Oddjob

Sorry to say we are no longer CCer’s we have sold the boat and returned home to Goa India as my half German half Irish wife was born in Assam India so we have the right to live here so happy days but no boat! Only been back two weeks but do miss the boat life. Major surgery drove the move as I was not sure about being on the cut in a isolated spot and needing ambulance again. Lucky last time we were moored at Market Harbrough. So all the best to you all and happy boating.

When working as a aircraft engineer filled up DC 10’s Gatwick to LA 135,000 litres around 110 tons fun days at Laker airways

Us to a “T”. Because of emergency operation and follow up stuck in market harbrough since early March. Spoke with licensing officer he had no issues at all because he could see by our cruising record we were not in his words “piss takers”. I get fed up seeing the same boats in the same location year in year out. One outside Debdale marina comes to mind always between debdale and around foxton locks.

Debdale just north of foxton locks

Please send my way as our boat will be for sale soon as to me at time writing this recovering in hospital after 2 nd blocked/ twisted bowl operation. I’ve just had 9 days with NO food and lost 7kgs in weight. Plan is sell boat and return to our home Goa India. Maybe straining to open stuck gates/bridges not doing me any favours

Penton hook marina just below the lock mega bucks to buy but may do

I remember getting loose frozen peas as a kid for mum that stopped when she found a frozen wood lice lol. But I agree so much was loose packed in paper bags 4oz of sugar coated lemon drops pls for 6d

NO!!!!!

Have people here been able to join a boat going up river which has vhf aboard can do the course and buy a set but don’t want the expense. Used to radio use as had DC 10 and Airbus taxi approval when in work as aircraft eng but Lic expired now. Had fun doing that had total radio failure while taxing round Gatwick in a dc 10 and brake failure in a A 300 while approaching live runway crossing all in a days work lol l. Anyway would like to transit with a legal Lic holder

Barrus’s after sales seem a bit wanting I removed the travel pack alternator to have new bearings installed as it’s run 3000 hrs and prevention is better than cure. If bearings fail a very expensive alternator gets wiped out. While it’s off I removed the tensioning pulley and the bearing was very dry and as it’s done 6000 hours time to replace it. Guess what Barrus who installed the travel pack when the engine was new don’t keep any spares not available they say. Anyway 4 countries marine who is doing bearing replacement will source a replacement and install but it’s not a straightforward job but I am sure he will come through. Disappointed in Barrus if you supply from your factory a complete engine as shown by the manual supplied you would think they would supply the parts required to service it as they shipped it. 4 countries marine a very good see his web site his work is top notch. He installed a upgraded alt for the domestic batteries and they operation since has been so much better.

Just need to get out from winter mooring in marina. Getting fed up looking at boat next door. Don’t care where we go just get out on the cut. Been in here doing jobs that require being in a marina otherwise we are out on the cut 365 days a year. Sadly boat will be sold in early 2023 as we are to return to Goa India which is a main home after I retired me a Brit wife is half Irish half German born and brought up in India I know it sounds a heady mix but she is 100 % pukka Hindi speaking Indian. She loves the boat life but it will be time to rtn home plus I need a hip replaced and with NHS as it is I will be dead before getting it done here.

Spoke with a electric boat owner a little while back and he said the battery pack which is Lithium cost him wait for it £40k, now if they last for 8 years that’s £5k a year replacement cost even if lithium cost drop by 50% bearing in mind the demand from the auto industry that’s still £2.5 k a year plus a diesel generator running costs so please where is the up side of going electric I ask myself. Also told me that he can get a day’s cruising on a charge well dipper-de-do for that money I would want a lot more than that. So me I will stick with my 4 pot oil burner with 6000 hrs on the clock and still runs sweet as, oil change every 250 hours g/box every 500 hours together with fuel filter. Air filter is K&N so wash once every 6 months so that’s me done for routine maintenance. Lot cheaper than electric that’s for sure.

The CRT logs boats moving and going through locks and you can request a movement report from them which lists where your boat has been seen. So if you are a CC but only seen in one area they would know now what they do about it is another matter. I’ve had my number logged by log keepers lots of times for this reason. As to the boats with sheds type that stay in one location it’s very hard for the CRT to action and the local council don’t want the person made homeless as they then have to deal with them and not the CRT, so we just have to put up with these type of “I DON’T GIVE A SH*T” owners. Also checkers have to be careful they don’t run into a nut job that does them serous harm. So no more.

I did aircraft engineering for 50 years and any old a/c with a nice paint job was said to had a “Mexican overhaul” wipe over with a oily rag and a paint job. Lol. I’ve helped a couple of people lady’s broken down in narrowboat and my labour rates are cheap just one or two cups of tea an hour! One lady gave away a bottle of red wine which was her husbands he was happy they were fixed but not so happy being a bottle short after.

Thank goodness for the washer/dryer in the back runs off travel pack.

We had a 240 v freezer power board failed due voltage outside spec that to we have a travel pack 240v system but the freezer didn’t like it on shore power fine I replaced board twice then gave up and went with 12v one expensive but it works.

Same my light points up and to the right. To all who complain about other boaters I say "get a life" and stop complaining about every little thing.

Wife and I have a house in Calcutta (India) and there is no marina there, well not for narrowboats anyway.lol. We also have a flat in Goa but we can't get there either at the moment my problem is I miss the street food nothing like it.

We have small dog Jack Russell pug cross now 1 year old and he is no issue for any of the issues you are worried about. If he needs to get off he will let you know in plenty of time. I’ve stopped under a bridge he gets off has his per then jumps back on. Number twos are first thing in the morning pick up and bin it so no issue there. We leave him alone for up to 4 hrs with his water without problem. He is my wife’s dog for sure but wouldn’t be with out him now.

I go past at 1000 rpm or a bit less which is around 2mph so able to steer also why should I waste my time creeping past at 1 mph just to please the Earl Grey tea drinker or Tesco lager drinker depending on which end of the wealth spectrum they are from. If you don't want your boat/home to moving about sell up and buy a house or better still cruise with it after all its a boat. I try hard not to loose my rag with them but having failed my anger management classes I find it hard.lol. On the same subject went past a fishing competition the other day must have been a 100 of them I always set the speed and cruise past them all at the same speed so all treated the same way the last one and I mean the LAST one shouted about slowing down, again making me loose the plot.lol.

Did the Slough arm 2 months ago the end is more like a open sewer and I had to clear the prop too. looking down at that colour water I thought it might strip the flesh from my bones. There are plans in place to re develop the old Jewson site at the end which would make it a better place to go but as of now not a very nice location. Also some of the owners moored down the arm are real sour puss's.

Or composting toilets

If they don’t moor in a marina but claim to be cc’s then they living the wrong life style you can’t be a full time cruisers with kids in school. Home schooling is a option lesson one how to give the finger to Crt licence ranger. Lesson two it’s your right to moor where you like for as long as you like. Lesson three leave as much s#*t and rubbish on the tow path as you like. Lesson four shout at me for going to fast past their rusted tub with no licence, insurance or boat safety cert. Forgive if I have missed your favourite gripe about these squatters that take up mooring space for years together without moving one inch. Just got to Bristol today after doing the K&A which had a serious issue with this. rant over

I was on the Ashton and at the swing bridge had a mixed race kit drag his electric scooter over the roof from one side to other while I was half way through the bridge. Man o man did he get shouted at and his reply “ bloody racist” if my wife was here at that time she would have ripped him a new arse in Hindi being she is Indian I must admit I love seeing her get to it when someone upsets her. However back to the post doing the nine no real issue just get on with it overnight before getting into city centre set off early the next day before the wasters are out of bed job done.

New and old side by side. Old ones may have had some more life left in them because one was stuck when I removed it. However new one in now working fine and I’ve now made a note to remove and clean after about a 1000 hrs of running which should be later in the year. As live aboard engine gets heavy usage so I like to keep on top of servicing etc. Also it’s a life time of aircraft engineering coming out prevention is better than cure!