Ange

Pics will be happily provided if requested. We actually have some already on Photobucket from when we bought the boat and had no idea what the engine was - the paperwork that came with the boat was sadly deficient and the surveyor was baffled. It was only through internet research that we found the details and obtained a manual. Twould be rather good if there was a connection - you'd be providing us with more history on our engine and we'd be giving you the pics you lack (don't you just love the internet!) Let me know what you find out Ange

Hi Kev There is actually a build code on the engine which tells us that it was built on 16th September 1985 during the midnight shift. The boat was built and fitted out in 1990/91. The engiine was indeed marinised by C-Power Marine between these dates. Does this fit with your relation's time at C-Power Marine? Ange

Blimey - the HN sounds more interesting than I'd anticipated! I'm actually really looking forward to it despite the hard work. Dave's looking forward to Standedge - I'm not a big tunnel fan but gradually getting used to them after doing Braunston, Blisworth, Harecastle and Foulridge twice since we bought the boat! Ours is a Ford BSD 333H - a marinised industrial engine. Dave's looking forward to the opportunity to stretch its legs on a river.

We had intended to travel to Leeds and complete the circuit via the Huddersfield Narrow - unfortunately due to the fact that we stopped for a couple of weeks here and there too many (we really did dawdle!) we had to turn round in Skipton to get back to the section between Johnsons Hillock & Wigan Locks before they shut them down at the beginning of November! It took us 10 days to get the boat from just below Milton Keynes to the top of the Wigan Flight, under time pressure to make my dad's 70th birthday in Horwich, then four months to get from there to Skipton!! When we set off again in March(ish) we're going back up to complete the trip. We're 2'4" draught and have seriously struggled to get to the side on the L&L - I'm a bit perturbed by the Huddersfield Shallow reference Hubby loves the idea of rivers - we have a 3.3L engine and he can't wait to see what she can do! I remain a bit dubious, but I'm the coward of the pair of us

Hi Kevin & Karen and welcome We bought our first boat last October after a few hire holidays, and moved aboard full time in June. I know what you mean about feeling incompetent - there's a general assumption that because it's your own boat you'll know what you're doing, which can be a bit daunting when you're actually quite new to it! When we arrived at the bottom of the Wigan flight at the end of June I had no idea what to do with the bright shiny handcuff key I'd purchased (only to find there were two already on the boat - ah so that's what a handcuff key looks like!) Fortunately when we arrived another boat was locking down and the very helpful lady working the locks showed me what to do. Having since travelled up to Skipton and back I'm quite proficient now (and very good with swing bridges!) but I'm sure there are lots more challenges out there. Have fun, enjoy and feel free to ask away Edit to add - sorry WW but Iona is definitely female!

Going back to the original topic - we've got a WinTV dongle which plugs into the laptop and an aerial on the roof and gives us quite a lot of channels. Cost about £60 IIRC. We're thinking of getting a normal TV though cos we can't use the internet and watch telly at the same time.

hey Martin - I cottoned on to that just before you posted! Why delete previous account though?

bugger - just realised who you are (despite numerous clues ) What happened? (long stories are fine this time of night)

Thanks for the pics - we spent a lot of time on the Ashby when we first bought our boat, particularly in the area of the Lime Kilns pub, so I have fond memories of the area. Also Hawkesbury Junction - I have very proud memories of my 15 year old son navigating that rather tricky junction in a 70 foot Viking Afloat hire boat on a sunny Sunday afternoon in front of a full beer garden at the Greyhound some years ago - he did it to perfection! Thanks again

Sorry - I must have misunderstood from the other thread. Good to hear you're able (or ambling ) to the banter I'm one of the more quiet members - usually more vocal late at night - easily missed if I'm not around

Sorry - I've been internetless for a few days due to failure of the fuel lift pump leading to total loss of engine leading to no juice in batteries Fortunately new pump has been purchased and the engine has been run so I'm back on-line I voted 16/17 but we could do other weekends. ....and I can't believe you're thinking of blowing us out Liam - surely surely surely you can fit a January banter in your boating calender!!!

We were hirers until last year when we were fortunate enough to buy our own boat. I can honestly say as hirers we never had any problems mooring - and we did the Llangollen in peak season - simply because we were always more than happy to moor in an isolated spot away from everyone else. Unfortunately the down side of having our own boat is that we would probably just about fit the Llang and would most definitely not be able to get any where near the bank in those lovely isolated places. I have happy memories of just deciding a place looked nice and mooring there - nowadays unless there's mooring rings or pilings chances are the boat will list alarmingly about 2 feet from the bank (Dave keeps reassuriing me narrowboats are like weebles - they might wobble but they never fall down but it does trouble me!) and we'll try again a few hundred yards along with the same result, and so on and so forth. I'm assuming hire boats are quite shallow draughted? Edited to say - had a few glasses of happy juice tonight and hope the above makes sense

I chose other - we've spent most of this year on the Leeds & Liverpool and have seriously struggled to get anywhere near the bank for most of the time cos the water levels have been so low (at 2'4" draught we're a little deeper than some but not seriously deep draughted).