Onionman

I've read that the added losses from running an electric motor as well as a diesel generator are more than compensated for by the fact that you can run the generator part of the setup at its most fuel-efficient speed. I certainly know that this was the thinking behind diesel-electric trains. Unfortunately the articles I've found on the subject have been too deeply technical so I have to take that headline at face value.

These guys might be worth a call: http://www.plasticwatertanks.co.uk/35.html

Thanks to you all for some excellent suggestions. I see it as a way to go from our occasional weeks to a cheap few years with the kids then a way to test the water with Mrs Onionman to see if four weeks away is blissful (as we hope) or puts us at risk of killing one another (I'm fine, she's the weird one). I wouldn't mention the possibility that we might sell soon; after all, four weeks a year might just turn out to be what we need long-term. I hadn't thought about the "learning maintenance" benefits of private shares but I can see it could teach us a great deal - also the reduced cost appeals. I'd written off private ownership by means of a decision a few weeks ago that had led me down that path. We dropped that requirement but I seem to have been mentally stuck with it. So private is definitely an option. Plenty to look at!

After yet another excellent hired narrowboat break (this time along the Kennet & Avon) we're looking to buy a share in a boat. In the long-term, Mrs Onionman and I see ourselves spending a great deal of time on a boat. I run a business that requires me to be at home for three weeks out of six and we think we might end up with two of the three "free" weeks on board. In that period, I'd need access to a laptop for about an hour a day along with phone and internet access. Then when retirement beckons (six or seven years) plenty of time on the water. In the short term, however, our kids are in the last couple of years of school so we ideally need school holiday dates for our trips. So, we're considering a 12th share in one of the many boats offered by Carefree (largely because they offer school holiday shares which would guarantee us a fortnight in the summer). In a couple of years when the kids have gone, I see us possibly sticking with a share for another year. If at the point we're chafing for more time we'll look to buy a boat and sell the share. If we're finding ourselves not using it, we'll probably consider selling the share and not buy a boat. If we just like doing four or so weeks a year we'll keep the share. I don't know how unusual it is to think of buying a share for maybe only three years. Can anyone see any particular pitfalls with taking that approach? Thanks.

I may well have imagined it but didn't one of Graham Booth's boat building books suggest taking the engine air intake from the bilge so there was constant airflow through it and it remained bone-dry? I really may have imagined it, of course.

I'm pretty sure holly is great burning - it's the highest calorific content per kg of any common wood (Courtesy of the book "Norwegian Wood"). And for an excellent guide to where your electricity is coming from at this very moment, look at http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ (Some of the percentages are very surpirising) Very nerdy for a first post but there'll be plenty more.