Liam

You have gone way over the top. When you use the boat to open lock gates all you're doing is damaing both the gates and the boat. I put paint on my boat for a purpose, if you want to scrape it off, that's fine but I'd prefer it if you didn't damage the gates while you were at it. Also, we all are supposed to close gates. This conserves water and it's always a pain if you have to close the gates and drop the paddes before you can set the lock. I agree with you about new boats not sharing locks, after all it is a contact sport, but I don't agree with you when you say they don't open the gate paddles. Your boat must be battered to hell and always flooded.

It better brighten up later - we're having a BBQ for my 20th bday lol.

Bit nosey aren't we? I won't say anything yet - it's upto Jon to do that

Jon, Sure thing. I'm away in 10 mins and I'll return on Monday night - Just drop me a PM or alternatively, if you have MSN, add me.. my MSN address is in my profile

The bottom lock on the Middlewhich 3 has a weir which is normally okay but it had been raining heavily and it's right across the lock entrance. 4 boats went up the lock before me, all friends so we had plenty of fun all laughing at each other. When it was my turn I went for it, and with only having a very slow revving single cylinder engine it took me a while to pick up enough revs and speed to keep a heading. I did, however, manage to get into the lock without touching the sides - all the others did - and one even went in at 45 degrees. What a bang.

Jon, It doesn't have to go! Remember, my offer still stands

I've pulled a fair few decent fish out of the cut, so have my friends who have boats.

I think piling hooks are more towpath friendly

I sometimes cycle from home to the boat which takes around 30 minutes. Along the way I pass some moorings. Even though the bank is about 20 feet wide here, I always get off and walk, pushing my bike. One day, I did the usual thing and dismounted way before I hit the moorings. A bloody little rat of a dog jumped off the boat, went straight for me and ripped a big hole, about 4 inches square out of my pants. If I would of caught the little sh*t I would of chucked it into the cut, but collecting myself and checking if it had broken the skin (which it hadn't) I made my way to the boat and gently knocked on and asked if he owned the dog which was by now lying down on the bank again. I was greeted by a rather scruffy man, so I told him my story, about how I was walking along minding my own business and told him what had happened - showed him the big rip in my pants on my calf too. He basically said that it was against the rules that I should be riding down the towpath on my bike and I deserved what I got. We argued for a while and I left it with something like.. I have your reg number and boat name and I'm going to report you and if your dog does anything like it has done to me, I'll drop kick it into the cut. Don't get me wrong, I am actually a dog lover.

Martin, There's a boat that's the spitting image of yours up on the Bridgewater Canal at Stockton Heath. It's called The Wizard - a boat specially adapted for disabled people which is used by about 2,000 people each year.

If there isn't a leak of course. There's no events in that area is there? They could of all been away attending it.

Very difficult for a post like this to stay on topic Jon, as it's a very varied subject, and one that we can go into great deal about discussing and what not - but I agree with you that it needs to stay within the lines..

Noisy and smelly lol. Steam engines - dirty and big

I don't see the connection between having a steamer and a boat with a diesel engine behind you?

John, you're near the Rochdale aren't you? Are you sure you didn't speed past a boat and wash the bank away, which caused the "leak" ?

Yep, totally agree. The same thing can be said about boaters too.

The poles fisherman use cost around £1k, and some of them cost £1.5K - You'd think, because they cost that much they'd becareful where they stuck them. Obviously not. One guy thought he'd be smart and try and put the rod in the water so the boat would go over his line. I was, at the time, towing a boat and he seemed shocked at first, and then p*ssed off because he was tangled up. I got told that I shouldn't be "tied together like that" and he also made a point of telling me that his rod license cost him £50 or something, so I made a point of telling him that my boats license cost £500. I think the conversation ended with something like "oh fubb off"

They normally have only 5 hours in a coarse fishing match so instead of concentrating on the bigger specimens, which they will only catch one or two of, if at all, they concentrate on the thousands of little roach, perch and gudgeon. These fish maybe small but 50 or so soon knocks the weight up. I was once fishing a lake in Cheshire (yes, I fish aswell) and I caught a very nice Tench on a £15 rod and a few other bits and bobs sat on me ass. Two men next to me with well over a grands worth of kit didn't catch a thing. Just goes to show ya hey!

It doesn't look very deep there, or is it me?

Sam, Instead of using a happy smiley, I put "lol" as I think you have exhausted the smileys on this forum. Also, I've seen you use acronyms on these forums before. Why can't I do it when you can?

You'd take pictures of someone having a wee?

Nope, you'll get wet, unless you're wearing waders

I don't know what the weather is like down there, but up here, it was glorious today. Can't personally understand why there's no boats knocking about, although it being a work day might explain the fact the limited amount of boats.

That would be grand. Thanks very much. I will PM you with my mobile no. tommorow - Not always here.. either behind my desk or on my boat lol.