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What a nasty little green eyed monster thread. One doesn't require a flipping apprenticeship to have a boat. 145k is really rather modest for a two bedroom home (which apparently this is). And no-one is required to cruise their residence more than CRT specify. Peoples wants and needs change. No shame in trying something and finding it doesn't suit. No shame in something suiting for a year but no longer.

Sounds like a horrible plan. Having the controls on the tiller means they will move and be subject to brushing against/the elements etc and so forth. Why not have them in front of you? One of mine (trad) has both the gear lever and throttle directly in front of the steering position mounted where the hatch is. Could you have some form of 'control table' on your cruiser deck to do similar? I mean, I'm not even sure where you can put a champagne flute on a cruiser deck whilst steering so it would come in handy... Seriously... If you're going to the effort of moving them - something more ergonomic that you can happily reach for when steering in consistently the same place. And then cover neatly when not in use.

You can get them marketed for conservatories I think? I was going to get (unsecured) honey comb blinds for the insulation but a couple of weeks ago the Chinese firm selling them on Amazon stopped doing so...

Def depends on the boat. One of mine has raised edges and those plastic hooks (about 25quid for 6, including delivery) look really smart. The one with rails looks better with ropes IMHO. You can get curved hooks for the rail style too...

I could be miss remembering where I did that then, or could have just done it wrong... Coxed regularly on the Cam, Tideway and bits of non-tidal Thames. All of which had various different rules for different things. Plus away for races etc. But many, many, moons ago... I'm close to the tideway now and was horrified ppl were taking narrowboats in it so that stuck in my mind :-)

Ooh, @Alan de Enfieldis probably right about the Clipper thing. My battery monitor is a similar style to those instruments - nothing like the cover at all! The grey things are the same as each other and there was a hozelock reel on the boat when I got it. (Filthy beyond redemption and slightly broken so I've dismembered it and kept hose for pump out flushing). Good spot @Rob-M. They can go in my box of random hose attachments (both boats came with more of the tap fittings than I can explain) until storage gets too tight. @Mike the Boilerman. I'd have binned a bit of my battery thing if I hadn't checked on here! I quite like the idea of hiding it so I don't have to think about the fact I don't yet know how to maintain them!

Isn't Hungerford Man something they dug up?!? (I'm purposely not searching as it is more fun that way) Just like my delicious root vegetables... Yum!

Agree. But one at the front and one at the back is exactly what the regs you posted suggested? Neither were 360 by them selves.

Sleep is for non-boaties :-) We used to have lights front and back to ensure 360degree visibility of white lights. Coxing on the tideway was fun and felt, possibly because it takes place within a club, slightly less ambiguous than canal boating. One day I may starve self down and do it again if life gets less busy...

Found some random items aboard new boat and wanted to ID before deciding what to do with... So, answers on a post card please! The white 'Clipper' item was near the cover (round) for the smoke alarm so presumably may be from a previous iteration? The two grey things look new and unused - were vaguely near batteries (which seem to have pipes for filling - deionised water for that?) the black thing looks like packaging except for the orange labels... Any clues?

Thank you all! xx

@Horace42 Good luck in your new home. If you can put/have the boat put in a marina or other group mooring near your target destination for a few months whilst you look for your new place you might find it a great way to meet like minded people in your new neighbourhood - although EOG is a lot of peoples dream the social aspect of boating can be really nice in a new area. If your kids don't live anywhere near water there is no shame in renting a furnished place for a few months before buying your next property. Being a 'chain free' buyer is good! xx

That is a cunning idea. I actually own (and am moderately competent to operate) a cordless drill... Far less likely to loose things that way ? *Things/smaller people etc and so forth

Ah, see I'd understood that navigation lights were for making you visible (and I'm used to those from rowing on the Thames etc although have no intention of taking either flat bottomed boat there) but I wasn't sure what a tunnel light was. The regs (9) made it sound like you had to be visible from the front (which makes sense) but @Scholar Gypsy implied they were for giving you visibility... In theory then I'd use both my white navigation light (of which I only need one, and at the front, for normal canal boating, no all-round requirement for ditch crawling) and also a tunnel light (optional) to help me see in a tunnel if I wanted. Will have to have a play with the various white lights I have in the dark... Also, am not wanting to take the p with an over stay. Had check with CRT about lights as was thinking would need to move boat in dark today after deliveries and they suggested better to overstay until daylight tomorrow. So, am free to move boat tomorrow at their suggestion, but that was made 4weeks or so ago when delivery was arranged and before such high winds forecast.

Thank you. I currently have a few bits awaiting photography for this place to identify them. Some things (e.g top of an old spray can) I found in the engine area I knew to throw out... Others I'm not so sure!

Lack of ability (and tool) only really. And possibly caution abt making permanent changes on a boat which is new to me.

This is a super-helpful thread. I have two similar (painted mild steel?) fittings empty and water filled on my NB and was thinking about what to do with them... I'm thinking cap off with plastic/wood and then advice as above? They are for the bar seat style stearing seats and on my boat would prevent easy access when on our mooring so would be a danger when stationary as well as cruising so they are destined to remain empty.

Currently have nothing besides camping mats for child (or me) to sleep on. Is not replacements for existing ones, the boat didn't come with any and beds are a different size. In fact we're also having the child bed delivered as that cabin doesn't even have a bed at present. To be clear though, the dogs have two layers of reflective stuff insulated memory foam under their fluffy top beds inside new waterproof cases. So they're fine :-)

How do you tell the difference? (Just out of interest). The lights on both boats are slightly different but I'm not sure how I'd know which was a tunnel one? The rules @Alan de Enfieldposted talk about both lights being 'displayed' and 'visible' but not providing any visibility. (And surely you do want to be visible to others oncoming in a tunnel?)

I did wonder but was a little surprised at someone who knew what a blinking mess their hull was likely to be having it surveyed themselves prior to sale - makes it harder to say 'I'm sure it's fine' Shirley?

Both boats have fixed white (tunnel?) light at the front which has sound sufficient most places then? They also have coloured ones at the sides (which I'm yet to use and sounds like I won't). Cruising boat has extra emergency white light in case I forget which sequence of charming brass switches is required to operate front light or (again, sounds unlikely) need one astern. I'm using the same (unless specifically directed otherwise) for tunnels as for night (dusk only to date) aren't I? [edited to add : looks like I am (9)] Oh, and thank you. That is really helpful!

My limited experience is that when I mentioned (entirely in passing) about wanting to double check which lights were required for night time cruising (I was due to move Sat but could only get mattresses delivered to other boat that day) they volunteered that overstay for safety would be fine. I have a spare white light but wasn't too sure if colours required on canals too. I was only making small talk whilst we were 'on hold' finding out why Computer Was Saying You Don't Spell Menagerie That Way on voting forms and they volunteered. So, imagine they'd be very reasonable if the concern was. Just wasn't sure if single (and a small half) handing was likely to be an issue in predicted weather. Sounds like it might be so shall do a quick ropes check and leave it at that unless all mirror-like calm I think. Thanks all!