing pancakes. With the boat that I bought in 1995 I inherited a large, thick, aluminium pan (Skyline?) with angled sides and a copper bottom; big enough for stir-fries and fried breakfasts, light enough to toss or saute and easy to clean with a scourer - outlasted every 'Tefal' and cast iron pan I have owned. Now, living on the land, I wish I had kept that flat based, thick aluminium/copper bsed pan. My cheap 'Tefal' pan soon developed a convex base that would spin, if not slide, on the horizontal ceramic hob. My solution was to invert it and hit it with my fist producing a slightly warped, concave bottom. HTH, Alan

My apologies for commenting without reading the whole thread! With a totally 22mm single pipe system (pipes and fin radiators) in my 33' nb the round-trip CH circuit was ~54' (2x10' cabins + 4' centre cockpit and 3' each end) plus very short, parallel, 15mm pipes to the calorifier adjacent to the 6KW Alde gas boiler. ~1.2A at 12V (15W) was adequate to circulate the water. The 12V circulator pump was capable of more if the resistance were greater. N.B. A motor only has to overcome resistance! e.g. Your boat may have a 50hp engine but, at 3kts it is only producing (inefficiently) 4hp. If I had a 15mm 54' circuit I would need ~20²/13² (2.37x) watts more power = 35W. I had the room thermostat set to 22C during the day and 15C overnight. With only 1" of polystyrene insulation the circulation pump ran, in an average winter, for 50% of the time and maybe 80% when it was below freezing during the day. i.e. The radiator area and boiler capacity was reasonably balanced to expected air temperatures, ~0C in southern UK. I guess that a typical 50' nb (40' cabin) could need ~25W for a 22mm circuit and ~60W for a 15mm circuit at 12V with a similar installation. Worst case is your inverter is (say) specified as 90% (or 85%) efficient at maximum output. It may only be 50% efficient at low power due to the 1A @ 12V standby current. Inverters with a low power (<0.5A@12V) standby function typically need a load of ~1A @ 230V (230W) before they switch on. Typically, if you intend to leave your inverter switched on 24/7 you need to allow for a 24A/h drain per day in addition to the consumption of 230V appliances, 'fridge, TV etc. A gravity central heating system (32mm+ pipe?) is the most efficient (>2x better than 22mm), preferably with an injector tee to allow a pump to to initiate the flow. Generally, I find that 12/24V DC devices, despite their initial cost, are the best solution for off-grid living. I despair when I hear of people using a 3,000W inverter (or even running the engine) to plug in their 2A, 5V (10W) 'phone charger when 12V to 5V USB converters are cheap and a better option even if only 80% efficient. Similarly, it is more efficient to power your laptop from a 12V to 18V converter. Do not disconnect it when the internal battery is charged! If you have Apple iPhone, iPad, iRon etc. devices the above advice is not for you, just do whatever you want. You already have much more money than sense - before you have worn out the Li-Ion cell @£100 you will be queuing up for the next iPhone at £800 when an unlocked Android 'phone for £150 would serve you better for five years (replacement battery ~ £20)! Apologies if my arithmetic is wrong but, hopefully, I have conveyed the general message about pipe x-section (less wall-effect) and length and the proper interpretation of the efficiency figures for electronic devices. I am certain that several members will correct me. HTH, apologies for the rant, Alan

My first hire boat trip, in 1976, was from Brummagem boats (Soho Loop, Birmingham - no longer hiring) to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Absolutely brilliant; the best of canal architecture and the joy and contrast of wildlife (e.g.Kingfisher) in green cuttings followed by rising in a lock to the traffic noise of a city. Actually, we did not make it to Stratford as we (two) were exhausted by an unusually hot summer. I suffered sunburn to the back of my knees on the return trip. Later six/eight of us hired larger boats in the North/Midlands, once with the intention of traversing the Southern Oxford. At the junction the three boats in front of us turned left on to the Southern Oxford and we decided that we would rather pootle along rather than join long queues for locks so we turned right. Some of us (blokes) were happy to cruise from dawn to dusk (with stops at Pubs mid-day and evening) and others (particularly my Mother-in-Law) liked to visit the historic houses/places. We were not disappointed. Years later, we did 'do' the Southern Oxford in our own boat; endless fields and bends (it is a 'contour canal') with rare access to shops or pubs. Personally, I like the contrast between the true industrial heritage of the canals and the minor settlements that, historically, grew around them. Generally, i would recommend a narrow canal like the Oxford. We were keen to moor our boat on the newly opened K&A (partly because it was the nearest navigable canal) but the wide locks do present a greater challenge than the leisurely narrow locks but less so now there are landing stages at most (all?) K&A locks. Of course, you will not be 'in a hurry' and MtB is right; it can take me 30 minutes to clear a K&A lock single handed with my pair of boats. As others have said, with a lock every mile, there is a good chance that you will pair up and find that many K&A locks fill/empty safely in five minutes. OTOH there are very few stretches of any UK canal where you can cruise at 3mph. Whilst I am based on and love the K&A I recommend a narrow canal for the best and full historic experience. N.B. Moonboats (at Honeystreet) have three(?) very nice 'widebeam' boats (and excellent tearooms) but I believe the narrow canals will afford you a better first experience. Although we have many times boated from Great Bedwyn to Bristol, I cannot recommend a first trip from the bottom of the Caen Hill flight. In four days you will experience <5% of the 2,000 miles of British canals. Anyway, you may find it difficult to find a hire for just four days. Also, the first and last half days are taken up with handover whatever the length of hire. I would like to see an itinerary that allows visitors to visit London's attractions (Buck House, Tower of London - one day) and the better sights of the Midlands etc. by boat. Whatever or wherever you choose, in 28C (80F) or continuous drizzle, I am sure that you will enjoy your experience, it's a pity you cannot extend it to a full week or more. I look forward to your trip report that will better advise first-time visitors to our canals. Alan

Too true! My 'Hi-Tec' waterproof trainers are very slippy on coarse, wet concrete. There are soles that grip ice well but I cannot track them down. Alan

My mum bought me a pair of Dunlop wellies in ~1963. One size larger than my shoe size but usually worn with 'sea-boot socks' they kept my feet warm on long treks along muddy river and canal paths and sitting for many hours of coarse fishing in winter. Subsequently used for gardening and DIY building works, severely down-at-heel, one of them developed a small leak after forty years! I find most 'safety shoes', with their hard toe-caps, make my feet sweat; I prefer a lighter boot or shoe. Around 1985 I bought my, then, wife a pair of Aigle (French) boots. Even though they were a size too small for me I tried them on and found them the most comfortable 'Wellingtons' ever. Unlike the standard 'Wellie' they were soft and supple, they hugged my calf and flexed as I walked - like the 'carpet slipper of wellies'. I doubt I would want to stomp around in wet concrete in them but they are far more comfortable for a long walk than the 'standard wellie' - at a price ~£60-80! I have some cheepo (£12) wellies for water and mud wading but usually manage most muddy footpaths, towpaths and snow with a decent pair of walking boots - trousers tucked into socks to avoid caked mud on the trouser cuffs. When possible, I splash through every available puddle and on returning to the boat, scrape the worst of the mud off on adjacent long grass. The 'wellies' I can usually get clean by leaning on the moored boat and 'swishing' them 'to-and fro' through the shallow water. Don't leave them on the outside deck if there is a chance of rain! BTW, do not leave proper rubber (smells of rubber, like tyres) boots in the sun or daylight as UV light degrades rubber. Maybe that's the cause of the many reported failures of 'Hunters' cracking and failing. HTH, Alan

My sliding windows were a boon in hot weather, a pain in heavy rain or leaking lock sides but satisfied my and the BSC requirements for 'means of escape'. Exascerbating the problem, my windows were fitted (by Brummagem Boats) in a slightly curved cabin side. Clearing the drains and removing accumulated algea is essential. The drains on my Channelglaze windows were formed by a disk cutter and were a mm or two short of the bottom of the channel. Due to the bow-up attitude only the rear (stearnward) drains were effective. I used a file to enlarge the drain until it was flush with the bottom edge of the channel. The aluminium frame is quite thin (1.5mm ?), soft and easy to remove. The drains on my fixed windows were also essental, allowing condensation to drain to the outside. Eventually I kept a suitably sized nylon tye-wrap to clear the drainage channels from inside the boat. There may be chemicals (e.g. 'Jeyes Fluid') that would discourage the formation of algae but I have not tried it. HTH, Alan

Sterling Pro Combi Q Specification 12V from: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0658/7343/files/Combis_a0837bcc-51d6-47ec-b7b0-7388ad58b76c.pdf?825Output continuous power: 1600W 2000VA Surge ratings: 1500W = 4500VA Low battery trip: 10V Nominal efficiency : >85% They seem to have swapped the continuous and surge capacity in Watts! I never have understood the distinction between Watts and VoltAmps; maybe it is related to the power factor which is quoted as 0.9% - 1.1%. Using the 2000VA figure a 200A fuse would be correct and the cable would need a minimum rating in excess of this. Maybe the surge capacity does not need accounting for when specifying a fuse; small fuses come in slow, medium and fast blow but I suspect a 200A fuse will be a simple, short length of suitably sized copper. It may be relevant to a contact breaker but Sterling do not specify how long their inverter can supply the surge. So, 1500W at 10V = 150A minimum cable with a larger cross section to reduce voltage drop if the cable is more than a metre (out and back) long. But, nominal efficiency is 85% so, when running the inverter at 1500W it may be drawing 1500/0.85 = 1765W so we need a 177A fuse and the next largest size of fuse is probably 200A. A fuse continuously conducting at its maximum rating will get hot, increasing its resistance and therefore reduce the available voltage at the device. OTOH, you may never draw 1500W from your inverter. Many power tools, vacuum cleaners, even washing machines without water heating, etc. need less than 1000W. e.g. I have an 800W mains (230V AC) drill; if I stall it it will demand 800W+, with no load it consumes perhaps only 50W and if I drill in the lower gear and slowly it may never demand more than 500W. Apologies for the mixture of advice and queries - hopefully, reference to the above Sterling specifications will allow someone with more expertise than I to give a definitive answer. Alan

I have followed this thread but not contributed because I have insufficient knowledge of Law. If the OP was intended to inform then I say "Thank you, GreenDuck". In actual Court cases every individual Solicitor, Barrister and Judge will have their own interpretation of the Law and the same applies, here, on this Forum. If 'GreenDuck' was looking for help and advice he seems to have made few friends. In my opinion, 'he started it' with the childish insults. I am amazed that some regular and respected contributors to CWDF have continued to try to understand his situation, spent (wasted?) their time and offered their support. I too find it difficult to interprete the OP's ramblings in poorly constructed English - therefore I find it unlkely that he understands the Law or the implications of the Tribunal that he quotes. Further, despite repeated advice as to how CRT/Shoosmiths operate he has ignored all advice. Particularly, that CRT, lacking evidence from the boater, simply revoke their licence and prosecute with attached claims for costs. @GreenDuck, please try to be nice to those who test and challenge your assertions! If you have complied with the 'Acts' but have been challenged by CRT then everyone is on your side until you choose to alienate them. You say you have a 'log' of your progress, maybe even photographic evidence of your mooring locations. It is wrong that the 'failed Police Officers' of CRT Enforcement should hassle an innocent but you merely have to provide them with your true 'log' and they should leave you to enjoy boating on their canal. Alan

I still have basic woodworking tools that I bought as teenager over 50 years ago. These are, of course, 'cordless'. The hand drill is good for 1/4" holes in steel and the hand-brace with 'Forstner/auger' bits will bite accurate 1/4" to 2" holes through wood better than any power tool! The important thing for any cutting tool is to keep it sharp; ideally, learn how to sharpen the tool or invest in jigs that help you to get the correct grinding angle for the material that you are cutting. I am very pleased with my Stanley Fat Max (possibly made by Dewalt)18v Combi drill and Impact Driver. Other than the fault that the LED light is shadowed by the chuck and there are no 1/4" hex drive sockets capable of withstanding the 110Nm torque (max. setting of my 1/2" drive torque wrench) of the driver I have no complaints. Gift Tokens are a rip-off! The donors lend the issuer a sum of money at 0% interest and the recipient restricts the validity to their outlets. After six months the voucher becomes void and the whole amount accrues to the voucher issuer. The various issuers of these fraudulent notes make more profit from 'failure to claim' than their profits from regular business. This should be made illegal, the promise on a Bank of England Note never expires. Unfortunately, we are convinced that a 'gift voucher' is less vulgar than a gift of banknotes or a cheque. @OP, find the drill to suit your purpose (likely at a good discount) and find a better bargain for your £50 voucher at B&Q. See moneysavingexpert.com for much good advice on Consumer Rights. Alan.

I would stick with the Alde! My 1987 version is very reliable; unlike some reports of problems with various diesel fuelled heaters. I service the boiler myself but if you can follow the instructions there is a supplier who will service your unit for about £50 + p&p + parts. In nine years of 'leisure' use and eleven of live-aboard without a shore supply it has needed a circulation pump (higher output £110), piezo igniter (£15?) and HT lead. Yes, on the coldest winter days and nights (-8C?) I got through a 13Kg propane cylinder in three days keeping day temperature at 22C and night 15C. 33' steel n/boat with only 1" of polystyrene insulation and large, single glazed windows plus the calorifier dumping heat into the engine. There are things that you can do to improve insulation and comfort and therefore decrease gas consumption. e.g. Secondary glazing could make you comfortable at 20C rather than 24C Whilst it may be a pain dragging 2x 13Kg cylinders up to half a mile along muddy towpaths once a week it would take a long time to recoup the large cost (£1,000 -£2,00) of installing a diesel heater. Look at the annual cost of gas of expensive 13Kg cylinders and consider an alternate supplier; e.g. Calor £74, HBS £50 for 47Kg refill and no contract or non-returnable deposit on the bottles. HTH, Alan

But the battery then has a surface charge of >13V (maybe 13.6V) so the the relevant voltage,(potential difference) is >1.15V (maybe 0.65V); not 12V or 14.15V. A voltage drop of 0.06V (with 25mm² cable) is 0.06/1.5 = >4% and with10mm² cable >8% loss. This may be acceptable; as you say, the charge rate diminishes rapidly due to the increasing surface charge. As others have recommended, use 25mm² cables. Only a little more expensive than 10mm² and an insurance against retrofitting 25mm² or any warranty claim. Alan

As said many times on this forum - it is as easy to ruin expensive batteries as cheap ones. If you are certain that you can maintain the charging regime for deep cycle batteries they may serve you well but for the occasional weekend and holiday use cheap FLA batteries should suffice. Even if you do spend several days at one location without running the engine and reduce the battery charge to zero the cheap ones will cost little to replace. Alan