Mac of Cygnet

Are you wanting to recruit him as crew, then?

Another plus for Plusnet. I've been with them for about 10 years, and recently shifted my home phone and mobile internet to them too, both of which saved me quite a bit of money over BT and EE respectively (although they are, as Nick says, now owned by BT and piggyback EE) with better service. I'm told the mobile internet doesn't allow access to 'adult' sites, though, and you've got to specially request the facility!

......AKA RRS Sir David Attenborough. A time-lapse video of the construction. Due to start polar work early next year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwGS8t9BKo&feature=youtu.be

'Going up' is a bit archaic as well, isn't it? Especially to a redbrick. Does Manchester count as a redbrick? I remember the part I was in as sooty grey stone. But then a posh establishment in North Britain since patronised by yer Royals. My Geordie accent stood out rather, but they were all jolly nice about it.

I find all this boasting about numbers of locks singlehanded unseemly, so I will join in. My most in a day was 26 - 11 broad and 15 narrow (Calder & Hebble 2, Huddersfield Broad 9, Huddersfield Narrow 15). Mind you I was younger then, still in my 60s, but was nevertheless knackered and could hardly stagger up the hill to the Sair Inn. No chance now

I think there's a slipway at New Mills Marina, but two points occur to me: why do you need a slipway if you're proposing to use a crane, and whereabouts on the Peak Forest - it's in two separated bits ATM.

I thought the dog would help, but she's b***** useless - just stands there and looks pretty, when she's not trying to get off and socialise. (Of course this applies equally to some crew.)

I don't see the problem with polyethylene (polythene). I've used polythene repair tape on my polytunnels and it has lasted for years, come rain come shine.

At least your owl looks healthier than the sick pigeon above it.

The only time I met the OP was on a tight bend near Sutton Stop, and we both had to take severe avoiding action. I wonder if he remembers?

The Fairy Liquid has certainly got to be worth a try! Meanwhile I've bridged the silicone with a thick layer of oil-based undercoat, which stayed in place when I carefully applied the gloss. Masking tape was a mistake, though - just pulled everything straight off. So a steady(ish) hand was employed after that.

OK, time to confess that this isn't on the boat, but on some new windows at home, where I want to paint round them, including the sealant. I've got a sort of result with a thick layer of oil-based undercoat, but time will tell....

What paint will stick to silicone sealant? A water-based paint simply broke into small pieces, and an oil-based undercoat sort of covered it, but very easily peeled off when I tried to paint over it with gloss.

Navvies Ark is on the L&L at the moment. It would be good to have a Biblical Deluge there.

If you want to find out about pubs, then https://whatpub.com/ will give you lots of info. Just enter a location and all the pubs nearby will come up. Don't be afraid of locks - the ones in that area aren't difficult, and you should get help from other boaters (and give help too - I'm in my seventies and am always grateful these days, as a singlehander, for the help given by hire boat crews).