ChrisG

Thanks for that - try to include them if we can get a response from BW's press office! Considering how much emphasis the IWA seems to put on commercial traffic's potential role in waterway revival/ongoing funding, etc., it's interesting to see how little general interest there is from boaters. Are they just bored with the subject - after all, it has been talked up for years, with nothing much happening? Or do they just see it as not relevant to their interests, or possibly even against their interests - what commercial craft there are on continental waterways certainly take priority over pleasure craft, would that be a problem here?

I'm looking for interesting small freight-carrying operations on inland waters to feature on the programme; not the big ones that have been reported in the press more recently, but smaller ongoing operations which may have been running for some time. Any thoughts to share?

yup - but drawing lines on charts and trying to work out sunsights (or just pressing a button or two on the GPS) gives you something to do while the autopilot is steering the boat . . .

As someone who's been a single-handed offshore yachtie and an inland boater in my time, I've got very mixed feelings about this. Going to sea under your own command, in a vessel that belongs to you, is one of the last great freedoms we have in a state which wants to be our mum. You don't need a boatmasters cert, a yachtmasters cert (although I've had one for over 30 years), or any other sort of cert - although if you go to one of our co-member states in the EC, like France, their police may come aboard to ensure that you have proper insurance, adequate charts of at least the area you're in, and a license for your radio. Although we get a case or two like this every year, I'd still rather the freedom existed. As for the Coastguard, and the Lifeboat, one very senior official once told me that a real but not too hazardous search and rescue was worth twenty exercises - but that I couldn't publish his name!

Not according to the Broads Authority - although I'm sure that there was a serious contribution from this very aggressive antifouling. Eutrophication is the problem, they say. Heres the reference: http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/broads/..._the_Broads.pdf

At first sight, according to the links provided from various "coal combustion products" websites I've found, coal ash and wood ash seem fairly innocuous, although they do contain heavy metal traces which are moderately deadly in relatively small amounts . . . but even though the bulk of the ash once wet is low, it must eventually start to fill the 'ole the navvies dug? But a bit more research indicates that "Coal ash is composed primarily of oxides of silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, magnesium, titanium, sodium, potassium, arsenic, mercury, and sulfur plus small quantities of uranium and thorium. Fly ash is primarily composed of non-combustible silicon compounds (glass) melted during combustion. Tiny glass spheres form the bulk of the fly ash." As for as putting human waste into the cut . . . . human waste from holidaymakers on the Broads very nearly killed all the life in those waterways

Gave me a giggle, ta - here's a 13 METRE deep lock in Northern France (Fontinette, at Arques) that I went through back in 2000. The petrol barge at the back of the lock is a 1300 tonne petrol tanker, and I was in a 23ft plastic boat . . . scary? added: the one in the front of the lock, you can just see the wheelhouse, is a standard 300 tonne peniche. Alongside it (on the other side of the lock) was a 35ft motor cruiser . . . he said he was a bit intimidated when the 1300 tonner slipped in behind them! This particular lock has bollards which float up and down in guide rails, so you don't have to worry about your lines.

There's an exclusive interview with Clive Henderson, Deputy Chairman designate, on UK Boating this Friday, Information TV sky 167.

Looks great, Malcolm - love the pics.

Taken from the BW FAQs about mooring tenders: what are the implications for existing bw mooring customers? Boaters already on a BW mooring will not have to tender for their existing berth when they renew their contract. The number and size of tenders received for vacancies will help to inform the annual price review process. If a large increase is needed, this will be phased for existing customers over a number of years. How do you read this, from the existing moorer's viewpoint?

See the mud for yourself: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qoO81aoueE4

New edition on Sky 167 tonight features part 2 of IWA Festival, and Southampton Boat Show (pt 1), including a 60ft New Boat Co widebeam afloat in Southampton harbour

Interesting . . . edition 4 of UK Boating, Sky 167, due to premiere at 6.30pm on 12th September, has the first part of a report on last weekend's St Ives show - not last years . . 26 editions a year, with about 50% inland waterways content

UK Boating programme 4 on air 12th Sept - here's the promo: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3RTUCucNz-I or here: http://www.uk-boating.tv/V2/v2players/trails/pr4.html There's about 16/17 minutes of IWA festival in the programme, with more to come in programme 5.

Edition 3 of UK Boating premieres at 6.30pm on Sky 167 on Wednesday, 29th August. It completes the major report on the Chelmer and Blackwater Canal, and also has a piece on St Katherines Dock, near Tower Bridge. There are no repeated segments in this programme. Edition 4, premiering on 12th Sept, will feature the IWA fest. The show is transmitted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6.30, and Sundays at 12.30. There's a new show every 2 weeks.

I think the February show at the NEC would like to do more boating - they had a lot of success this year, but this was mainly with powercraft - i.e. motorcruisers, £100k - £450k. Birmingham is a fairly friendly venue, more so than the London based venues, although Excel would be good for a boating show, water right alongside. But last year their parking charges were awful. Wouldn't a late summer/autumn show be best, on the basis that if you order then, you get delivery next spring (maybe)?

The pre-show update (18th Aug) said 377 boats were due to visit, 383 "camping units" (?) and 271 exhibitors. I didn't think there was that number, although I didn't count!

It was EXTREMELY muddy in parts, okay in much of the show area away from where the cranes were operating to unload the land-displayed boats. The entrance stayed very muddy all day, but most of the show dried very rapidly during that lovely sunny day. There'll be a brief clip on the show on this Wednesday's UK Boating TV show, and a fuller piece on the programme premiering on 11th Sept.

UK Boating will be filming there on Friday almost definitely, and possibly on Saturday, too - especially if the weather picks up! If you can't get there, and there's anything (or anyone) you particularly want to see, let me know here and we'll try to oblige. There'll be a report in our TV programme due to air on the 11th September.

Here's the growing promo video for edition 3 of UK boating - it'll also feature some more from the Chelmer and Blackwater canal http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AEU0SSKzxpQ

Interesting discussion, and I wish you well with trying to publish a long term web mag - having started a couple (both of which are still running successfully, 9 and 3 years later) I can tell you that it is a very difficult feat! If you manage to get it started, contact me for some support at www.uk-boating.tv. In the meantime you could always take a look at the UK Boating TV programme on Sky 167, which addresses some inland waterways issues, and is slowly starting to evolve - edition 2 is now on air until 29 August, with a good amount of coverage of the Chelmer and Blackwater canal, and more in due in edition 3. In edition 4 (11 Sept) we hope to start a look at a Fenland waterway. The programme, and of course it's online entity, are free to view. The other programme I produce, The Caravan Channel, has exactly the kind of low-budget areas that Maverick talks about. The caravan we use when making the show is a 1992 model, which cost around £2k, as opposed to new vans at £12/20k, so people do tend to feel comforatable with us! Good luck!

Hi! All clips go on www.uk-boating.tv usually within five or ten days of the show vbeing broadcast. I only put a few on YouTube, essentially 'cos it doesn't cost me anything to put video onto my server, subject to some volume limits, and I can use the original compression, which I prefer. So in essence, yes, they're available online. You can also watch the programme as it plays out at the broadcast time online, by clicking on www.information.tv, and "watch now" Enjoy!

The 2nd edition of UK Boating goes on Information TV, Sky channel 167, at 6.30pm tomorrow, Wednesday 15th August. The second half of the programme may be of most interest to canal boaters, as it features the Chelmer and Blackwater canal. There's a small repeated section (about 4 minutes) in the first half of the programme, which has a revised voice-over, on the K&A Caen Hill Flight. Otherwise, the remain 25 minutes are all original material. Edition 3, due up on 30th August, will feature a visit to St Katherines Dock, and more from the CBN. The show repeats a further 7 times over 2 weeks - Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6.30pm, Sunday at 12.30pm (changing to 1pm on and after Sunday 26th August)

I've just been on your website, Mike - this look like a staggering achievement, well done to get this far, and the very best of luck with your completion!

Ummmm . . . one of the reasons I started the UK Boating TV show was because I found this programme a little on the slowish side! At least all the people involved have rather a lot to do with boats in general, so I hope the interest and enthusiasm for the subject comes through!