captain flint

Don't take it too personally, there's a few who might sound gruff (to you) on here, but as others have said, some excellent knowhow. And it's just a forum, so, you know, you could act like a duck with water on it... Of course if you don't like it, then, sure, don't stay, but if you can take it all with a pinch of salt, you might find this place a useful resource. * Oh I see I'm a year late to the party. Oh well

yeah plus it's electrical cable! I had a proper look. I'm getting some 5mm cable with soft loop ends. Just an experiment. Might not be worth it but it's not gonna break the bank either yeah but it's not even proper cable, it's for brake lights! Does say it has a wound steel core for strength iirc, but there are other similar items that are just cable. I'm gonna have a play with one of them instead this is a good thought! Though now I think some more on it, I reckon if I can get hose through the gap, it's most likely big enough to pass the links of my mooring chain through. But maybe I have some thinner plastic tubing knocking around, calorifier type plastic pipe rather than garden hose

Can I not trash this posting accident? Seems not! Maybe I'm being a luddite. I'll try again This seems like a good point. I might try my luck, but I'll mind my fingers, thanks for the heads up

I guess I just meant the Paddington basin area itself has that kind of shiny corporate not very interesting vibe - to me. But I certainly don't think that of the area around, or little Venice. It's subjective, of course

Oof that's a fair old schlep though isn't it. Don't think I'm up for that right now - recently I've been feeling really really ropy, no idea what, it's like how people describe really bad long covid. But it's only just come on and I had covid ages and ages ago, so I don't think it can be that. Hopefully it will disappear as mysteriously as it came on and anyway it's only just on some days. I'll keep an eye out round Vicky Park or Stratford, or maybe the filter beds. Pretty sure I'll find somewhere to break my journey even if just overnight

Nope, and it's not my boat name! Pitched up here yesterday... Tbh I can't wait until I'm out past Enfield and I'm slightly dreading the next stage of my journey, and whether or not I'll find anywhere to moor. It was fine coming the other way, but that was in midwinter...

There are railings and there are railings. Some are strong as houses, written assessment or not. There are railings plenty strong enough, 2 inch steel poles attache to concrete as sturdily as a mooring ring, where mooring creates no issues for pedestrians at all. I don't use them for mooring, ever, as I know I would get in trouble (it happened once, as I want aware of this rule, having only seen the advice in the Boaters' Handbook which runs contrary to it). I can see that it's simpler just to say its not allowed and then to enforce it regardless of whether it would in fact have been secure and totally unproblematic. Indeed, I'm somewhat sympathetic to that. But I reserve the right to think that, in some specific lcations, this is rather silly in and of itself.

How odd. I'm there right now. Sunny day. Weekday. Electric boats were buzzing around (and bumping into me!) last night - after work hours. Saw a bunch of 7 or 8 paddle boarders this morning. People very much in evidence at lunch time and after office hours. But they could of course accommodate way more boats if they wanted to. But that story is one that's repeated in so many spots all over London I wouldn't exactly describe it as vibey here, though. Kind of bland/boring/soulless. Again, though, the story of so many new developments. That said, it's clean, and, I would guess, a pretty safe/secure place to moor in town Bully for you but you know some people were born here. You may, if you chose to, regard that as unfortunate. But have a thought for us poor souls with family and connections here! I could avoid it, I suppose. But I really need to be within striking distance of my elderly mum - though maybe 'striking distance' isn't quite the right turn of phrase 😂 But really, I do actually tend to avoid it. I can't see it as a dreadful place, I really can't. Too much tribal loyalty. But I've been slightly surprised to discover, now I'm CCing, that I gravitate to quiet spots outside the m25 and just get the train in. I've been even more surprised to discover it's not just the boating aspects that do my head in. Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner that I (keep telling myself) love London Town (despite the evidence to the contrary) ! 😳

So far lots of excellent replies making perfectly valid points, thanks for all of them! However, cable would have advantages over them in the right circumstances, in particular where there's a gap behind the piling that's very narrow. Kind of my whole point really! It's true that I might fall foul of the odd bylaw, but it seems to me that in the places I frequent, there are sticklers for not attaching yourself to Riverside installations such as railings (however sturdy, however appropriately situated, and despite the fact the Boater's Handbook specifically recommends this!) - but I've never heard of them saying anything about attachments to the pilings Looks lovely, and very effective when usable, thanks for the tip! But of course the inclusion of a shackle is a solution to a problem that chain would absolutely have - namely, you'd have to be able to fit one of those large ovals through the gap you want to use. Which brings me back to square one, really. Don't get me wrong, I really don't have an issue with how to moor the heat majority of the time. I have various bits of kit, and ways of using them. My question is for those times when only a mooring pin in the bank is currently possible, but where a small gap behind the piling is there, ready for anything small and strong enough to wriggle through. Where I am, it's not the norm, but it's not exactly rare as hen's teeth, either. So far, I still reckon my basic idea is a good one, would be really handy and easy, and have an obvious advantage in the right circs. But it's just a question of being able to find something suitable. That breakaway cable suggestion might do it, though

The other sheath would fail, I'm sure. But that wouldn't bother me - if the cable is strong enough that's the main thing. (If...) (I mean, the sheath is largely cosmetic, I think, and a maybe a little bit so it's nice and smooth and not chafing, but that wouldn't really matter. Without the sheath corrosion, over time, would probably be an issue, but only over time, and you could replace it easily and cheaply enough when needed)

Actually, you might be onto something. If I removed the sprung hoop from this it might be just the ticket, thanks for the idea! https://www.tridenttowing.co.uk/products/heavy-duty-high-vis-breakaway-cable-long-1-5m?variant=31656979038280&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AR57-fAJCT64Hdtz6MwSTR2-KZvGnIIvNOb-Ybm18IUA94wa13R66J8a7BI Um... The cable could have the width of the steel that makes up a chain link without being anything like as wide as the diameter of the *whole* link though, couldn't it! I mean the steel in my chain is maybe 4mm. But the width of the oval that is the *link* is more like 20mm. And that's before we even get onto the fact that each link is attached to the next, creating angles, rather than a single, straight bit of cable.

Yeah. This is rather my point I feel! (hence thinking about cable)

Indeed. I'm talking about the tricky spots rather than the easy ones Thanks, but at least one end needs to be smaller than a link in a mooring chain

Yeah, if we continue having these baking hot summers, I might look into it. I have some old tin steamer trunk type things I could dot along the roof and drape sheets/dustsheets over. Heck, if I clear them out I might even have somewhere to store the sheets...

Zombie thread I know, but worth revisiting ten years on, as the numbers of residential boats with no mooring in London has rocketed so much. As one of those boaters I have a couple of points to make: 1. The majority of CCers in London (including me) don't have especially scruffy boats or bad attitudes. People who get their knickers in a twist about them just tend to remember the scruffy ones. It's true that some people have a shitty attitude, though, and aren't considerate. Again, and as you maybe hint, a minority. But yeah, that's a tough nut to crack. Perception of CRT might be a little overly polarised, but CRT - possibly due to underfunding and being under too much pressure, I acknowledge - hardly helps itself in this regard. It seldom seems to even want to generate the *appearance* of being on the side of boaters. And so so many mooring rings have been removed over the years, including from places with no residential properties hard up by the towpath, and where the canal is plenty wide enough. That really hasn't helped. 2. The situation is - quite obviously - a symptom of the economic reality of trying to live in London. When I first lived aboard 20 years ago, moorings were pretty cheap and there were next to no CCers. A few retired couples passing through, and a smattering of 'water gypsies' who were tolerated as eccentrics. It hasn't exploded simply because people became aware of the option. It's because everything else is so *unaffordable*. This isn't your fault, or the fault of other boaters, and I'm not entirely unsympathetic to those who feel it has spoiled the feel of things (I myself am a Londoner and now I seldom come into London unless I have to traverse it. In fact I am zeroing in on a possible mooring well being the m25. It's such a hassle being in town, because of all the boats. But its not their fault things are like this). It's also not CRT's fault there are so many boats. Maybe it's hard to say to whose *fault* it is at all. But it's an entirely relatable expression of the state of things in this country. It's annoying. It really is. But it's just a sign of the times, really. The increasingly shitty times. As such I reckon we should be largely sympathetic to most of em. Screw the assholes though. There are some of them too

Yeah this is basically a version of the classic camp fridge, a bowl of water, a cloth tent with the end in the water. Evaporation = cooling, and wicking draws more water into the cloth to keep it damp. As said earlier in the thread, doing that on a giant scale over a boat, with a damp sheet just proud of the roof, with the ends in the water, would quite probably/almost certainly make quite a significant difference. But not very easy. Huge sheets required. Then you'd need to store them. But maybe worth investigating, I suppose. I did see a boat with a sheet draped over it the other day, though its ends weren't in the water

I've been thinking about mooring fixtures - and reading old threads on here on the subject. I've had what I think might be a good idea, but it might not. And in any case, I can't find what I'm looking for online. So I thought I'd sketch the idea out here to see what people think of it in principle, and if it's seems like a good one, how I might get my hands on what I need. Like many on here, my favoured way of mooring is with mooring chains, the ones with a ring on each end attached by a shackle, one ring smaller than the other, so it can pass through it. I think that's what people mean when they say 'goat chains' (?). If the gap is too small even for the ring to pass through, I sometimes undo the shackle, remove it and the loop, drop the chain down the narrow gap, reattach shackle and loop, pass one ring through t'other, and I'm good to go. Or good to stay, I suppose that should be. However, on departure, I have sometimes had problems with a jammed chain. I can usually get it out with various bits of jiggery pokery (sorry to blind you with technical jargon). But it's a pain the arse - and on one recent occasion, after a lot of effort, I just gave up and left the chain there (I had no means of cropping it). What I'm thinking might be great - but you might think otherwise and I'd like to hear your thoughts - would be a length of steel cable with a low profile, twistable threaded barrel. I might not have described it well they're are some links below to something similar in form (but not size or strength) that should clarify. Basically, what I want is a longer, stronger version of a steel cable keyrings. Like this: https://www.fruugo.co.uk/13cm-wire-keychain-cable-large-stainless-steel-key-ring-loop-holder-for-outdoor/p-76585599-154679370?language=en&ac=croud&utm_source=organic_shopping&utm_medium=organic And this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153659906769?hash=item23c6d81ad1:g:WXMAAOSwPEBgLqBu You could just wiggle the cable down through a fairly small gap, and screw it back up, and pass the mooring chain through the loop and f cable (or pass the cable through one of the rings on one end of the chain and then screw it back up, obviously). The cable length is usually 15cm - I think you'd want at least twice that. And while you could of course screw two or three together to make a double/triple length, they usually come with cable that's only 2mm (or even 1.5mm) thick. And they're designed to hold keys, not 20 tonnes of boat. But maybe they'd be strong enough, maybe 2mm of steel cable is comparable to a mooring line in terms of strength? I have no clue on that front (interested to hear what you think on that). I haven't found any with thicker cable, and steel cable producing companies I've spoken to aren't interested (unsurprisingly - they've got bigger fish to fry) What do people think of the idea in principle? Is there a reason - given suitably robust cable - it would be a *bad* idea? I'm not overly concerned that someone might unscrew the ends. Not a lot of that sort of thing where I am, plus I reckon you could make sure the threaded bit is out of sight. Otherwise, I'm trying to think how I might get my hands on/get someone to make such a thing...

Hmmm. There are special films for Windows which are designed to keep heat out (I'm going to get them applied to my skylight/dogbox windows). They might be good. But I'm not at you can buy the good ones (Vkool, 3M Solar Prestige) for self installation, and not sure installers will be happy with rounded corners on window panes etc. But I might be wrong on both counts there. But in my experience other insulation just makes the boat hotter. Following tips from a thread on here from a few years ago, I fitted magnetically attached acrylic secondary glazing to my windows. It's absolutely brilliant in winter, but if I leave it in place in summer it significantly increases the heat inside the boat.

Presumably quite a drain on the batteries?! Then again, I guess hot weather = more solar power

Shade, you say? Drinking water, you say? Mind. Blown. Thank god for expats being able to share their experience with us poor old poms, or we'd still be living in caves, eh Though I'm not sure why I would want to wear a hat in the shade. Pretty sure that would just make my head warmer

Ah! First hand experience - thank you very much! And if you've tried both that sounds, if not utterly conclusive (every boat is different), about as damn close as I am likely to get. Much appreciated Yes it is, but I think it acheives this by being a substance through which heat moves slowly (As I've noted a few times here, though, I'm good at being wrong... Plus whatever the theory, GUMPY has kindly shared his practical experience, and it very much sounds like it's a waste of time on a spray-foamed boat. I suppose, then, that we can agree that I am least somewhat wrong here, and leave open the possibility that I'm totally and utterly wrong).

Hi Alan, thanks for replying You will no doubt be positively staggered to hear I actually do all that already. When it comes to power, I've noticed it tends to be hottest on sunny days (I'm very observant ) and my fairly chunky panels would, I think, more than cope with a little bilge pump on top of their current workload (you say "big enough pump to do what you suggest" but I don't think it would need to be that big...? I could be wrong,though. I'm good at that.) Regular spray foam amount, 20mm or something. I struggle to believe think if the cabin top were able to be kept cool it wouldn't make a big difference, insulation or not. Obviously, insulation slows down heat loss and gain, but it certainly doesn't eliminate heat. I'm no expert but there are some fairly constant thermodynamic principles to consider here, I think, that - I'm guessing here admittedly - the insulation aspect is not really that relevant, unless you're talking about fairly short periods of time. I might be very wrong, but currently I would need some convincing that insulation isn't largely a red herring here I suppose I could change the roof colour. But it is currently white.... Yes, I'm pretty sure that would make a significant difference, especially if the sheets could be kept damp (which would probably just be question of putting them on damp, and having a corner trailing in the water. Evaporation and wicking would, I think, keep the whole thing damp. And evaporation from that, if kept clear of the roof, would work well, like an old camp fridge. But as I said in my post, faff-heavy

Hi I've come across plenty of chat, both on here and the cut, about pumping water onto the cabin top in hot weather to help keep the boat cool in hot weather. What I'm really hoping for here is input from those with hopefully first hand experience of this. But second or even third might be better than nothing. I have come across a those saying it helps, and those saying it didn't, but only a little bit. I've come across a lot of reasonable sounding theorising, both in favour and against the idea. Hence why I'm really hoping for reports of the reality. Quite a lot of variables and nothing beats actual real-world experience. The usual (theoretical) issues I've seen raised are (iirc): Against: - evaporative cooling works badly in humid air, which might mean it's not great for the UK - canal water temperature is higher than you might think - causing dirty marks For: - it's going to make some difference, even if just a bit, and every little helps - er... Not sure I can recall much more than that! In terms of what people have reported of actual use of such a system I've read two accounts that said it achieved no noticeable cooling, one of which mentioned that it made the boat more humid. I've read one account that said it helped. I've heard chat of those saying they know of someone who tried it and it didn't make much difference. I've also heard of those that say it did. NB: I'm aware of the just sitting in a cool pub option! If I were to try it I guess I'd rig a bilge pump to some hose with holes on each side running along the centre line. One solution which I reckon would almost certainly work quite well would be to have a white sheet/tarp/sail over the boat, with a gap between the metalwork and the cloth, and the ends of the cloth in the water. Maybe if I had a permanent mooring I would consider that, but it sounds tricky and faffy for a whole bunch of pretty obvious reasons, not least being where to find and where to keep a big enough bit of absorbant cloth (my boat is 50'x10'). Be great to hear from you. Thanks!

This almost sounds as though I might find someone with a mooring who I could pay £10 a night for over the long-term. £3650 a year... I'm guessing that's not what you meant, but if that sounds possible, I need to work out how to find me one! I mean, I assume the places you're talking about have max stay of 14 nights or less