Jamboat

"To balance that a 300W Maplin one provides Chalice's only 240 volt capability when on the move, and has happily run quite a few things at the same time, (including one of those "Fisher Price") twin tub washing machines without once barking at us. I think I paid £25 for it, so consider it pretty good value. No experience of their 150 watt one, though. " and we have their 600w model which runs TV, fridge, charges net books & phones etc and our full size twin tub. Cost about £50 18 months ago and worth every penny, we have a Sterling 1800 which is only used for my hair dryer ( with the engine running!)

£12.80 for 25kg Pure heat from Chirk Marina 3 weeks ago - We bought same from them Oct 2010 & it was £9.95, a bit of a hike! Now in Llangollen & Smiths, the local coal merchant delivers to the wharf, £8.75 25kg of excel & they also will deliver propane so we're sorted for the winter We have generally found, when we are cruising, that if you can find local coal merchants (Google ) to deliver to a road bridge they are usually cheaper than boatyards/ marinas but you may have to buy 10 bags min.

oh yes

We CC with these 2, Sid & Soona, Sid ( ginger Neutered tom) usually loves to go out but due being chased by 2 out of control dogs yesterday he is being very wary at the moment & not going far at all. Soona on the other hand ( chunky grey female neutered) is a home bird & if she ventures out at all she doesn't go far from the boat much preferring the sofa & the fire. We recently fitted a loc8tor to Sid's collar, it's brilliant for tracking him down when we want him in & we've found that he's not very far away usually just hiding in a hedge bottom.

"If you want to renew by telephone using a credit or debit card, again please try not to do it just before the office closes for Christmas but a few days before or even as early as you can. Call the main customer services number and if you quote your customer number and boat index number the helpful people at customer services will look up your renewal number for you, take payment etc. This only applies if your boat safety certificate is still valid. If you haven't provided us with a new BSC and your old one has run out you will need to send in the BSC first. Of course you could just ask for your renewal number so that you can do the renewal yourself using the online system so you don't necessarily need the paper renewal" I tried that last year but was told I had to wait for the number to turn up by post before they could renew by phone. An awkward & time wasting system, maybe C&RT will improve it, but I won't hold my breath!!

I was a bit sceptical at 1st but as I was given some as a gift it seemed daft not to give them a go. My washing seems fine & I am converted, there is no perfumed smell so I sometimes just put a capful of conditioner in the water. I have used the supplied stain remover a couple of times which worked ok. Whites will gradually go off white I assume as no optical brighteners, I will probably give whites a soak in laundry bleach now & again but also intend to replace any 'whites' with 'coloureds' as things wear out & that will solve that problem

Well, obviously more 'hands on' than an automatic but we are retired liveaboards with plenty of time on our hands I use a bucket to fill & the drain hose is hung out of the side hatch. I spend on average 3 hours or so about once a week doing the laundry. Since I discovered 'eco balls' it's quicker as no rinsing needed( & much less water used) Our machine is actually bigger than the one in the link & takes a 6kg load which is brilliant, we used to have the studio candy auto but 2 pairs of jeans & it was full plus once we were cc'ing & off shore power it wouldn't work with our inverter & we were in the position you are, it was cheaper to get a twin tub

one of these maybe, we have something similar & it runs happily off our 1600w non pure sine inverter.

Well done great pics! She looks one happy boater & that looks a nice little boat.

B*****ks !!

I know you're not keen on going down the claiming route but you might be entitled to housing benefit which would help with your mooring costs, someone on here, Smelly ?? may have some advice in that area.

I've signed.

Another vote for the petzl tikka, I mainly use mine for reading, saves on power not having a main light on and the batteries seem to last forever

err... maybe stay off the canals then

"I have had my share of disagreements" Really ?

Update as promised, Well I'm converted, have been using them for 3 weeks & my laundry is fine. The fact that the water is dirty at the end of a wash cycle is reassuring! I have a twin tub & used to rinse wash loads 3 times to get rid of detergent, now no rinse needed so I save water & time - the only detergent I will be using will be for a bit of hand washing now & again. As I never iron anything I used to use fabric conditioner in last rinse, I now put a capful in with the wash which seems to work fine

"Loads of places are now charging up to £1 (and beyond!) for non propulsion, equivalent to about £1.50 propulsion, or £1.30 on a 60/40 split." Stowe Hill Marine, GU yesterday, 83ppl non-propulsion, self declaration & service with a smile

Well said Sue! I came across your blog back in 2007 when we were considering becoming livaboards & became an avid follower along with other blogs I discovered via yours & others blogs. Have found the majority to be entertaining & useful ( how to get a tesco delivery for instance) if I come across one I don't like them I don't visit again, simple really! I have been doing my own blog for 3 years or so & as others have said, it was really for family & friends but I have readers world wide & this comment I received a few weeks ago just about sums it up "betsy said...so cool following your travels in the narrowboat. never knew such a thing existed!! gotta love blogs, eh? betsy in alaska 1 August 2011 09:36 "