grahame r

We cruise all of the time with the side hatches open (10ft widebeam). Completely open when it's hot and dry, with perspex "windows" if it's cold/wet, massively improves the airyness and visibility inside the boat. We do a lot of hours and swinging doors haven't been a problem.

Surely a job for Bizzard's Patented Telescopic Barge Pole.

There's a beautiful symetry to the idea of a dedicated solar power system to run a fridge/freezer. No doubt someone a lot cleverer than me can tell you exactly what you'd need, but I doubt it would require 450 amp hours of storage so the savings in batteries could go a long way to pay for the solar. Just a thought.

I've just travelled the length of the Stort single handed on a widebeam. Going up all the locks were in my favour with the gates left open as is normal here, it made it so very easy. On the way back all the locks were against me, again with the gates open, far more difficult but actually closing the bottom gates only adds a very few minutes. So if water conservation is not a constraint then I'd say definitely leave 'em open. Mind you it's not worth being reviled for so for the sake of a quiet life I follow the local traditions.

It's the giant rats she needs to worry about.

Red wine with seafood? Whatever happened to your standards man?

Leave the gates open. Sorry, heading back to the Lee and Stort - Coat.

I posted on the forum before doing Hatton for the first time about a month ago and got excellent advice;- 1) Only do 18 turns, the paddles are then as open as they are ever going to be. 2) If single handing or just one crew just use only one set of paddles, the effort of crossing the lock isn't worth it for the 2 minutes or so opening both sets saves. I can't pretend it was the best boating experience of my life but it was a good day and the volunteers were very helpful.

I like nice thick soft ropes so would go for 14 or 16mm nylon. As to length, I like to keep the centre lines just too short to reach the prop. in our case with a 57ft boat 30ft centre ropes are safe. Stern ropes are always going to be a danger so keep them maneageable to store on the counter, say 20ft. I'd go for a nice long bow line which is handy if sturdy mooring points are few and far between.

Is Hazelmere open again? I thought it closed last year.

Only one top gate at Lock 55, Rising Sun, Berkhamstead can be opened by mortals. If you need both gates open you need to ask CaRT to attend, they did it for us within an hour!. Winkwell Swing Bridge 147 Hemel Hempstead has been damaged and again can only be operated by CaRT personnel. They are currently opening it at 9am, 12noon and 4pm. The number to call is 01908 302525, very helpful.

Try Dean at DW Marine who are based in Harlow on 01279 426777. Highly recommended.

Isn't it just unbalanced as it starts? If it's smooth once all cylinders are firing I'd leave well alone. My engine certainly rocks on start up and shut down, I think its normal. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, is there vibration as you engage forward gear? Again, if it evens out after a very short time I wouldn't loose any sleep.

In the short term you may be able to dip the tank through the pump out fitting, The vent should never overflow, it should be at the top of the tank to allow gas only to exit and the bowl should back up before the tank fills to the very top. In the longer term then fit a gauge, not a warning light, so that you have plenty of warning http://www.hendersons.co.uk/boattank/tank-level-indicator.html We've just fitted one of these and it works very well. As another short term idea, the boat may list as the tank fills if it's not fitted in the centre. Do get a porta potti for emergencies.

I think the first question to ask is does it have an engine? Butties are the unpowered "trailers" pulled by motorised boats. Its quite possible it's had an engine fitted but without one you won't be doing much cruising.

THanks all. We're a widebeam so both gates, but with 3 crew (all aged but hey ho) and a steerer we should be not too bad.

We're on the GU for the first time and planning on going up the Hatton Flight on Wednesday. Canal Plan AC seems to group all locks in a flight and assume there's no mooring allowed (it certainly does this on Caen Hill). Does anyone know if we can stop anywhere on the flight if we need to.

We got stuck there in, I think, 2010, opposite a big permanently moored Blue boat used as offices. There appeared to be plenty of water then suddenly we were aground. Managed to get off after much tooing and froing and there was plenty of water imediately past the shallow area. It's quite busy there so If other boats are moving freely up and down the main channel I'd ask someone to pull me off (so to speak). I don't think evaporation was the cause or that a shower of rain will help. The pound between Tottenham and Stonebridge is nearly a mile long and quite wide so running water in from above will be a lengthy business and you'd risk the wrath of the moorer's above Stonebridge of which there are many. EDIT. LM beat me to it, like you we live and learn.

Obviously if you need a wheelchair lift then this is a massive plus as it would cost lots to retro fit. I guess the inverter is 3,000 watts not 300 as stated. The Travel power is another big plus, infinitely better than a petrol generator and nearly £3000.00 to retro fit. Owner fit outs can be anything from brilliant to apalling, so if you like it and your surveyor agrees then I'd give it serious thought. The market is very depressed just now so a lower offer than the asking price will probably be expected. To be honest after a couple of years of happy cruising then a couple of grand really won't mean that much. Good Luck and keep us informed.

I'm sorry I really don't understand what your point is, maybe I'm just a bit thick, can you expand on it please.

Is it possible that CaRT just want all of the waterways to contunue and improve as they claim? Surely if they wanted to be rid of CCers they could just increase the licence fees for people without a home mooring. I know it's nice and easy to have a big bad bogey man to blame for all our ills but these constant accusations of ulterior motives and hidden agendas is verging on paranoia.