Stroudwater1

You need to open the lower lock top paddles ideally just as opening the upper locks bottom ones otherwise if you leave the lower locks paddles closed till a bit later much of the upper locks water will spill down the bywash. However this is not particularly applicable on paired locks, just crack on there surely.

Don’t see what’s wrong with that, what’s the point in mooring up waiting causing a queue and possibly grounding when a lock is available? Using two locks like this happens all the time on Hillmorton, though the depth of each lock is less the utilisation is more. Can you go to the angry or impatient boaters section for some therapy?

I’ve had two punctures in the 6 years I’ve had my car. The first was sorted by fortune as we were passing a friends house at 10pm. They kindly dropped us home. I sorted the tyre the next day. The other time was not good, on the M5 at 17.35. RAC came fairly fast and as we had missed the tyre depo had to call the emergency car tyre fitter . Overall we spent 2 hours up the bank of the M5 and £250 for the tyre. You would have thought I’d have learnt and got an emergency tyre but no. Total distance travelled by me RAC tyre fitter would probably be much more than any amount saved by not having a spare tyre. Re the fenders. Is there any benefit in tying a black plastic bag or a small tarpaulin over when not using the boat to save from UV damage?

Good thought though the toilet rolls would have gotten properly soggy staying outside so long at Fazeley. It looks like AJ was holidaying up there so it probably worked well with all parties and AJ probably clocked up business mileage to go on holiday up there.

They look really good. I’ve sometimes seen fabric or black plastic clipped over the top of these sometimes when the boat isn’t in use. Presumably it slows down UV damage. Wonder if anyone uses that on here? What a fantastic service- suppliers and delivery to Scotland of Glitz toilet rolls too.

Would be interesting to hear @IanD perspective on this. He may have insight that could be carefully skirted round in a round about manner. I’ve altered your post as I’m sure that’s what you meant on a public forum 😉

The location states uncertain on the sale. Presumably it’s a Grand Union lock. It’s a very low pound by the looks! So probably on a flight which narrows it down from Buckby to London but rural and towpath on the left. Would it be Buckby locks? Love the NatWest logo

Afraid it’s not quite right with blood tests the level can be lowered during an attack. As per the NICE guidelines. So it’s probably better to have a non urgent blood test. “If the serum urate level is below 360 micromol/L but gout is strongly suspected, an additional serum urate level measurement should be done 2 to 4 weeks after the acute flare has settled. This is because serum urate levels can be lower when a person is experiencing a gout flare” https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/gout/diagnosis/investigations/#:~:text=not have gout.-,If the serum urate level is below 360 micromol%2FL,flare [NICE%2C 2022].

What a great paint job bet you are very pleased with that. 👍

I think Saul junction are doing hard standing now but no covered area. Guess you wait for decent weather and go for it.

Glad it been fixed, teething problems are a pain. It wasn’t a problem with joystick overuse though hopefully Ian 😀

Makes for a lovely photo. Good to see someone skilled at the tiller TBF 👍 I guess in part being tender helps to make rocking the boat easier ?

Very interesting Alec. Here is a recent image of Tardebigge at Bratch Staffs and Worcs canal society meet in 2022. Oxford number 1 at Braunsron historic rally 2024 A number of tugs lining up ar Braunston 2024 ncluding Typhoon Oxford no 1 and Tardebigge Typhoon setting off

Glad to see you in a tolerant mood today. I expect actually you are a decent person on the cut TBF.

There are quite a few images in the canalside properties for sale over the years as it has changed, hadnt realised it has its own thread. When we passed it late last year it had a bath perched outside of the bedroom on the flat roof, but they seem to have had second thoughts and placed it inside now. Agree its ugly, its a shame as with a bit of care it could have been lovely. It seems to be the trend though for properties now, all white or near to and larger windows. However in fairness the bungalow wasn't really a looker either.

As mentioned earlier in the thread You may get some information from Union canal cruiser hire boats by Braunston lock. I believe they have/ had some and will possibly be able to say something more. They like Sabb engines too. Looks like you are nearly there from the photo Looks like a nice boat.

Strangely we find most hire boat crews that have more than one gender on board are usually most polite . It’s the relative new or very long “I’ve been boating since 1066” folk who either can be extremely nice or occasionally rude. For new boaters it’s possibly due to fear or inexperience and for 1066ers it’s can be due to arrogance that sadly exceeds their boating skills now being lost due to aging. Many of those accept this with sadness and laugh it off but some seem to get irritated and take it out on others.

Where is the boat now? No point in recommendations until that is known. Blacking or better still epoxy if affordable and anodes would be sensible when out.

In fairness there’s a wall and piling now present since September 9th last year though the vegetation growth may have progessed as fast . View from the other way. Hopefully the HS2 trains will proceed faster in future but the speed limit seemed underwhelming last year I couldn’t agree more. I’m sure our friend with the electric powered boat and others will pounce and advise that it is all being correctly overspecced to the nth degree to save lives and make sure embankments don’t start slipping in 100 years. I expect some lives could have sadly been lost in construction of the Grand Central and it was extremely tough going for the constructors so we have probably progressed. However if you look closely other factors eg environmental impact waste of resources , lack of gainful employment awful eyesore for centuries etc etc then the pendulum of progress may not be so positive. I think much of the toing and going of spoil is from the tunnelling that’s been going on, that’s been extensive. I believe the tunnel near Long Itchington has been completed? The changes and work over 3 years by bridge 31 near Welsh Rd lock on the GU has been huge.

TBH I’m not sure how easy it would be as a livaboard boat? It’s high in window numbers so could be cold in Winter and hot in Summer. Doing the sort of work required and converting back to how she was when living onboard maybe difficult too. Much easier to work then close up back to a warm home/ other dwelling. I don’t think she is very long either and any reversion to a central cockpit reduces that usable space more. She is cheap for a reason I’m afraid.

We had similar fun as @Hudds Lad by the sound of it. It’s not been easy to arrange a transfer the last 2 times I did that. Both were to reputable brokers, around £40-50k. Hard to speak to anyone in the bank, numbers of press 1 then 4 then 3 then security check then the wrong person then the phone cuts out….. then a 50 mile round trips to “pop into your nearest branch” to arrange it. The online transfer is limited IIRC to £10k with an all online transfer and £30k using a bank gadget. Its increasingly difficult with online fraud. On the second occasion 3 years ago it was embarrassing as we sat on the boat we thought we had paid for and the brokers knocking on the door telling us we hadn’t. What had happened is the bank blocked the arranged payment- it’s mostly AI generated blockers now we were told.… It’s even more tricky as reception can be challenging with connectivity on parts of the network even at brokers not good.

Dawncraft as well started in Marine ply IIRC?

There’s a good few around with such experience. One with a lovely BCN icebreaker who I’m sure can comment. Presumably you are referring to Vigilante. I’m sure people can comment on her too. There was some mention in the historic boats for sale section I think? Edit Welcome to the forum by the way!

😂 A walk across fields from bridge 103 is also nice. Occasionally the field is muddy though. It avoids some of the road.

Presumably Mike Todd is illustrating that Reading to Devizes is three days. Skipton therefore is likely to be longer even on the weekend the clocks go back an hour and cruising all night.