debbifiggy

To be fair Alan I think the flight was closed to protect water levels on the main line of the canal during periods of low reservoir levels, not lack of water down the Aylesbury arm. I agree that sometimes there seems to be too much water down the arm and it can be difficult to open the gates and yes some of them seem pretty leaky too. Still a lovely place and well worth a visit. D

Love the Aylesbury Arm and the Canal Society. You always get a great welcome. The top part of the arm is so pretty and it's only really the last tiny bit into Aylesbury through the suburbs which isn't so picturesque. this time of year and with such dry weather I'm not surprised the water levels are down. In previous years the flight has been closed either for lack of water or blue green algae. It's well worth a visit. The only thing with potential to change the Aylesbury Arm is the proposed Arla Mega Dairy. Google and make your own minds up about impact on the area. There's been plenty of news in the Bucks Herald etc. Finally, ACS is moving out of the basin into a brand new base at Circus Fields and the basin is being redeveloped in case irregular visitors to Aylesbury haven't noticed. D

Even more naughty as in many places along the Regents Canal the coping stones are part of a listed structure or landscape. Even BW aren't allowed to put holes into these and contractors in the past have got into huge trouble with a Council planning department for doing exactly what Idleness recommends and damaging a listed structure. So, a word of caution in your ear my dear. It's a great idea but not recommended. D

Naughty! D

The official BW visitor moorings on the Regents Canal are as follows: Camden - 7 days - can only accommodate 7 - 8 boats - no double mooring Camden Stop & Shop - 4 hrs only - sign currently missing but is closest to Market by Oval Road Islington - 7 days (summer) - very busy - double berthing permitted - triple is not Victoria Park - very very busy - same as for Islington but longer area for mooring Limehouse- 24 hours on the wall There are unofficial places to moor - St. Pancras (where people tend to obstruct the lock-landings much to the frustration of those trying to use the lock). Islington below City Road Lock by the Narrowboat pub as far as the Shepherdess Walk footbridge. Broadway Market Mile End Park Just remember that if there are no mooring rings and no grass you cannot moor. It's inadvisable to try and bang pins into the concrete due to the exceptionally high voltage electricity cable that runs under the towpath, usually quite close to the edge. If you are an AWCC member and have a boat that is not too long and there are spaces you may be able to arrange a mooring with St. Pancras Boat Club. Alternatively if you are lucky you may be able to arrange an overnight mooring for a small fee at the London Canal Museum. The Museum is worth a visit. Hope you enjoy your visit. D Edited for grammer and to add St. Pancs and the canal museum

The BW mooring at Limehouse is 24hrs only. If you want more than that you need to speak to Limehouse Marina and pay for a berth if there is one available. Paddington Basin (the arm from Little Venice Pool) is supposed to be 7 days only anywhere but people tend to do 7 days in the security patrolled bit by St. Mary's hospital and then 7 days up the top by the Westway if you can find a space (also very noisy). Little Venice which is almost next to Paddington Basin is 14 days. Camden visitor moorings are only 7 days and same for Islington at this time of year (both very busy and limited space). Victoria Park is always rammed out so don't bank on finding a space here either due to demand. To summarise, if you need more than 14 days you are going to need to move your boat or find someone to do it for you. If you are an AWCC member and your boat is not too big and they have space you may be able to arrange temporary moorings with St. Pancras Cruising Club. The next nearest AWCC Cub is West London Motor Cruising Club at Alperton or further out in Uxbrige at Hillingdon Canal Cruising Club. HTH D

No Carl, that's possibly your interpretation of my comment which had nothing at all to do with S17. Maybe that should have been a tongue in cheek smiley and maybe some people need to chill out a bit more on a Friday? After all I'm me here, not some cog in the system. Have a great week-end if you have pondered on my original philosophical and universal question instead of something specific about something that has been going on a very long time (various recent discussions on here which have been informative, interesting) and which continues to divide opinion and will continue to do so for some time. Maybe it would have been better if I had posited the question in the virtual pub but I am too tired to go there now. Maybe a friendly mod will help me? D why isn't there a sleepy I've had a beer, my dinner and now am going to bed emoticon? Have a great weekend one and all. It's teddy bedwards for me as I don't think I'm going to make any sort of sense for much longer I am so tired. D

Hope you have a beer ready and some more popcorn. When will people realise that they only have rights when they fulfil their obligations? Discuss. I'm going to have dinner now as I think that should be the limit of my contribution to this discussion. Cracks open a beer and serves up dinner minus tin hat. Debbi

I do not recommend missing Thames Lock opening times. It is safe but not pleasant going up and down the wall outside but can be done safely if you've got a regular watch on very long ropes. Only Thames Lock is manned and the opening hours are generally 2 hrs either side of high tide which accommodates most of those leaving or entering. Once through Thames Lock you enter a semi tidal section and there is a 24 hour mooring for those using the lock. Again, watch your ropes. Be aware too that there is limited clearance under Brentford Bridge at high tide. there is a floating pontoon below the Brentford Gauging Lock. This is not a visitor mooring, It is only for people using the lock and again goes up and down with the tide. Once through the electric but self operated Gauging Lock there are quite a lot of visitor moorings on the port side as you head up river. It is usual to double up narrowboats at this site as it is a busy mooring but you should manage to find a space. Pump out, elsan, water, rubbish, laundry and showers are available, look for the white topped bollards about 50 m upsteam of the lock on the left. Pump out cards are available from the Riverside cafe. Plenty of food shopping, chemist, hair dressers, fast food, banks, bakers, launderette, chemist and stuff on Brentford High Street. For pubs I personally like O'Briens, the Weir and the Tap. Not had a chance to do the Magpie or Beehive yet. Other end of the high street is Fat Boys Thai, very tasty and recommended when I last went there. Also same area is a Morrisons supermarket. HTH Debbi

LOL! our boat nearly got renamed when the man first moved on board after he split with wife No 1 who these many years later is a good friend of minel However, dragonwitch is a lot more expensive to sign write compared to a five letter word so it didn't get changed and we all remain good friends. D Bed time right now!

Question is .... is swan poo larger in volume than heron poo? We (the boat) got splatted by a heron the other week. It was flying along, parted it's legs and let rip for about 10m along the roof and cabin sides. Must get around to washing the boat now. It's about time for the first wash of the year. D

Advice to the OP as MJG correctly points out the risks and workwise I've seen far too much of the downside of craft which have been rented out without the correct licence and insurance. There have been some real horror stories where the renter's have lost everything (personal possessions) or nearly been killed or conversly the other way around where the boat owner renting their boat have actually lost their boat when it's been stolen, sunk or otherwise damaged. So, don't do it, use a reputable hire company. Go to www.britishwaterways.co.uk/license-it and read it very carefully including the advice to private boat owners considering renting out their craft. We know you do it but it is fraught with risk. It could also be argued that private renting is helping put legitimate hire companies out of business with knock on effects to the whole canal network such as loss of facilities (many pump-outs, diesel, elsan etc are at hire bases) as well as a lack of opportunities for people to experience boating safely for the first time etc. OK you lot, get the popcorn and the beers out and discuss .... D

I am happy to confirm that this boat is not in any BW enforcement process and hasn't got a Section 8 on it. The owner is very upset and very keen to find her boat so if anyone can help, as we are also trying to do, please join in. D

Any central London or East London boaters on here who might have seen a small blue narrowboat? Looks like the London GU has been checked. Would be good to rule out the Regents and Lower Lee and Hertford Union area. Has it already been repainted and/or sold on? D Edited to bump this up the topics again.

Yes, as soon as they thought it was stolen. And BW suggested that it was posted here due to CWF past successes in finding stolen boats. Fingers crossed it is found soon. D

Oh dear :-(

Unless the mooring is for a static houseboat with residential status the BW mooring is very unlikely to be assignable to the new owner and will probably go onto the mooring auction system (where you can currently get some great bargains at less than the full price if you look hard). For full details on BW mooring policy go to www,waterscape.com and click mooriings. All the documents you need are there. D

Ed Boden is the man for gear boxes. He's on a boat at Marsworth and will probably travel to you. He reconditioned our Hurth gearbox. Very reasonable price and a jolly good job. He advertises in a lot of boat club magazines, I know he's got an ad in the Aylesbury Canal Society newsletter. Will dig out a phone number when I'm home if someone on here hasn't already posted it. D

Bat's???? Is he as blind as one or should BW be trying to fund wildlife projects by getting bats to by licences LOL! I like that idea Paddington Basin is one place people don't overstay as most of it is a 7 day only stop and is patrolled daily by Merchant Square Security from Bishops Bridge Road down to the end who do move people on backed up by the local BW enforcement officer. Perhaps your brother is getting confused as there are a number of boats in the basin and further up close to the pool/Westway that have winter mooring permits and most have been there for nearly five months now and will be leaving at the end of March. As for licenses, the only way a member of the public can tell if the boat is licensed or not is putting the boat index number into the online boat licence checker at www.britishwaterways.co.uk/license-it as many boats for whatever reason do not display their up to date license discs even though it is a bylaw offence not to display. And I would bet that any boats in Paddington that are unlicensed are already in BW's enforcement process. D

From 7th March to 11th April 2011. No moorings available along the length of towpath closed to form part of the construction site. Refurbishment works to Dolphin Bridge undertaken off the canal and towpath. No access to the construction site. Basically all mooring suspended from the footpath between St. John's Road and the canal by the General Elliot pub to above the bridge near Dolphin Wharf. London enquiries 020 7985 7200

Just watched the first one and am not impressed. What planet are these people on? Oh well, I've got better things to do with my time. Thank whatever deity of your choice I don't have TV on board. D

Due to bridge works. Mooring on towpath and offside north and south off bridge (including outside the General Elliot) will be suspended for a week or so. Will post more details when I've got them all but there is already a stoppage notice on www.waterscape.com if you need to check it out. I may have a map of the mooring suspension that I can post here in a few days. D