Woodsy

I have been involved in the offshore oil & gas industry for well over 30 years tunnel thrusters are used far more aggressively and for longer continuous periods than on narrowboats, yet have not heard or seen this occurring, I would imagine that there are rare instances of it, but certainly not to the extent that the industry or classification societies are unduly concerned about it.

What about the ghosts? Must have been down at The Boat for a pints. ?? https://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/tunnel-of-terror-1-949528&ved=0ahUKEwjV2_67t8TNAhUKrY8KHU_-BPUQFghGMAs&usg=AFQjCNFKbc8JBhi1IyzcVsHC-bVQIrL6Ww

I have been using GPS Test Plus by Chartcross Limited on my phone & tablet for a few years now, their GPS Test is the free version

Not to me it hasn't, or was the explanation made privately to dogless?

My Netgear 4G Advanced II certainly does. I have never run out of credit while using it in the UK, but certainly out here (SE Asia & Australia) I get a message on the display from the service providers that my credit is low /run out & the ability to connect to their website to topup again - but no other access. Would think the UK providers do the same for you, so yes you should be able to lock on & get signal strength, if in a area with a signal of course ☺

Touche

But its not a norwegian blue

Hi again Frog Man, You must have misread Ian's post, a few hours out of Market Harborough is the Foxton flight, you would get there in the 1st evening with no problem, its well set up with pub, restaurant, museum etc and followed by the Watford locks. On my second canal boat outing (2 week hire from Gayton) after going to Market Harborough, on the return we started at the bottom of Foxton at 7 am, got down the Watford flight and through Long Buckby all in one day -mind you my wire did stop talking to me until we stopped for the night. Our first outing was Rugby to Ashby, as I mentioned in your earlier thread.

Sorry for the late response, however John G in post 34 above just about covers it all.

Midweek break from Rugby to the Ashby canal (ABC Boathire) was our introduction to canal boating, the wife & myself had a great time their 49' 'Grebe' class boat was just the right size for two of us. Corrected spelling of 'wife' from wire! It took a couple of reads of Athy's post below to work out what he was on about being certain he hasnt met the missus (finaly saw his bold wire) ?

I'm booked for the end of July / early Aug so will miss the Linlithgow event anyway

Bu***r! -Right, it would appear that I have got all of that stuffed up, back to the drawing board and plan B. Thankfully I still have time to tweek what I hope to achieve in the 2 weeks I have booked. Thank you Haggis 1 your post pointing me in the right direction is greatly appreciated

Thanks Iain & Haggis, your posts above are greatly appreciated. I have booked a boat for 2 weeks in July. Going on your posts above, we will most likely go up the wheel to Glasgow & Bowling, then across to the Kelpies, back to Falkirk and then down to Edinburgh & return (giving a clear lock / bridge free run back to Falkirk in case we are pushed for time), or is that an overly ambitious plan? Rgds Woodsy

I have just reviewed the 'Boaters Handbook'to refresh my memory, there are plenty of references to sound signals (basic ones are listed on page 53), however there is no mention of hand signals☺ ETA The same sequence of long & short blast sound signals can be used as light flashes during periods of darkness by a suitable torch or light

Wot like the one in Alan's post#69 above? If trying to determine another boaters manoeuvreing intentions is a problem, then maybe all boats should have one (sound signal chart) posted readily viewable from the helm position, because lets face it 'hand signals' can be open to misinterpretation, and possibly of no use in reduced visibility.

Thanks Iain, it looks like I am left with older threads on here and asking questions closer to the time then. I see that lock and bridge passages are supposed to be booked 24hr in advance, is there any leeway in this, or are you stuck to a pre-arranged schedule? Is the 24hr advance notice given to an estimated hour, or just that you intend to pass through on a given day (during Scottish canals operating hours)?

Are there any current canal guide books (similar to Pearson's or Nicholls) for the Forth & Clyde and Union canals, or is the Scottish Canals "Skipper's Guides" all that is available?

Or that they are pointing out something on the left, that could be misinterpreted as a 'clear hand signal' for the direction you or they will /should go?

I am more than certain a lot of 'single named' ships suffered the same fate☺ A ship (now 35 year old) I had command of is now on her seventh name, and still going strong in an industry that mostly frowns upon ships more than 20 to 25 years old! I recollect reading many years ago that the 'you cannot rename a ship as its bad luck' was put about in an attempt to stop crews stealing their ship and turning to piracy in the 18th century. Personally I put it in the same 'old wives /sea story' basket as it is 'bad luck to have females on board ships' - obviously put about by prudes who disapproved of the merriment and lechery going on on the 'lower decks' in the same era

Unfortunately it looks like the 12 month Sim only deal for 19.99 deal ends 14th April http://shop.ee.co.uk/mobile-phone-deals/sim-only-deals

Been there done that. It wasnt the music, or the girl who stripped off & planted her derriere on the wheelhouse window that did it in for me, it was the drunken fools who thought it was a good idea to climb the mast & jump in the water between the boat and jetty (pirate theme of course) at midnight in box jellyfish (highly venomous) infested waters with a 3 knot outgoing tide that convinced me that there were other better things to do with my time

Ummm.... I suspect not Athy, however I wouldnt be suprised if he has influenced one of the House music derivative (electroclash, Eurobeat, Techno, etc) artists.

Wish I had known that last year. I took it that the whole Llangollen area (basin & moorings before the kiosk) as the same being the same 'place' paid me money rushed around trying to see as much as possible & left 48hrs later, with lots undone or seen (railway, Abbey, Plas Newydd etc) - I suppose its an excuse to plan on going back in future.