The Black Jack

That's a great suggestion but we've done that route so time for a change.

Looks great! I'm sure we'll do the South Oxford one day but I have in mind the Ashby Canal if the weather is too bad for us to want to tackle all those locks to Stratford. If we do the Stratford route I would like to get as far as the Edstone Aqueduct before turning back to Napton.

You can lead a horse to water but it won't necessarily drink anything. Sorry to hear you have lost your partner. If the engine is inoperative then the only way to move it will be to: Fix engine where it is. Pull the boat by hand with ropes. Get it towed by another boat. Either way, don't try getting in the water and pushing. Even with a sorkel you will end up swallowing canal/river water which will give you a rather bad tummy or worse. I'm afraid you will need to get a decent assessment from a boatyard that will be able to work on your engine. Alternatively, just sell the barge as a project.

Thanks for the reply. I have backup routes planned up towards the Ashby or towards Stratford upon Avon.

We are on a one week holiday from Napton the same week as the Fairport Convention on the South Oxford Canal. We are not interested in visiting the festival. Does anyone know how much this festival impacts on cruising towards Oxford and back?

You eat your underwear?

Yes, that's a lovely route but we did it a couple of years ago. What a good idea. This might be an option if we choose this route. Yes, we've already done the Leicester Line to Market Harborough and south down the Grand Union to Stoke Bruerne. Time for a change next year. Good going! Was that with early starts and/or extra crew?

Those Jackery solar generators are pretty impressive (but expensive). Pity humans can't store electrical energy in their body tissues.

Yes, I suppose if it made good business sense, they'd probably be doing it. The only time a hirer might want to stay put is on a rainy day when solar would be a complete waste of time anyway.

Yes I can see that but wondered that if solar panels were installed it might encourage longer stops or more leisurely cruising perhaps.

One thing we seem to all agree on is that steel narrowboats can get uncomfortably hot in full summer sunshine. With all that canal water around, I'm surprised no one has come up with an idea for cooling the roof by evaporation of that water. We just need an efficient way of keeping the roof wet.

Think how impressive you'd have looked if you caught and ate it!

That would depend on how wet and mucky the paper was.

It seems odd that many hire boats are happy to include 230 volt appliances like toasters, hair driers, TVs and microwave ovens which can flatten leisure batteries quite quickly. When the engine can't be run after 8.00pm, I'm surprised more hire companies don't fit solar panels. This also might encourage less diesel usage per hire.

So far we have been lucky with our Easter or August breaks but I always try to hire from a base where there are alternative routes available for this reason.

Thank-you for your considered comments. We quite like locks but I think the Stratford run might be a bit too much for the two of us for one week. We did the Stourport Ring in one week but we were in our twenties then! As regards the very peaceful Ashby, we might miss the locks and some say it is becoming rather shallow and narrow.

Boutique Narrowboats based at Market Harborough have some high end boats with a cosy King Sized bed at the bow of the boat. There are only two disadvantages: No dogs permitted on their poshest boats. Located at the end of the Market Harborough branch means only two routes available if you only have one week to spare.

My wife and I are taking a one week narrowboat holiday from Napton Marina booked for August next year. We are experienced holiday cruisers. I have four routes planned and would welcome any comments: Route A Napton to Fazeley Junction Return Route B Napton to Snarestone Return Route C Napton to Lower Hayford Return Route D Napton to Stratford upon Avon Return

Interesting. The reason I thought I'd ask what boaters thought was that the physics involved is likely more complicated than it appears on the surface. Some desert nomads traditionally wear black robes.

Has anyone ever tested whether light coloured roofs really keep boat interiors cooler on hot days? With a properly insulated boat, I wonder if it makes much difference. A dark roof certainly produces less glare for comfortable cruising.