Mac of Cygnet

Personally I was entertained by John the Duck's imaginative use of words (but not his attitude to mooring regulations). BTW, is there a verb 'to sure'? Mac

Are you saying that most gearboxes do not allow continuous operation in reverse? What happens if you reverse for too long, and how long is too long? Mac

Sorry if this obvious to everyone, but can I just ask, which way RH and LH props rotate? That is, which way does a prop described as RH rotate when viewed from the engine end - clockwise or anticlockwise? Just so I know when getting a replacement. Mac

I have a 27ft 'Owl' class narrowboat built by Mick Sievewright in the 1980s, and I find it just right for me and the dog, spending most of the summer and frequent weeks in the winter on her. (When the wife and her dog come on board it gets a bit crowded). For someone who doesn't want all the bells and whistles the size is just right - mooring is easier, and moorings are cheaper and easier to find, it can turn anywhere and go anywhere, and uses less fuel than a large boat and less heating in winter. All in all much more enjoyable than a 47ft (shared) boat we used to have. Many people, boaters and non-boaters, have commented on Cygnet, saying that she would be an ideal size of boat for them. The original engine was a Volvo, and the present one the smallest Vetus 2-cylinder, the only trouble being that it is shoe-horned into the space available, making maintenance very difficult - this is the only feature I dont like about the small size. The only boat I would consider as a replacement would be a similar sized Sea Otter, and they are very popular, with many similar internal features. OK, I know they went bust, but many people consider that is because they strayed too much from their original (small) size range. And apparently they are back on track now, after their foray into receivership prompted a wave of enquiries to the agents from people who had been thinking of buying one. So yes, I think the demand is there, but it's not exactly a very good time to be building boats altogether, is it? Mac

I think he was referring to the fact that some locks have no ground paddles, and that this is only important when going up. Not that that a handspike is needed for several locks. Mac

What, the English Armed Forces? Why should the Scots pay for them? Apparently not. Mac

I don't really want two. One to cover the whole of the UK would do very nicely thank you, or for simple reciprocity (For the record, I didn't vote for the present mishmash of devolution). I did flag up the second item as The so-called Scots-subsidising Barnett Formula has, as you demonstrate, caused some resentment in England, but an article from the highly regarded and non-partisan Adam Smith Institute in April included the following: "......The most sensible solution is to make Scotland fiscally autonomous. .........The Scottish Executive could easily finance all devolved spending if it set, collected and kept the proceeds of income tax, corporation tax and VAT, and took a share of North Sea Oil Revenues. " Mac

And Nigel is one of the most scrupulously fair and helpful people. He insisted on refunding me pro-rata when I arrived back at my winter mooring three days late last year. I even saw him smile the other day Look out for Cygnet just along from the 'Orange Submarine' (actually an oilrig lifeboat). Mac

Haven't you just contradicted yourself on one very short sentence? Yes, I did notice the winky, but I think that most issuing authorities will want more than just a bare address. I note that no CCers have replied with their success or otherwise. Mac

So continuous cruisers who haven't got a house somewhere simply can't get a travel pass? I'm sure that this was an Unintended Consequence of the wording you quote. At least I have a mooring for more than six months of the year in the West Yorkshire area. I'll let you know how I get on in due course. Mac

Glad you survived your Trent experience, Colin (where angels fear to tread.....). As an incentive to making it back, the Puzzle Hall has re-opened, and is better than ever! Mac

A common misconception, that 'subsidy', completely dwarfed by the oil revenues contributed from Scotland. But thats However, whatever the Scotland/England/Wales situation, there seems no reason why a simple reciprocity can't be declared, just as has happened between the various English Authorities to make the Bus Pass 'National'. Just like the respective National Trusts, in fact (I can use my Scottish NT card in England, and vice versa). I'd be quite happy for English (and Welsh) residents to use their passes in Scotland. Mac

Well, that is certainly an Authorative reply, and quite encouraging, really. I obtained my application form from a Post Office, where I was told to fill it in, bring it back, and they would post it off for me. Whether they will act as the vetting agency for identity, age and residence, I don't know. Perhaps they will require copies of the relevant documents to send off. I certainly can produce invoices for 7 months continuous moorings last winter. Why would a Scottish pass disqualify me from an English one? Doesn't dual nationality apply here? (I was born in England) Mac

Have any CCers out there managed to get an English National Bus Pass? I have a Scottish one, but can't use it in England. I cruise all Summer, but have a winter mooring at Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, where I spend a fair amount of time on the boat, but of course have no Council Tax or Utility bills as proof of residence. I thought of producing my (quarterly) mooring invoices as a (rather dubious) proof of residence in West Yorkshire. Continuous cruisers wouldn't even have this of course. Any experiences? Mac

Oooohhhh! Is the Colliers Arms now officially defunct? I thought it was being refurbished. It was a great wee pub before it was flooded last year. Beer at £1.35 a pint....... OK, this is now But you should get through to Sowerby Bridge at 58ft, with a bit of shuffling around. Mac

As I mentioned in the OP, very short! A lot of boats have come to grief under those gate platforms, which are potentially more dangerous than any cills, but no notices of course, as H&S probably doesn't know about them. And how long are you? By now you should have met the two Salterhebble top locks, which are the shortest on the whole navigation. Mac

There is good mooring at Battyford Lock, opposite the South Pennine Boat Club, where Cygnet is residing this week. The Pear Tree Inn round the corner has changed hands and improved enormously recently, I found. I'll be returning to Cygnet on Monday for a few days taking my time solo up to Sowerby Bridge. Mac

I guess you'll be hiring from Black Prince, then, at Etruria. Most Hire firms start the hire at mid-afternoon, which would give you time to get to Milton (best moorings are past the bridge). You'd be best using your last full day to come right down to Etruria, and moor either ouside the museum or outside the Black Prince yard. Do't miss the Hollybush pub at Hazehurst (acess either from the Leek branch up on the aqueduct, or moor ouside the pub) If you're lucky you may see (and hear) the famous tug'o'war team practising. Cheers Mac

Daniel mentions in a separate topic that they are heading for a while on the Calder and Hebble and Rochdale, with a possible diversion to Wakefield. We are heading (slowly) back to our winter mooring just below Lock 1 on the Rochdale. If you are still hanging around in Huddersfield, we'd be glad to go down the Huddersfield Broad with you (It's not a particularly pleasant canal, especially for a single-hander). Mac

Cygnet and I have just emerged blinking into the light after almost 3 hours traversing Standedge Tunnel under our own power. They didn't let me drive, or even go on deck, but at least I could stand at the open front doors listening to 'Subterranean Homesick Blues', wincing at the odd crunch and wondering why it was taking so long. In fact, this was because the convoy was behind us, and we had to stop at every emergency adit to make sure everyone kept in touch. Normally, a boat under its own power could do it in just over half that time. Fred, who normally drives the electric tug, was at the tiller, with an extra man in the stairwell lighting up the critical bits. BW are operating a series of pilot traverses this season in preparation for adopting this method from next April, using various sizes and shapes of boat, and Cygnet drew the short straw, being short. Waiting down at Dobcross for the Friday slot is 'Emily Anne'. Daniel's grandfather Tom gave me a guided tour of her engine room yesterday; I was open-mouthed throughout, never having been surrounded by such a collection of hissing, steaming, whirring, spurting, clattering machinery. It remains to be seen whether BW have the nerve to pilot her through under her own steam. Altogether a memorable return to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal (and that's not even counting the two breakdowns and completely defeating the efforts of a River Canal Rescue engineer) Off to the pub now. I really need that pint.

Unfortunately, although this is a mildly diverting activity when you've got nothing better to do, the results can hardly be described as 'treasure'. Real treasure - nonferrous metals and alloys - gold, silver, brass, etc. won't stick to a magnet, and I'm not sure how well metal detectors work under water, or whether they can distinguish between different metals or how you'd fish the stuff out. There must be something valuable down there, though. Draining a pound would work, but seems a bit extreme. Mac

The Skippers Guide issued with the application form says that your boat should be able to 'comfortably' achieve 5 knots (6MPH). It's all booked up for July, by the way. Mac