Newtricks

My boat is on the Thames and I made the decision to have a "waterless" ( or composting ) toilet when having her built. For me it is not a problem as I am not a liveaboard and can simply keep the contents in a suitable sealed container and take it home until it is safe to use in the garden. I am not familiar with the workings of C&RT but at present there do not appear to be any "composting facilities " at any of the environment agency locks that I know about. My personal view is that Marinas will probably find a way to install suitable recycling facilities in the future and just as technology will eventually evolve to make electric propulsion more viable, then new systems of waste disposal will also evolve to cater for "the market". I wonder if the "incinerator type" systems will be adapted to take bulk waste at l Locks or Marina sites ( for a charge ) ? I have long wondered ( as you do whilst sitting on the loo ! ) whether in the future, our human or animal "waste" will simply be freeze dried or heat treated to use as a form of renewable energy !! ( The phrase " stick a couple of "logs " on the fire could take on a new meaning !!--or is that going too far ! )

I have seen on Midland chandlers facebook page that they are offering 10% discount this Friday ( 27th ) online only ( as far as I can see ? )

Hi LadyG, yes I have an induction hob but trying not to run the inverter till the solar set up is complete. As it's a leisure boat I am planning to prepare meals at home that I can reheat in a microwave. I have seen that some boats have solid fuel stoves which look great and from all the research I have done I think everyone has different ideas on what is best for them.I am going to see what sort of power I can Generate from the solar set up (4 panels ) and see what sort of appliances will work best. From what I can gather it's the winter months that take the most thought and for liveboards this would be quite a challenge without gas. The way technology is changing I would not be surprised if some clever ideas were to come along in the next 10 years though. ?

Well spotted but rest assured that was just a temporary solution to enable us to make a cup of tea while we are still working on her. We made sure that the window was open and the canister unlocked when not in use. It's a leisure boat at the moment and will be having a solar set up put in over the Winter period ready for next year. Good to see you know your stuff though.

"better to have and not to need than need and not to have " Alan ( especially true for us Girly's ) Your quote hopefully answers the OP question ?

Still working on the inside and planning to build a cabin at the bow. Also going to install solar panels over the winter as decided I wanted to be "gas free" and don't want to keep running the engine while it's not under load.I have a compost waterless toilet which is great as I only have a small water tank ,(350 litres ) I like the idea of a "bull bar " to help me turn quickly from full lock to full lock as at the moment I need to get my hand on the spokes and that means bending a bit so I can't see out of the window.!

Thanks everyone for all your comments and suggestions so far. I think the most daunting part for me is the locks as there are a lot of GRP boats that tie up near the entrances when its busy and I am conscious that its not easy to avoid collision in such close quarters if you haven't got it right first time ! At 15 tons ( unloaded ) I would not want to hit one --or graze past it. ! On the open river its a lot easier , except in high Summer when there are paddle boards, canoes and wild swimmers to try and avoid ( I plan to make most of my trips outside of the peak season ) I think that having a "flat bottom " ( if you will pardon the phrase ! ) makes it a little less easy to turn than the standard v-shaped hull and I am having to get used to the fact that it takes a short while before the bow starts to turn ( by which time you have probably oversteered and need to correct again ! ) I have learned that when turning her around a bit of reverse thrust at the halfway point will swing the back around and tighten the turn ( at the moment I always feel that I am closer to other boats than I actually am ) My instructor was very good and we used the method of counting the turns from full lock left to full lock right ( about 5 of them so hard to really get a precise "straight ahead " guess ) The only other thing that my instructor was very good at was telling me all the things that could go wrong, which while very helpful did not help to ease my nerves ! Due to Covid we were late launching ( late July/ early August ) so I am really hoping to make the most of things once the days get a bit longer again. My main point really is ----how long do you think it will take for me to get a bit more proficient ? In terms of engine hours, how long did it take you all ?

Thanks Nut ! I have been doing a lot of research using these forums but only just joined as a member. I realise that with all things in life not everyone has the same taste ( and it would be a boring world if they did ! ) but some things are driven by necessity and our own individual circumstances. I am certainly looking forward to gaining more experience of river cruising as it can be a bit daunting when it is very busy !

Hi all, after years of research (and saving hard ! ) I have finally purchased a steel boat which was made for me to fit my limited mooring on the Thames. ( I managed to purchase the mooring a few years ago ! ) Having had some lessons with a very experienced boater I am very conscious that some of you make it look easier than it is ! I am also conscious that the phrase " Teaching an Old dog new Tricks " is probably very apt, but for some of us its not always possible to find the time ( or money ! ) to take up boating in our younger years. Buoyed up by the performance ( or perceived performance ) of Sheilagh Hancock on the new series of great Canal journeys I was just wondering how many others on here started the process of learning to handle a boat after the age of 59 ? How long did it take you to get used to your boat ? Who helped you ? etc. I do have 2 people that can "crew" for me ( neither of which is an experienced boater ) but feel that it is my responsibility to learn how to handle my own boat and in many ways this is my journey and I want to learn as much as I can. My boat is 36ft long by 11ft 6in wide and has a fixed wheelhouse ( to enjoy sitting and looking at the lovely view all year round ) with hydraulic steering ( I have already decided I need a "rudder meter " ! ) She will be used mainly on the stretch of the Thames between Abingdon and Windsor ( once I have gained enough confidence ) Oh and she does have a bow thruster ( which I thought would be essential !