Matthew Dowson

For Standedge Tunnel transit, as was mentioned book well in advance, allow 2 days to get up from Piccadilly Basin in Manchester to the bottom of the Diggle Locks, top up with water there to lower your bow down. The following morning you go up to the Diggle tunnel end. Has your boat been through the tunnel before? We were turned back in 2008 as our cabin profile at front was very upright and were an inch too tall and wide - they measured you with a huge set square affair.

Just moor up I doubt CRT would do anything, the previous administration certainly never did.

Our LPWS4 has given no trouble, but has always been smoky (blue-white) when revved hard since we bought LION in 2006, how have others found theirs in this regard?

Its a nice little run. I'm currently at Kildwick myself.

You couldn't squeeze a 53ft in there?

Long live Phil. Phil for King, in my view he has given lots of helpful advice over the years, sounds like a good course.

A 35ft boat can cost £7K (30 plus years old) but need the same spent on a new bottom within a year or two. Boat goes into dry dock for blacking, they blast the old blacking and rust off, and little holes appear, or sometimes only obvious when the boat is popped back in the water. Mind you my son bought one for £8k (36ft) which needed substantial refit, but the hull was made of unbelievably thick steel and was made in 1979. Good for another 30 years. As the comment of "COLD in the winter", if you've got a solid fuel stove you're usually opening windows to cool down. Keep on hunting.

Our Rayburn is a brilliant bit of kit. We have a small 4 ring hob for the summer, although this summer we fired it up for a few days when it was a bit cooler.

Cheaper hulls will often be built with no upward curve at the stern - the gunwale lines continue to slope down and sort of fall off the back of the boat. You will have fewer nice steelwork touches, such as the cants at front and back. One small builder, more to be found in the North is Sagar Marine, I always thought their hulls very pretty and well-built. Happy hunting.

We're often moored at East Marton, I've seen Derry Mist many times, I like the sign writing. Enjoy your cruising

I met shoutyman a few years ago, but ignored him. The following day I rang BW Leeds and asked for clarification: "We put the sign up to keep the flats happy and we won't be enforcing it", I was told. Nice and honest. Nuff said. You can always say you've paid the fee when the local resident turns up.

Someone mentioned that you'll not understand what they say. I've always struggled with Barry Whitlock on the Bingley 5 Rise as he's so broad. Now I've lived in Bradford since 1982, but when he told me to do something when I was lock wheeling I couldn't understand a word, but figured it was probably important to understand and not to say "Oh yes" and blag it. He was saying "leave one paddle half-up on each set of gates as I'm sending water down to Leeds", so I'm glad I got him to repeat it, which he did .... slowly.

Recently I was in Skipton and the locals are so poor they had made rafts to paddle up and down between the old cars and shopping trollies.

That's a very nice boat, we used to heat water with our Rayburn, but it was only any use in the winter - the calorifier had to be sited close to the Rayburn. We changed our system. The Rayburn may have been supplied without a back boiler but thats just a can and there will be a space for it. I wouldn't think its worth it.

Have they put Barrie out to pasture then? It always used to be a smooth run operation there.

Madness, I hate the L&LC when it gets so busy.

Gill coastal yachting gear - we bought jackets and dungaree trousers new on ebay (search wetsuitoutlet, or shuttheduckup) jackets are great with a built in hat that has a peak and a high collar so nothing gets in. Jackets were about £70 each I think. They sell last years lines off, so not too expensive, the jackets would have been £200 I guess. Try 'Coastal' in your search as the Ocean gear is big bucks.

Its a nice stretch, well worth a visit. LIke 'toy' locks after the L&LC which is our usual cruising ground.

Had some drunk teenagers walking along the towpath between town and village out in the sticks at 1am near Burnley last year, about 5 of them, one was falling down, my wife popped her head out the back and said "Is he alright", chatted to them for a bit (as she does) then one lad got on the front deck, so I did my loud voice and he quickly launched himself back onto the towpath as if he was on fire.

In answer - Yes, Yes, Easy, Yes. But I would agree with another poster - creates dust and you'll be wiping your interior surfaces regularly, and we have a small hob which is essential unless you can spend your life thinking 30 minutes ahead, as you don't want the Rayburn belting hot enough to boil a kettle, or roast something all the time. Throw in some small bits of wood to get up to quick heat for frying etc. It does consume quite a bit of coal, easily £20 a week. I like it but could equally live without it. A small solid fuel stove would probably warm up the boat quicker and use less fuel. Great to lean up against though on cool days, try doing that with a Morso.

My bed base is made up of broad slats with plenty of space between, and thats always ensured no problems at all in this area. Maybe replace your base if you can.

Shipley Wharf can sometimes fit you in as people come and go. Swiftcraft is a lovely mooring if you can get in, we've some friends there.

There was trad sterned boat moored up with a £35K ticket in the window at Skipton, traditional engine room as well, nice looking hull that needed a repaint. Can't remember its name. It may still be there, as it opften takes a few weeks for the crowd to disperse after the festival.