Chickadee

My dog helpfully barks when someone knocks on the roof of the boat and keeps barking if i'm on board but shuts up after one quick bark if i'm not. I'm sure these animals are cleverer than they are letting on.

I've ran out of greenies. I don't think sticking my own to the screen will have the same effect.

Fantastic! Tears running down my face. I think I might have to print this out and hand it to guests so we can get all those questions out the way first.

I'd love any ideas on securing bikes. We have one on board at the moment that cost me £25 deliberatly so if it was nicked I wouldn't be to gutted. We'd like to have two bikes on board so we can get to the pub together without one of us having to walk. I've seen some niffty car bike rack arrangements but wondered if anyone had any other ideas? The one idea i had had was some S/meat hook style hooks on the off side of the boat and then a long chain through the centre ring. Although I think it would deter tow path thieves I wonder if this would be annoying when its windy.

We've only used lights, water pump and a little tv so far. Laptop and phones are either charged when going along, at work or at the bf's parents where we take the dog. Fridge has been on 240 while moving which seems to have kept it cool enough for now.

Thanks for all the advice everyone, we're out! Pottered about for a few hours today, got some gas, electric and shopping then found our new mooring. Going to stay here for a couple of weeks while I finish my full time job then go and try a few other places. Everything seems to be working fine. I've had a hot shower on my boat, normally i'd be off to the shower block. We've seen a few friends while out and about drunk many teas and generally had a lovely day. Loving having so much more light in the boat than when we're in the marina its made me happier already. We were going to get a 3 mifi thingy but i've been using my phone as a hotspot and its better than the wifi we were paying for in the marina. I'm a happy boating bunny. now just to decide if I should watch 127 Hours or not. Pushing it?

I think the link you posted would be the best option. I've slept on the single version and they are surprisingly comfy. Having slept on the floor of the boat on a double blow up bed I wouldn't recommend it as a long term option. Even towards the end of summer it was soooo cold I hardly slept.

ooh! sounds just what I need! Thanks

Thats why I asked to be honest. I did wonder how effective it would be.

Mmm maybe I should just get that one then. How long does it last once charged?

Any one tried out a solar DAB radio? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roberts-DAB-Digital-Solar-Radio/dp/B003GM62PQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326980066&sr=8-1 I need an alternative to using my phone, laptop or TV to listen to DAB wondered if this could be the answer. The car stereo I have on the boat is only a couple of years old so don't really want to replace that. What other options do I have?

I'd only done this a couple of times before but i've started doing it this week and its made the world of difference. When its really cold we'd fill the stove with coal but it would be all but gone by the morning and the boat would be cold again. This week i've chucked a small shovels worth of ash over the coals before going to bed and theres still about a 1/4 of the coals left in the morning!

I keep reading about how good it could be for us and how much money it could make which was swaying me but I think Roger put a stop to that. The old yacht was the past. I don't think its right to be spending that sort of money on something like that right now. If someone has that money to spare it should go to sort out other problems like improving our rail system so this new line doesn't have to be built or something similar. I'm all for investment in business, I think we have some incredible business' in this country but I don't think this is the way to show case it. Having said that if it is built every last bit of it down to every nut and bolt should be British. Also whats going to happen to the old one? It should be put to good use before another one is built.

The lockie at Upper Lode was great, he was the one that warned us about the tide and recomended we moor up for a bit. The Lockie at Worcester didn't even come out of his little hut. It would have been nice if he had come out and mentioned the high tide. We only had that day to get back down otherwise we could have moored at Worcester or Tewksbury for a week if we'd have known before we set off. Or atleast had a bit of warning to prepare ourselves for the trip ahead! We've had the same problem with the lockies when we did our blacking trip. They didn't know anything about the stoppage on the avon when we asked and I think it was Bob? at Tewksbury that told my Dad about it. Good point about the fuel tank. I think we'd have thought of everything but that. Good info thanks. I wonder if being a member of the Cotswold Canal Trust will work. I'd love to stop in Bristol for a bit. I nearly bought a reck of a boat there about 8 years ago. After three days of trying we couldn't get the engine started. Glad I know so much more now! I think it was a lucky escape but I used to spend alot of time lusting over boats in the docks so it would be nice to be on one. The lock out on to the Avon used to be my quite place where i'd cycle down with a book and read for a while. Very peaceful place it was too.

Dad did the welding, my department was cleaning and sanding.

Congratulations on your first boat! I'm generally confused by the avatar thing myself do can't help there. I think I shrunk mine through photobucket.

We had to wait for quite a while (I think we had to wait for a boat coming out) which was probably the scariest bit. I think as soon as the doors opened and it was clear I just got in there as quick as I could once we got off the wall. We always double and triple check the tides now. I'm not doing that again. Although it was the fastest i've ever been in our boat which was quite fun when the river was clear. I think this was also my first trip down the river without my Dad and only the second or third time i'd been on the river. I think Dad thought i was over reacting. Its never been that bad when we've been out on it since.

Its a great building. I do wonder if the scaffolding or ivy is holding it up though. Its a shame its got to that state I wonder if it could ever be saved. It would take some work! Glad everyone enjoy it.

Dominic beat me to it. I'm fairly certain this is what happened to us. The guy at upper lode told us to moor up for a bit but we only managed to moor up for a hour before we had to get going otherwise we'd run out of time to get in at Gloucester. We were watching the water level drop on the bridges as we went down but it was taking us so quick we were catching up with it! It was interesting!

Ah cool, I guess that wouldn't be to much. Just trying to price it all up for if/when we do get to do it. We're still looking at buying a bigger boat sometime in the not to distant future (ie when I get another job, will be unemployed as of valentines day which is nice) and keep seeing a few possibilitys down that way. I guess it will be simpler and alot cheaper to bring a widebeam back up on the water than on a lorry.

Thats very helpful thanks dominic. Watched a few videos on you tube of narrowboats doing it but not widebeams. Is it just a pilot that you have to pay for? After a rather horrible experience coming down on a high tide on the Severn to Gloucester I wouldn't even think about going out the other end without a pilot. If only to have someone with me to say everythings ok when i'm starting to think we might die.