LadyG
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Posts posted by LadyG
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I would think it could be a good idea to ring round some brokers and marinas to let them know what you are proposing, just to get a feel for it, to make contacts and leave your contact details. I think there was a thread about this, and it seemed very poorly paid, all things considered.
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I think the most important thing is to have insulated material as a lining, it makes a huge difference when the sun is shining on a hot summers day. Helps in winter of course.
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4 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:
Hi and welcome. It’s often helpful to use canalplan.ac as Alan has posted. it’s pretty accurate for timings. You would head to Castlefield in Manchester, up 9 locks on the Rochdale Canal then turn right up the Ashton canal.
At Dukinfield junction and having done the Ashton locks turn right towards the Peak Forest canal. At the top of Marple locks turn Right and that’s the Macclesfield canal.
A paper Nicholson guide can help too, cheap second hand. Shops pubs etc may change but the canals course unusually doesn’t alter
It may also help to register with canal stoppages on the canal and river trust
Rochdale 1-24 currently closed of course ... Not sure which locks you transit on this journey.
The CRT stoppages map is excellent.
I find the canalplan ac settings assume optimum crewing and seven hour days. This is likely to be very optimistic.
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Note
'Compost toilet' waste is not the same as composted waste.
For those who use separating toilets and wish to compost it, I think they will find that sawdust is probably the wrong substrate as it is extremely slow to break down.
I suspect a less dense sustrate, loose copra for example will break down faster. Its a bit of a specialist subject. My experience with cow manure heaps and horse manure heaps tells me that straw is far better than anything like paper or shavings, which are reluctant to heat up. Heating up and substrate aeration is part of the composting process.
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7 minutes ago, jonathanA said:
The introduction of mandatory CO alarms was in the opinion of many beyond the remit of the BSS. (Prevention of harm to others). Smoke alarms would be an even greater deviation from their remit and a good example of the insidious expansion of the scheme.
I
They used to be quite expensive, so possibly this was a consideration.
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I'm not clear what the tug was doing,
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2 hours ago, mrsmelly said:
The lock keepers may well have mobile phones. A mobile phone is as much use as a chocolate fireguard unless you know the number of the boat you are about to encounter or need assistance from. Do you have everyone's number? A radio can notify anyone else who has one, hence their use on such waterways.
A vhf is the correct tool to use on the waterways, but if a boat breaks down on a river, and had no vhf its the next best thing is to talk to the CRT or the lock keeper.
One universal distress signal is to wave both arms vertically.
If I am in the vicinity, i have to accept that there is a limit to the assistance I can provide. To turn back or in any way or put myself in a situation, could be tricky.
I'd need to assess the situation, assuming its not a Mayday situation.
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Deleted as Off topic
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4 hours ago, haggis said:
The problem with this boat is that it was probably hired in Anderton and this was their first lock, some 10 miles away
The hire company could have a professionsl video eg by Cruising the Cut to demonstrate the use of the lock to back up general instruction. It could be on their website, showing happy holiday makers enjoying their vacation on a sunny day
with water.
PS Rochdale 1 -24 still closed
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12 minutes ago, haggis said:
We have just come down Middlewich big lock and it is small wonder the canal is getting short of water.
I walked ahead and there was a Diamond Resorts boat in the lock with two guys standing on the back and the ladies at the top gates. I was told that they had been waiting ages for the lock to fill. The reason being that one of the bottom paddles was still up more than a foot. I wound it down then explained to the guys about the white markers and how important it is that we do don't lose water , especially just now. I then explained to the ladies about the white markers.
The attitude of the guys on the back of the boat surprised me. It was almost as if " so what ".
I can only hope that they are a bit more careful in future
I think in cases like this one could phone the hire company and ask that they train the hirers better.
It can be difficult dealing with some people, but if they were helped through a few locks they should develop a safe working routine.
Ive seen some hire boats which have basic instructions on the outside of the cabin stern so that all helms can be reminded what to do and in what order.
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I fear that prices will drop over the next few years due to the closures and stoppages which are worse each year.
The market may end up being supported by the prices for alternative housing solutions rather than the leisure industry.
With respect to hire boats, which may be an introduction to boating for families, these can be quite expensive, relative to a three star trip abroad.
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3 minutes ago, MtB said:
Carries a lot of traffic though.
I reckon the Hudders narrow and other insanely beautiful and expensive-to-maintain low-traffic routes are at more risk.
The Rochdale is lovely, but if it is semi closed every year, no one is going to risk a visit.
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On 04/05/2017 at 18:36, mrsmelly said:
Yes and of course you dont need VHF radio because I have a mobile fone blah di blah di bunkum di bunkum
The lock keepers all have mobile phones, I contacted them the day before to ensure I had the numbers, but vhf is preferred ,
You dont really need a vhf licence if you know how you use the various phrases.
Its never 'Over and Out' .....
Affirmative and Negative are used, not yes and no
I'm sure YouTube will help
you need to know the phonetic alphabet,
alpha to zulu
I did a drawing and my times for the route .
It will be breezy compared to canals
Have the anchor handy, and instruct the crew how to deploy it, maybe use a large Jewson bucket with the tail tied to the T, and the other end to the anchor.
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These sail training yachts may have very small engines compared to the size of the vessel, essentially designed for manoeuvring in harbour.
Presumably they were too late dropping the anchor, which may not have been a simple job.
No doubt an official report will be forthcoming in due course, very sad.
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Just now, Llamedos said:
Sadly I think a cut in funding is inevitable.
With the NHS on its knees, prisons filled to bursting and the justice system close to collapse I reckon canals are well down the governments list of priorities.
This is why I think the only salvation will be if they can be used for flood protection and / or water conservation.
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3 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:
Lady G was talking about gardeners, not boaters.
I was trying to explain the composting process.
In order to get a dry, friable end product, there is more to it than sticking it in a bucket labelled Compost.
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33 minutes ago, Andyaero said:
The OP's mistake was firstly bringing up the topic of toilets, and secondly calling his choice by its misnomer of "composting", it's separating.
It is odd that as soon as such toilets are mentioned on here, it is assumed that their owners are chucking waste in bins and making no attempt to actually compost.
Can't see it's any more trouble to tip the waste into a tub and store than it is to get it in a bag and dump somewhere.
It's perfectly doable on a narrowboat roof, cratch or engine bay.
I would suggest that you have never had a garden compost heap.
In fact the keen gardener will have three containers, approx 1 cubic metre and it will take a year to produce friable compost, it has created heat which kills germs.
If he wants to accelerate the process then he can turn with a fork to aerate and heat up garden refuse, OK for small garden.
There are tumbling vessels which accelerate, but one needs to tumble every day, to introduce oxygen to the substrate. The substrate needs to include fibrous material.
I doubt there are many gardeners who would consider composting their own faeces.
Urine is a decent source of accelerator in a garden compost heap, but, of course, it stinks, and really, who wants to collect their own urine....
A compost heap works because there is a large proportion of fibrous material which allows the bacteria to break down the fibre, create heat, the more heat and the more aeration the better...
Faeces is wet and nasty, which is why in ye olden days the householder mixed it with ashes from a coal fire and paid for it to be removed from their premises. They did not use it to grow flowers or veggies.
Puting it in a black bag, or several black bags, the chances are that anaerobic processes could take over, leaving one with a cold, wet and disgusting muck.
Composted material resembles peat, sh!t in a bag is still sh!t in a bag.
The CRT have banned boaters from puting shit in their Biffa bins, this is because it is Hazardous Waste, it is illegal to put Hazardous Waste in Biffa Bins.
Fresh shit cannot be put in with composted material and disposed of in hedgerows because composting takes time and the material has to go through the process of composting.
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4 minutes ago, Furz183 said:
I’ll leave you all to it 😂
Best to stay around, you just hit the Perfect Storm there.
Lots of people with good advice which you wont get anywhere else.
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On 04/04/2025 at 11:59, David Mack said:
Millions of boaters have used unsealed lead acid batteries without them exploding. You have been extraordinarily unlucky, but you are now aware of the risk. The chances of it happening again are minimal.
If it really worries you perhaps consider getting plastic boxes to house your LA batteries so that they are contained in the event of future mishap.
This sort of thing is not expensive.
I've not met millions of boaters but I have met one with no hair or eyebrows, I remember the evening before he was telling us all how keen he was to replace his battery system the next day. No sooner said than done! Probably a good job he wore glasses.
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1 hour ago, Furz183 said:
That’s not what I said.
I’ve watched videos and was sure that’s what I saw.
I’ve just read differently now.
That’s probably not for me anyway. I’m not scared of poo but other factors make that less attractive without boring you with my habits.
I’ll probably install a glass bottom in the bathroom with a trapdoor or a catapult on the roof. Unruly kids can get a splurge.We do not want your poo in our clean countryside, much of which may be owned by someone, or by a local authority. Fly tipping your faeces is illegal.
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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:
I can think of one 'area' where some action could be a great benefit to the forum ....................................
Dont feed the troll.
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Do not plan on throwing your waste on the countryside, its disgusting to even think this may be acceptable. Use the sanitary services.
There are plenty of threads on here about composting. Composting is a natural process that takes time and involves storage of your faeces.
Puting a handfull of sawdust in a container of poop is not composting.
Buying a bucket labelled Compost toilet is not composting, you would know these things if you'd done any research.
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9 hours ago, mrsmelly said:
Snobbery. They are fine, never owned one but been on many. Plenty out there.
Boats can be like cars buying a badge.
Are they the ones that look like a squashed frog?
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3 minutes ago, Furz183 said:
I’m not worried in the slightest about the toilet.
Id probably get a compost type effort.
When I say apartment I just mean the living area.
I need space that’s all.
I need space for a studio and my clothes addiction.
I know there’s a space limit and I’m pushing it but I’m sure I’ll find what I need. My apartment now isn’t that big, a one bed.
A two bed 60 footer should be fine for my stuff.The compost idea is fine if you happen to have an allotment......
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Help with planning a route needed Urgently.
in General Boating
Posted
If its a one off journey, one could buy second hand guides to save a few quid.