BigRoj

Had the same problem with a Moorhen a couple of years ago, stopped us going out for a month!!! Unfortunately, they just disappeared (the eggs that is ) so I never got to see the chicks. Shame.

Steethay Wharf on the Coventry canal near Lichfield have 2 day boats. We hired both a couple of years ago for a party of 20 people. You can go as far as Fradley Junction (but not through locks) or down to Alrewas/Tamworth. Lovely stretch of canal, a few good pubs for lunch too. It was £100 per boat when we did it, but maybe more now.

In all honesty Laural, you may be better off considering a new outboard with a decent 12v output to keep your batteries topped up. For the price of a decent Generator (Honda etc) you could be looking at a good S/H outboard with a 15-20A output. This would reduce the need for you to use and cart about a genny as cruising would keep the batteries charged. Another idea may be to connect a cheap solar panel to the batteries (a 5W Maplins unit for example) to keep the batteries charged whilst the boat isn't being used, then when you need the boat at least you will have starting power (and more) for the outboard. I have done this for 5 years, often taking a B&Q genny with me, but never needing to use it.

What you could do to bypass that page is go to the log-on bit, do your signing in, but just before you press enter, go to your browsers bookmark tab and do a "bookmark this page" thing, then when you want to come onto CWF again just go to bookmarks, click CWF and you should go straight to the log-in page. Took longer to type in than it does to do it!!!!!

Well done, there's no feeling quite like it is there? (with your clothes on, obviously) I bet time will drag between now and the end of May!!