Joe the plumber

Just a quick reminder that this event is this weekend. Incidentally, there's no mooring for visiting boats without a pre-booking on the wharf side of the lock from lunchtime tomorrow (Thursday 16th).

I'd use white spirit applied with a paint brush and plenty of paper towels to shift most of it and then this to finish the job: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001AZE5WS/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It's marvellous stuff. It's great on car engine bays and to clean brake dust off wheels too.

He doesn't advertise, but try Les at Welford Wharf. 01858 575995. You'll probably have to join a long waiting list, but that's for good reason.

It would have been sensible for the new marina to have made their entrance onto the canal about eight feet wide at most, rather than its current generous proportions. Perhaps they can install some kind of width restrictor there to prevent any further problems. If I owned a widebeam and found I couldn't go anywhere apart from the marina after I'd been persuaded by the advertising that I could go all over the place from it, I think I might be quite cross.

I briefly corresponded with the marina at North Kilworth in August last year having spotted the first widebeam there and received the following reply: "We have the equipment to handle widebeam craft for our workshop facilities, but wouldn't encourage people to head off down the canal - I certainly wouldn't want to meet one coming the other way!" And yet this evening their website still implies you can do just that: "BOAT LAUNCHING INCL WIDEBEAMS Two boat lifting docks, one of which can take take full length widebeam craft. With easy access from the A4304 and just 10 minutes from the M1, there couldn’t be a better place for launching a boat onto the inland waterways." I'm confused.

Limescale reducing magnets are just like injected chemical damp proof courses. We've got both at home (inherited from the previous owners) and neither of them do anything. Personally I love limescale as it helps to pay my bills each month! Your 15mm copper won't be bunged up with limescale. That would take many decades to happen. As has been suggested, it's likely you have some other kind of obstruction in the pipework or the shower valve (blocked filters on the valve inlets being favourite), so I'd check that first. And as has been said, try the shower with the hose removed from the valve in case the hose inner has collapsed. I soak our shower hose and handset ('head') in vinegar overnight once or twice a year to clean them. You can also empty the toilet bowl and refill it with neat vinegar overnight (if you can cross your legs long enough...) to clean out the limescale in that. I'd suggest not reusing the vinegar on your chips though.