robtheplod

Did this a week ago when we did the Leicester Ring. The overgrown vegetation is quite bad Leicester to Foxton so you'll be making your own channel in some parts!

ok i take it back, sounds like its a bit boring.... i had visions of having a surfboard handy!!

That sounds like it could be true, but in reality its so people can watch you try to navigate in. Some Marina's I swear have score cards that they hand out... I'd love to see a new Marina when they let the water in - it must be up there with one of the best parts of a job! I presume they have to do it slowly though so the local canal doesn't run dry ... maybe have people at any locks also to open paddles??

it would all depend on usage.... if you're an avid TV watcher then try for an unlimited plan.....

I love vloggers, they give a unique angle on their life i follow many narrowboat ones although I find actual cruising vlogs are getting a bit saturated these days, i prefer the ones who focus on maintenance and other aspects of narrowboat life. Looking wider afield this is my favourite at the mo: Chap who is going round the UK on a speedboat : https://www.youtube.com/c/harrydwyer/videos

I think this was the case, but we've been all over and rarely have issues (vodafone). The main reason we use 3G/4G is the licence issue - decided a while ago I could spend my money much more wisely than the BBC...

It will be nice to see something come to market and be tested.... I'm holding off solar until I see how this goes as we don't need it urgently yet......

We have an 'all you can eat' vodafone account for £25 per month, so doesn't matter what we use. You can offset this a little if you use catchup services and cancel your TV licence. Getting your TV via 4G/3G saves the faff of which direction to point the aerial.....

Now have another boat....

Seems it could be sold.....

An easier way is to use the internet for your telly... no tuning, more choice, no TV aerial and depending on your viewing habits, no licence...

I've been looking into this when i do our solar install and will use magnets with the panels fairly flush with the boat so not to show too much. I'd do anything to avoid drilling holes in the roof and magnets seem the sensible choice.

This looks to be coming along nicely :

If everyone is limited to 6 maybe I'll get some leftovers?

Hi All I'm look to rig up a perspex cover on our swan hatch to let light in and not the cold. The size is 61cm x 74cm and trying to decide how thick the perspex should be - don't want it to be too heavy or too bendy, but it will need to take small holes for the fixings ! I'm thinking 5mm should do it - I'm after advice from others who have already trodden this path - is this enough or go thicker/thinner? the cost difference is small .... thanks!!!

Do a really good pumpout first!

We've just moved from Yelvertoft to Ventnor so will be interesting to see what the difference is. I've just checked on elevation and Ventnor is 93m above sea level and Yelvertoft is 133m so in theory might be better??? plus more trees around Ventnor... here's hoping!!

Do you have a water tank gauge? what does it read when the water flow stops? sorry just missed the last few posts!!!!

Hi All We have a 12" single skin chimney (to fit 6"). I'm looking at getting a double skin one to stop gunk leaking out and was looking at ones from chandlers. Read lots on this and looks like I can just buy the inner skin but not 100% sure how this fixes - does it just wrap round and push in? Also read i need to ditch the rain hat but not sure if this is true? any pointers much appreciated!!

Interesting as we are looking at these but came across a user who said its pretty useless on the spindles found on GU Calcutt locks/Hatton flight etc - they are too large and its pretty dangerous as it slips off very easily? Can anyone confirm if newly purchased ones are better than older ones??

Well we're back from doing the ring. The weather held off and we actually had lots of nice days, with only a few showers. The stretch from Foxton Locks to Leicester was very overgrown and sometimes seemed un-navigable... poor mooring also.. Leicester was a hidden gem - great steaming up the long river under the bridges in the centre to castle gardens secure mooring. People in and around Leicester gongoozle professionally and didn't seem to have seen many boats?? every lock we had an audience.. made me try harder i suppose! Going out of Leicester was the worst bit (north of it) - lots of junk in the river The Soar was beautiful and some lovely villages The Trent was scary wide but fun - good chance to train my crew in steering! We found two marina's which were out of diesel and when we did find one we had a song and dance about signing up for their payment card - how to make a 10 min job last 45 mins.. obviously been taking lessons from the electric charging stations! suggest keeping no lower than half a tank on this ring? Its a great ring with many different canals and rivers and quite an experience... thoroughly recommended!

I'm pleasantly surprised people were allowed to fly the flag in these dark times!

We don't normally as on a tight timescale, but with our Leicester Ring adventure about to start we do hope to take a more leisurely pace and go visiting what's in walking distance....