Tom Morgan

But at least you've thought about a mooring first! That's a good start.

Here's my boat on the Staffs and Worcs. Just a few little finishing-off jobs to do.

Just for a second there, I thought I saw a Norman 23 bow pulpit over on the right. Just what I'm looking for, but no.

Many boatmen joined the army as fighting troops and it's right that they should be remembered. The Royal Engineers had a very large Inland Waterways and Docks section, with boats ferrying war material to ports, as well as providing hospital barges from the fighting zones via canals and rivers to the ports in France and Belgium. The members of these units weren't exposed to the same dangers as their fellow in the trenches, but their work was vital. "The Canals at War" is a poorly-recorded aspect.

Plus one for the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal from Great Haywood to Stourport and back. Widely considered to be one of the prettiest canals and (opened 1772) one of the earliest. 46 miles and 43 locks, mostly singles and well-spaced out.

Good luck with your survey and subsequent offer, and I hope you get the boat you want. I did, a couple of weeks ago, and moved it to my home marina today.

I had nothing to plug in! To be honest, I can't see myself needing the inverter much, but it was included in the sale but not actually fitted when I viewed the boat (the previous owner was using it on his narrowboat). I saw it in place when I made my first visit as owner, and only switched it on to see if it was connected. I understand that make and model info is pretty important to those trying to answer my question. So let's put this on hold until Sunday, when I'll be able to say exactly what it is. I'll be staying on the boat Sunday night ready for an early start to another marina for craning on Monday morning. I'll have a look and post details then. In the meantime, thanks for people's comments so far.

I have used the forum's search facility but haven't found an answer to my question, probably because it's so basic! The Norman 23 I've just bought has a 1000w inverter and one 12v battery. I've only had the chance to visit my new boat once, and that was a "checking it over" visit. The battery is quite well-charged, reading about 12.4 volts. I'm sorry not to have thought to take a photo of the inverter or maker a note of the make/model, but it has an on/off switch, three lights and two plug sockets. I think it may have a USB socket, too. When I switch it on it beeps, the three lights come on for a second and then go off, and that's it. Nothing was plugged into it. My basic question is - what's supposed to happen?

Sorry, OG - I understood you to say that it wouldn't be reliable for battery charging. Although it's big, bulky and probably very noisy, it might be worth a try then. If it does the job, it may tide me over until I can save up to get something more modern and compact.

Hmmm. It's not going to be of much use to me, then. The only use I would have for a generator would be battery charging.

No change of that, OldGoat. To be honest, it seems a bit of overkill for a Norman 23. With the boat as it is at the moment, the only thing I could possibly run off it is the battery-charger.

I managed to get over to the boat this afternoon, to see what will need taking off/tying down etc before it's moved by road. It's only my second visit, and the first as the actual owner. In the cockpit, neatly boxed in (only to cover it, not for use!) is a Kraftmburg KM8500 petrol generator. It looks very tidy but I didn't try to get it off the boat or start it. Are they any good? It seems to be one of several manufacturers whose generators are identical apart from the name-stickers. It looks like this one.

Yes, I saw two boaters who looked just that kind of person going up Fradley locks. They gave me quite supercilious looks as I stood on the towpath, admiring their boats as they went past. Their husbands were nice, though - smiled and said, "Hello".

Thanks you all for your advice. There's a whole jetty full of GRP cruisers at my proposed Marina. The manager tells me that no-one has ever reported a problem. The cockpit covers have to come down, of course. So I'm confident again. All the parts of the jigsaw-like arrangements for moving my boat are falling into place, so here's hoping!

Thanks, all, for your advice. Jen-in-Wellies - yes, my boat's the same as the one in your photo.

Today my Nicholson Guide arrived and it tells me that the maximum headroom on the Staffs. and Worcs. Canal is 6' 0". Does this mean headroom measured from the towpath or from the waterline? I have recently bought a 1970 Norman 23 with the one-piece GRP windscreen. I don't know the height of the windscreen above the water, and can't easily get to the boat (still on the seller's marina) to measure. I'm now worried that my boat might not be able to navigate my preferred canal! As always, I'd be very grateful for any advice.

I think the central plank of their purchase of a new boat is that they get you to pay for it, so they can have two boats. That, put simply, is the condition they impose on you. I couldn't go along with that.

Just to round off this topic from my point of view - the system has worked! The previous owner went online last night and transferred my boat out of his ownership. This morning, the boat appears in the "My Boats" section of my CRT account without me having to do anything. As a new customer, my payment details aren't known to the CRT so they can't issue a licence until I buy one, so I can choose the starting date I want.

Thank you again, Alan. I'll keep an eye on this.

Thanks for that - I'll remember that for the future. But for now, I need to get the boat out of the water to move it to the marina I want to moor it in. The very helpful Natalie said that it's only the "transfer in" facility that's been suspended. Once the previous owner "transfers out" and the system picks me up as the new owner, I'll be able to licence the boat as the CRT will have the boat in my name. . That's the plan, anyway! I insured the boat today, so that's sorted.

Yesterday, I contacted CRT via the drop down chat box on their website. At the moment, the facility to "transfer in" a newly-acquired boat has been suspended while they iron out a few hiccups. I was told that the way to do it is for the previous owner to "transfer out" giving my name and address as the new owner, whereupon the system will recognise me as a CRT account holder and transfer the registration automatically. I'll then be able to order a licence and will follow Alan's advice as start it from 1st October.

Alan I thought I had replied to your post before now, but apparently not. Thanks for your advice which is very helpful and something I hadn't thought of.