The Gravy Boater

Yes because we've never had to cope with rain in this country before. It's like all wet! and slippery! Nightmare...

900 dollery do dars for a bit of welding and cutting out the tube seems exorbitant. It had better have been a good job.

The funding "crisis" came out of the CaRT failing to renegotiate a favourable deal. I've seen a few interviews with the current head of the CaRT. Let's just say I wasn't impressed. If you want to negotiate with a weak government when times are tough you need an attack dog. Just look at some of the public sector pay deals that have been agreed lately.

Is there a group for middle aged white guys who like beer and women? Asking for a friend...

The gov.uk page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-bill-support-if-you-do-not-get-it-automatically-continuous-cruisers

Some marinas and boatyards don't sell that much fuel in comparison to fuel boats which might effect the quality of fuel you get. Fuel boats have a very high turnover of fuel and in the case of Jules I know they also add a fuel additive so you don't have to. Their diesel price is competative and you can sign up for text alerts so you will know when they are passing. My experience has been that LPG, coal etc. may be more expensive from a fuel boat, but you do get the convenience of not having to cart the stuff down the towpath.

As several folks have mentioned RCR being bundled. Irrespective of plan they have also had a £15 "fuel surcharge" on callouts for some time to cover increased fuel costs post pandemic / War / famine / death walking amongst us. Don't know if this has been dropped yet.

I changed to Craftinsure last year and was not required to get a survey (last done in 2020). Their price would not have gone up for me this year but I increased the boat valuation £5k to take account of the market/inflation. Premium went up £10.

I'm not saying I have ever lofted my external antenna on the barge pole but...

Venetian truely is the arse end of nowhere for internet. You'd be better off attaching your antenna to a cow (they have plenty of them around there), play out the cable and hope it goes to the top of a hill.

Question is... will a Skip float? Add a sleeping bag, a tarp and an outboard... job done.

I can confirm that Supertherm has gone right down the toilet. I previously used it all the time but some say the formula has changed and my experience of late is that it turns up broken and produces more ash than before. Lately I've been using Winterblaze and it's been fine. Not tried some of that High Street stuff Booke suggests so may investigate that... next year. My stove is a French Petit Godin, a tall cylinder with a hot plate and chimney vents at the bottom and top. Wood is great in it and will burn all night but you have to manage it until it is settled. I mostly use coal for this reason... it's just more predictable heat.

I shall go back to microwaving my water in a tin cup...

You know those folding plastic box things... when I moved onto my boat I overloaded one of them and the contents broke out and fell into the canal. About 30 tins of food... managed to retrieve most of them but at some point they will turn up again... like everything else you ever owned... I buy quality so a future generation can thank me now.