Mike55

Try looking on ASAP chandlers. This may suit: https://www.asap-supplies.com/

We went up them in September and they weren't very pleasant - human excrement, needles etc. We had problems at several locks: the second or third pound was very low due to a paddle left open - at least that refilled quickly once we'd closed the paddle; then at the lock by the G-A-Y bar (can't remember the number, it's the one with no towpath access) we had so much water coming over the top gate we couldn't get the bottom gates open. As we later found out this was caused by a CRT person helping a boat with a similar problem at the top lock (of the 9) by sending water down the flight. The CRT guy hung about to help us through the top lock. Passage involved several calls to CRT but their on-site staff were very helpful throughout. I wouldn't describe them as 'typical urban locks' and they were hard work and slow (due to the problems) but they're do-able by a not very fit couple in their 60s. The Ashton flight was no bother other than the irritating habit of a lot of the bottom gates swinging open by themselves. For both flights we set off reasonably early in the morning, so saw very few people (or boats).

Just finished fitting a timer/thermostat to control our Mikuni heater. I managed to find a 12V timer/thermostat to - most require 230V. Hopefully I won't have to turn it on manually whilst shivering on a cold morning!

Thanks!

I'd add Weston Point/entrance lock of Runcorn & Weston Canal for a similar reason, Winsford bridge is a Silver Propeller location but the other end of the Weaver Navigation gets far fewer visitors. I'd also suggest the end of the Runcorn 'branch' due to the Unlock Runcorn proposals. Whatever you may think of the proposals it does meet the IWA's 'Knocking on the door' criterion for SP locations. @DHutchWho did you contact at IWA?

Having now looked at rather more of the documents associated with this (but not all - there are 191 of them!), I note that there is an existing bridge there which is to be demolished and replaced. Assuming that it is 4.32m wide or more (I can't find a drawing that confirms the existing width), there would be an arguable case that it should be rebuilt no more restrictive than the existing. HOWEVER, looking at what they are going to have to do to repair the breach, any movement of the proposed towpath edge outwards will have a big impact on the slope remediation. And there isn't much point in having a 4.32m wide bridge if it is immediately followed by a 3m channel through the breach site. One thing that I'm unclear about is that there appear to be two designs for the breach area, one using precast concrete sections (extract from that in the OP) and another just using a bentonite layer in a V shaped channel. It's not clear why there are two. The precast version seems the more robust not least because it's on piles whereas the other isn't. Either way this is a significant piece of work, which will be expensive. Also this is all quite near the end of the canal, which is only just round the corner at Hall Lane (another part of the development). So overall, I agree we're lucky to get it repaired at all.

Have a poke around the wiring loom connecting the heater to the switch. You may find two wires joined together to allow a timer/thermostat to be connected. That's what I found with our Mikuni heater. One question: whilst I was able to find a 12V timer/thermostat, all the controllers required 230V. For us that would require having the inverter on all the time just to power the controller. Is the 'Nest' you've found 12V?

Have you contacted the local IWA branch and asked them to object? Also, have you contacted CRT? I thought they owned the MB & B canal? I must say I'm not sure about a floating towpath as it would require wide boats to give notice of passage. I would have thought that engineering out the problem was better rather than building in the problem forever.

Great! Thanks for the update. I'll make one up.

As it's a few weeks since you posted this, how well has it worked in practice? Any problems? I'm thinking of doing something similar but I'm a bit concerned that when the tank is full the increase in pressure within the tank (due to the reduction in the area for air to vent) may cause the flexible pipe between the filler and tank to blow off. My tank vent isn't very large but that's never mattered before.

Yes, I was going to do that too, however the most accurate scales we have are..... on the boat, so that too will have to wait until I can get to the boat.

Lifejackets arrived today. Automatic bobbins are out-of-date (as expected) so I'll order replacements from rt supplies, although I'm holding fire on ordering them until I've checked our two existing lifejackets to see if they're out-of-date too. Unfortunately being under house arrest, sorry lockdown I can't visit the boat currently.

We have a manual two way valve that allows us to feed either cold or hot water into our Candy washing machine. We put it to the hot position for the initial fill and then move it to the cold position before the rinses start. The grey water outflow can be easily seen from the steering position, and so we just move the valve across when we see the wash water coming out. Usually takes about 16 minutes with our machine. We only use the washer when we're under way. Washing m/c connects to lower port.

Yes, I had spotted that, thanks.

I too have 2 on order, hopefully they'll be delivered tomorrow. Thanks for the 'heads up' on this Alan, very useful. As is the details about where to get service parts. This site at it's best!??

Congratulations! We're some way behind you - done 15 so far, although it would have been more but Coronavirus disrupted our plans, as it did for most people. We had hoped to get to 18 by now. They'll have to wait until next year now.

This is what I found as well. On my southbound passage a few weeks ago, I had to postpone my booking several times as I was trapped the wrong side of the then closed Bosley locks. In every case the response was very prompt confirming my booking. I've found it very easy to use.

Afraid not. This morning they posted a stoppage for this morning to fix it. They were still working on it when I left Fradley about 11 this morning. I'm just glad we came through last night. Bearing in mind that this was a planned repair, why couldn't CRT post it in advance?

I successfully turned our 57' 3" boat in the entrance to the feeder/facilities just over a week ago, whilst the water shortage stoppage was on. Not helped by a boat sitting on half of the water point opposite. As one of the blokes watching observed: good job it wasn't a yard longer. I think you could turn a 58' boat there however. Easier than a 1.5 mile reverse!

We're currently stuck at Gurnett (Sutton) aqueduct as we had intended to go down Bosley locks today, so we went for a walk to Sutton reservoir instead. I can see why the locks are closed with Toddbrook out & the alternative reservoirs being this low.

This is what Sutton reservoir looked like earlier today:

As you're using them outside consider corrosion. The ones shown are ferrite (which is essentially rust) so the magnets should be fine, but what about the casings they're in? Probably steel, so likely to corrode in time. Also beware of other magnet types which may be stronger, but will corrode.

The IWA is due to run a 'campaign cruise' through Weston Marsh lock (twice) in late August, so I suspect it's currently operational. The CRT boater's information for the Anderson lift & the Weaver, doesn't give any information about opening times of this lock. You don't need to pre-book lock passages on the other Weaver locks, but this lock may be different. I suggest you contact CRT.

I certainly was not attempting to judge, just expressing my opinion that it's probably an unnecessary precaution. Your signature line is relevant here: "If my opinion was correct, true and valid. We would all share the same opinion. Then it wouldn't be an opinion."

Given that narrow boats are nominally 7ft wide (i.e. >2m) provided the steerers are sensible about where they stand, wearing a mask in that situation is probably an unnecessary precaution. Apart from anything a mask mostly protects other people from you, so they're only really effective if everyone nearby is wearing them. A far greater risk is gongoozlers standing on the lock side above the steerer and chatting at them.