tizzy

Hi We have our own boat so these are just general observations . The main problem with Winter cruising are the stoppages so you might find yourselves very restricted as to where you can go. Yes cruising on a crisp day is lovely it isn't as much fun when it is raining or snowing. We do take our boat out in Winter but we have the choice of when we go so can avoid really bad weather ! Hope this helps Tizzie

If you want to go to the Horse and Jockey (and I recommend it and it is dog friendly) then you need to moor before the locks . If you are coming down there are visitor moorings before the water points then you have to walk along the towpath and out through the garage. If you are coming up you need to moor up before the redundant railway bridge and then follow the towpath under the bridge and then cross the road. Hope this helps Just to add don't go beyond the bridge or you will have to do the locks because there is nowhere to moor until the top of the 6 locks.

Well that's stuffed our plans for Easter and probably the summer as well

The lady who wrote the piece used the word "coerced" which is why I used it. I know it can be the other way round but would have to say in my experience it is usually the men who want to do it and perhaps they aren't the ones grappling with the shopping and washing.(I am sure there are exceptions ) I do agree with other posters that they seem very ill prepared and not to be sure how long the boat is even after a few months is mind boggling !

I have just read these posts and think one of the saddest things is the quote from the lady about being "coerced" into making the move ! What is it with men and their desire to live on boats ? Mine would be the same but I dug my heels in very firmly and said that it would never be an option ! The people in these posts would be better booking into a marina for a few weeks till the weather eases !

Hi we had a similar problem and OH needs to keep in touch while we are out and about, We solved it by making sure we were on different networks and I have to say that EE are really good I usually have a signal even if OH doesn't. We have a MY WIFI stuck to the window with velcro which usually also gets a 4G signal .

Things to do in Liverpool ...... lets see Walker Art Gallery Port Sunlight (get the train from James Street ) World Museum book tickets and go and see the Terrocota Army ..fantastic went last week ! Antony Gormley "Another Place" ..get the train from Central to Waterloo and walk down to the seafront No end of Beetles things 2 very different but amazing Cathedrals I am sure I will think of other things ! Tizzie

Don't knock it till you have tried it ! It works for us and was far far cheaper than other solutions ! The fan is near the roof and is in the hot air so it is disturbed and blown around.

This seems to be a common problem but I think we have come up with a cheap and fairly effective solution. We have a cheap 12v fan which we clip to the curtain rail near the stove .When the stove has heated up we turn the fan on for 10 mins or so every hour or so,We find this stirs the air up , stops the hot head syndrome and also helps spread the heat down the boat . We also use the fan in Summer to help cool the boat in fact it is one of the most useful things we have bought !

Ah yes the drying.......................... well we do ours either by the stove or in the cratch or with the the rack in the bath with the doors closed and the radiator on !

Hi Our boat had a washing machine fitted when we bought it and I wasn't sure if we needed it but am SO glad now. We don't liveaboard but even when we cruise I can do 2 or 3 loads mostly undies and shirts but it is so useful. Ours is a compact size and runs from the inverter. We tend to use it on days without too many locks so that gives the batteries a chance to recharge and means we are using hot water to fill it via a thermostatic blending valve set to 40c.OH says this is a good thing as the biggest use of power is the heater.We also try and plan it so we can refill the water the same day, It does take a bit of planning but beats lugging things to a launderette !

I don't think the Severn is navigable through to Shropshire and is VERY prone to flooding. The trip up on the canal from Stourport is lovely but is quite hard work with quite a lot of locks. Please bear in mind the potential for bad weather .cruising in wind,rain and snow is no fun especially if you feel you have to keep going as you are on a timetable. You also have restricted day light and your timing will be slower if you are novices. Tizzie

Hi We have a Liverpool boat and have only just found the access to the cabin bilge it is under the back step ! We had to lift the carpet on the top of the step and undo a couple of screws and there it was ! Hope this helps Tizzie

A bit nearer to Prue I am pretty sure that the hire company at Silsden on the Leeds/Liverpool hire widebeam boats , A friend hired one a few years ago

Hi Sea Dog I was illustrating my point but it is true that it is a bit of a fiddly job to swap from one to the other in the dark !