Jacsprat

Amazing how quickly these light-hearted posts can get a bit terse. Better end it here. Thanks for everyone's input.

I used kill switches plenty on quads, jet skis and small boats - attached to a lanyard and wrist strap, it's very phaff-free to simply slide it off your wrist leaving the engine running and you free to move about without it.

Yup - not worried about dying really, just the boat taking off without me. A wrist strap and cord for the kill switch is very easy to remove and put back on. In any case, I'm sure I wouldn't use it all the time - just on rivers perhaps.

As I'm on the Avon at the moment, my worry is more that the boat continues without me than I am worried about getting the chop from the prop. That said, If a person tries to haul themselves back onto the boat, probably best the prop isn't spinning!

She would indeed be gleeful until it came time to have her dinner...

As a newbie single-hander using rivers and canals, I've had paranoid fantasies of tumbling off the back of my boat and watching it disappear into the horizon with my dog watching gleefully from the rear. Not to mention being minced by the prop if I get caught up. Has anyone fitted a corded engine kill switch? Is it even possible? I've done a search here on the topic, but zilch comes up.

Yes, started following the Watford woes. By my calculations, I won't be there for about four weeks. Gonna take me chances!

Very encouraging - thank you. Yes, by hook or by crook, I'm boating there. I work two weeks on, two off so can always find a place to moor up (hopefully!) if there are unforseen stoppages, and get back to it on the next chunk of time off. Youtube has been brilliant for tutorials as well - I've had her out a few times on the river now and reckon I'll be just fine once I conquer my first couple of river locks.

Good to know JP! The Watford flight closure has just thrown up a new problem though!! Surely they'll be able to repair the gate in the next couple of weeks, even with restrictions in place - fingers crossed. A detour to N Kilworth via Leicester would mean more adventure than I need at the moment... I see you're at Droitwich - lovely spot. I tried to get a mooring there as Tewkesbury marina prices have skyrocketed with little on offer anyway. No space for my little boat there though.

Oh dear.

Yes, I can relate to the 'risk averse' issue. Transport overland is out of the question for price and hassle, but breakdown cover is on the cards. I expect I'll very much enjoy this trip despite getting past the Avon restrictions and having a bit of a time constraint. I can always find a temporary secure mooring along the way if I can't make it all the way to N Kilworth in one go.

True Rob - that is my back-up plan precisely. It'll add a day to my total journey and about 20 locks over the move, but still doable. Thank you!

Ye, it is a pain. I was disappointed to get that ANT email yesterday. I'm moving to a new marina in the midlands to be closer to work in three week's time and only have a limited amount of time to get there. Booking 5 locks in advance, M-F between certain hours is a big added stress (first time I'm navigating in my boat off the river - total newbie). I think the best advice is to ring ANT and feel out the situation.

Thank you for that. Hopefully we'll be up and running on the Avon without the need to pre-book - it'll be difficult for me to predict my arrivals. On the other hand, as you say, I'd have a team to help me get through them! Six of one, half a dozen of the other!

Thank you! I did wonder but was hoping I wouldn't need to check if I qualified for essential travel. By the sound of it, restrictions on the rivers and canals could drag on - surprising since CCers now have to keep moving again. I have been concerned about this! Thank you very much for the tips!!