Tiggs

May be more tricky to get on and off towpaths where you want to than a motorbike, many have narrow entrances near bridges. Motorbikes can be "pushed" oblong a towpath with the engine running in gear, so it looks as if you are not doing something illegal - and you probably are not. This might be more difficult with a quad bike. As for it I don't get what you mean - sure you can put it in a boat and tow it, if you own and license another boat, tor you can easily transport it on a tug style narrowboat, or a working boat, but the tricky bit is how to get it on and off.

Which is really stupid that they need to close it all that time. CRT need to stop this sh*****.

Yes, surprising isn't it. I did see a post on here that said some Hudsons had only small weed hatches though. I would have thought a small(ish) bolt cutter and a selection of hacksaws would get off an umbrella since they are only hollow aluminium. Sorry I'm not close enough to come and try for you.

North.

To understand what it was like when the canals were used for transport (and in WWII): Idle Women by Susan Woolfitt Maidens Trip by Emma Smith Narrow Boat by LTC Rolt The Last Number Ones by Hugh Potter

If it were me I would not pay this surveyor, he clearly did not do a proper survey. I would not pay a surveyor until I got a copy of the survey and it looked credible. Did you check his qualifications? Usually a report is 3-5 pages with diagrams showing where the weakest point of the hull are and containing a recommendation of any fixing needed. A surveyor should have a least a small craft diploma from IIMS. Anyway, take the sludge out slowly and see what the hull is like below it; have a bilge pump ready.

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/alternating-current/chpt-11/practical-power-factor-correction/ is a fairly simple explanation. The generator rated at 3.6 kW has a theoretical output of 4.8KVA if the load has a suitable power factor - i.e. contains inductors or capacitors which take in and feedback energy.

There are dc-dc converters which will do this.

Have you ever done it? The wife and the horse would use the wind. It takes most effort when there is no wind.

And anyone who has turned a horseboat / butty a few times, and worked out how to use the wind no matter which way it is blowing, knows this.

No, I think it's when you put more than £10,000 into a bank it attracts interest - not of the police though - just the bank needs proof that you got it from a legit source. This will be a problem for the seller - not the buyer.

Assuming a private seller. (It often says on Ebay what payment method they prefer - this does not mean you have to do this - and the seller won't want to pay Paypal 5%!) If you want to take it immediately then I suspect the seller will only accept cash. If you are prepared to wait a little while I suggest that you look to see if your bank will provide a bankers draft from a branch local to the seller. A bankers draft or cheque cannot be cancelled so is as good as cash in this respect. If you find the boat does not meet the description then you can still refuse to buy it - or reduce your offer. In this case cash would work best too. Do you have a big friend to go with you with the cash? Ensure that the seller at least has paperwork to prove his/her ownership of the boat (as far as is possible). Get him/her to sign a receipt for the money and a confirmation that there is no other person or company with a claim to the boat, also get proof of his / her identity. You need to take a witness for this. Any hesitation and walk away. (you also need to check the boat is licensed for the waterway it is on and to obtain at least 3rd party insurance before you move it, and ensure it has a current boat safety cert) So basically, taking it away is not going to happen???

Get out you multimeter and see how far the voltage is going. Haven't got one? Suggest if you own a boat you ought to get one.

IMO this is the correct way to do it and I would (almost) always do it this way with a full length boat in a narrow lock, going up. As far as I am concerned this is what fenders are for - to be pressed up against the cill plates and the lock plates to prevent the boat moving. Even so, paddles should not be raised too quickly. The smaller Beta should be OK I think. You hardly ever need to use the full power anyway. (But maybe think about re-sale - would a buyer be put off asking the same questions given the table of power vs boat length in the other posts?)

On the build so far (just my opinions): I would never build a boat with a vertical bow. When you crash into something hard you want to ride up it, not stop so suddenly you fall over. Bow thruster on a 27' long boat. I wouldn't have bothered. Did you put some circulating dividers in the skin tank? Black in not a good colour - too hot inside in summer. The question: Engineering bricks are best for ballast as Dave says. You can use paving slabs too, but heavy blue bricks allow you to move them about to balance up when you have fitted the boat out. Leave some traps in the floor to do this. Leave enough space to stack two. You then have a choice - no bricks, bricks flat, bricks on side, two bricks flat.

It's a really good idea. Especially the drop the paddles one. Actually there are quite a lot of boating dangers that children should be educated about. If someone invented the self operated locks we use today, there is no way the H&S people would allow them.

Depends how hot you have the fire. Glowing red may be an issue for some sofas. Fortunately all sofas have to be fire resistance these days..

When I first read about this art project I thought to myself that there was some bull going on here. Someone knows someone and is letting someone do something that others would not be allowed to do..... I didn't see any real justification for the CRT assistance they were getting.

Can you bend 22mm pipe tight enough so as not to make the whole thing too tall?

There are various canal route planners on the net. http://canalplan.eu/index.html https://www.waterways.org.uk/boating/route_planning/introduction_to_route_planning for example. Not know you exact location in Dudley - so estimate is about 11 hrs 31 locks.

This might be useful https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/refresh/media/thumbnail/8100-information-guide-liverpool-link-2015.pdf Note that you appear to have to book passage and follow extra rules. This might make it tricky with a hire boat, timing wise.

Horses for courses. For living on, on the canal - steel for sure. grp too light in the wind, prone to damage For narrow canals, steel, except if you have only a small amount of cash, then grp OK for holidays For rivers, grp, although steel is also possible For sea, grp, steel tends to be only big boats There is so much I don't know where to start; Grp's with petrol outboard - not good on the canal - no petrol available etc.