Andrew C

🤣

My wife actually suggested that but I figured we'd have to keep stopping while deliveries were being made and appear as cheap detectives, badly shadowing a suspect 🤣

He did message, to save having to plough through all the ice, they've taken the decision to deliver by van instead, so probably trying to avoid slow cold progress and save the boat from wear.

👍 Changed the name when it was blacked to Snailaway mate. Heading south in April/May. Happy cruising..... or being stuck in ice 🤣

👍

Yes

How funny. Yes, we possibly know each other. My boat was an ex ABC hire boat, Great Owl. I was moored from January to April, a couple of boats closer to the car park from Lucifer, refitting the boat before moving my family on board and becoming continuous cruisers.

Interesting you say that Goliath. Do you know if the fuel boats have ice breaking design features? I ask because Chamberlains Fuel boats are now making deliveries by van on the Shroppie and yet Four Counties are still moving on the canal and were even discussing if I could get to Hurlesdon by Tuesday lunchtime to buy supplies. This is exactly why I began to question if the canal was that bad, or it was just on some arms or marinas where it was too frozen.

😂

I understand that the Gollie has a flow, so less likely to freeze. I just wasn't sure what the general temperature to freezing was on other canals (and don't quote the freezing point of water). Was hoping water/canal craft movement, and water impurities might lower the general freezing point. I wouldn't want to travel through anything other than a millimetre or two of ice as it does seem likely damage can be incurred upon more than just my own craft, but others and potentially wildlife. I'll stay this side of Hurlesdon until Sunday when the milder weather arrives, hopefully. Then crank it to Chester

Thanks MtB. I think already I'm coming to the conclusion I need to abandon trying to cruise in negative temperatures and wait to travel in the rain instead 🙄. Cheers for the input.

Thanks ditch crawler. Yeah, I've just applied to join a couple of FBgroups this morning but am pending acceptance as of yet, so in two minds as to either Leave Ellesmere for Whitchurch, or just stay put a few days more here before moving on as temperatures rise after this weekend, but then cutting it fine to reach Chester in time. Decisions decisions. Cheers

I'm currently on the Llangollen and heading towards the Shropshire Union Canal and hopefully Chester before Christmas. Having only begun as a liveaboard this April, I've not encountered iced over canals before until seeing the arm at Ellesmere frozen. Is there a news source to go to to check if the Shroppie, (or any other canal) is navigable when temperatures drop below 0, or can any boaters around the area confirm the canal state please? I'm not keen on passing through Hurlesdon locks to find myself stranded🙁

Yeah. There're always drawbacks to seemingly perfect solutions, otherwise everyone would be using them I guess, but this puts a ballpark figure to the costs involved and at worst reduces the battery demands of our vivarium to the point of making it that bit more feasible to run for a not insurmountable cost. Thanks friend.

Noise can be an issue, but I presume at night it can be locked. Obviously low bridges may be an issue, but if mounted on a collapsible pole it could be a highly useful and eco friendly power source (cost dependent). Definitely something to persue. Getting my pre purchase hull survey at the end of November so have good time to research. Thanks for the input, it's greatly recieved.

The Engelec turbine looks really intriguing and could well be a highly welcome contributor to solving our power dilemma. Much like solar, the presence of sufficient wind is never totally reliable, but in winter, when the additional power is needed in the absence of solar power, the wind tends to be more prevelent, so certainly raises optimism. Much thanks

Thanks. Worth a try.

Yes, though we do have a thermostat that we tend not to use in the house, but that would maintain an appropriate hotspot, and tortoises then move away or closer according to their needs so their temperatures do fluctuate but according to their preferences at any one time.

Interesting. Thanks

Yes. Very true. That would be a solution, but continuous cruising is the great appeal for us. Cheers

Thanks for the affirmation. Really appreciated too. Exactly the reasons for our move to the canals. I have many debts that have weighed me down for years, and burnout after 18 years of teaching. We will have no debts, cash in reserve, the boat owned outright and no need to stay in cities to work as I'll be retired at 56 without the stresses of work, but also the option of temp work in the future if the need arises. We need an adventure while we are still young enough. The thought of being stuck in a house is not appealing. Plus, we've worked out we can get away with only 24 Watts for daylight hours, then with ambient temperatures maintained by a stove in the winter, and a heating thermostat we may be able to keep our tortoise happy enough and on board 😊👍

Funnily enough, if that's the term for it, our house boiler just packed in yesterday, so we have no heating or hot water and a few weeks ago our neighbours had 2 windows smashed by kids, and we live in an area regarded as nice. I've sold my motorcycle, caravan and car and no longer need to worry about them being damaged or stolen. But point taken friend.

Yes. Thanks. We have considered that already and have the ability to buy the boat and a cheaper buy to let.

I knew when I wrote a cheaper lifestyle, I was leaving myself open to some wise challenging. I suppose it depends on what ones costs are on land and the cost to mental health (wow, this is moving away from tortoise care 🙃) it's a how long is a piece of string thing isn't it. My mortgage and council tax alone are 1k a month and I have 11 more years to pay before I own it, but I do have alot of equity that pays for the boat cash and gives me a substantial sum in reserve, plus a early retirement pension that covers most costs plus unforseen costs. Then my state pension kicks in after 11 years. I think if I had a loan for the boat, it would be different. Am I still being too naive do you think? We know it's not all roses but having been a caravan near for years, we are used to the small space, emptying Thetford cassettes, minding power, refilling water and unplanned for expenses, but we appreciate canal boats are on another level. I don't know. What are your thoughts? Great advice. Thanks. That solves one problem

Thanks Tony. You are right, in that as a child, we kept tortoises and never heated them. Our little Shelly is my wife and son's baby and they follow modern care advice, which I presume is based upon the optimal conditions for a tortoise to be kept, but not necessarily requiring slavish adherence to. Similar to a tropical Aquarium we were given from my father in law who had all these test kits for pH balance, ammonia etc etc. I never used them and the fish seemed to thrive as well as they had in the hands of my father in law. Perhaps we need to be a little more pragmatic and take on board the amazing advice of so many of you kind neighbours and try a suck it and see approach. To give up on my long held dream of narrowboat life, for the sake of rash decisions, I fear would plunge me back into the mental quagmire that instigated my recent agreement to buy a boat for my mental wellbeing in the first place. I have to say that I'm really overwhelmed by the incredible support that all of you contributers have shown on this thread. It's the first forum, in any form, I've ever involved myself in and I can't believe the care and consideration displayed by you folks. I knew that the canal community was regarded as strong, but it's way more than that. It's just amazing and however many Floating our Boats, Foxes afloat, or Holly the Cafe Boat vlogs a person watches, the true strength of this community cannot be conveyed. U r all amazing!