estima

I disassembled the entire machine, blew out all the dust with a dog blaster and put a fresh motor in.

Not exactly boat related but I've always found this forum to be full of knowledge. I recently replaced the motor in my Miele C3 powerline vacuum cleaner. When I turn it on, it builds to full power but when it gets there, it loses power like it's been turned off. Just before it stops it builds to full power before losing it again, then builds again and so on. It's as though the current needs regulating. What could be the problem and what part would I need?

Always up for some boating. Flexible hours allows me to come and go from work as and when suits me.

Splendid. Thanks one and all.

I'm leaving Autherley at the beginning of October and heading anti clockwise around the four counties ring. I have always used geoprojects maps to ensure I know where I'm going, what I'm doing and what is where. The maps have gotten a bit battered and weather-worn over the years but I've always been able to pick up a new one online, or in a chandlery for a few quid. When I did this route in April, I kept my Staffs & Worcs map "safe" from harm on the roof, weighted by a mug so it didn't blow away. Along comes one of the crew, takes a look at the map, puts it back on the roof and doesn't weigh it down, then looks utterly surprised when it blew off. Anyway, I'm being a bit long winded here (but needed to vent my frustration) and essentially, I'm after a map for the Staffs and Worcs. I've tried Amazon and ebay but I'm not going to get one unless I pay over £500. I'm wondering what the alternatives are that would be cheaper? I imagine geoprojects no longer do this map, hence the big money. I don't need anything fancy as I can do the S&W in a day, but I do like to be fully clued up as to the location of the locks, facilities etc. What do you recommend as a cheap and simple guide across the S&W? Thank you in advance.

Apologies Dave_P; I produce an annual publication that I publish on the internet. My whole year is spent preparing for that day which I pre-announce.

Already done the four counties this year in arctic April (it was warm and dry week either side). Looking forward to doing it all again in October. A lot of work to do before publication day on 6th October but I can hardly wait to get on the cut on 8th October. It does leave me rather wondering. To get a crew together, all agree on a date, collect monies in a timely manner and sort them to anything on time is always a bit of a challenge and frankly, irritating and tiresome. How does everyone else using hire boats get their potential companions to committ?

Cheers John. Much appreciated. I'm in Burslem on the Saturday morning to pop in the antique centre. Longport sounds a most meritorious plan I feel.

Hello, I'm visiting my parents next weekend who live about a mile or so from Froghall on the Caldon. I'm looking to pick up some bits & pieces from a chandlery. Could anyone be so kind as to suggest where the nearest one to Froghall would be please? Thanks.

Hi Squishy, I have ecountered the same sort of problems as you, with a spouse reluctant to take to the waterways. I got round this by going with my mates instead ! As other replies have said, steering a narrowboat is picked up really quickly, and you'd be surprised at the degree of accuracy you can steer it with after a hour or two. Remember that you need to have a little power there to steer properly - idling in nutural reduces the ability to steer. I felt quite comfortable steering a sixty footer after half hour at the helm and I'm sure if you can get your husband on there it wouldn't be long before he came quite possessive of the tiller ! You've just gotta go for a narrowboat as oppose to a cruiser I'd say. If I was a ten year old kid again, I'd have loved my parents to take me boating and although the thought of wonderful scenery may not sound that appealing to a ten year old, I can't imagine anyone not getting bit by the boating bug once they've tried it. Perhaps tell him you need him along to help his Mum with the locks ? As for going in September, I'd say the later you go in September, the better it would be. Autumn is my favourite season of the year when you get all the colours of the trees leaves in their full glory. Never saw a water rat when I've been out, although we did have a squirrel that decided he wanted to swim along with us. If I was going to suggest a route, then I'd recommend a fairly simple quest first time where you can turn round and head back halfway through the week. Possibly Llangollen or the Caldon.

I usually find a supply of heavy duty black bin bags useful. Just cut a few holes in for your head and arms and pull it over the top of you. If it doesn't rain then you just use the bags for your rubbish.

Hope you've changed the cooking an washing up conditions now you're married ! ?

Well the first time I hired it was for a stag week - though I do see your point about the risk of getting the boats back in worse condition. Our crew is all in their thirties/fourties so perhaps treat the fact we are hiring someone elses boat with a bit more respect than a group of lads in their early twenties (though I'm not suggesting that there are not sensible groups in this age bracket). We simply didn't want to do the usual stag night thing of just getting drunk in a club - in fact I imagine most of our group wouldn't even go clubbing - and we were all keen to sample life on the canal. Indeed we did have quite a few cans of beer on board, but there again, we did drink a lot of tea and coffee too. We also had one of the crew who wouldn't even let someone dispose of a fag end in to the canal - everything had to be binned and he kept reminding us there was a place for everything and everything in its place. The maintenance checks on the engine were followed meticulously to the letter and were done at 06:30 am sharp. We spent the evening before dropping the boat back off cleaning it thoroughly, though I had cleaned all week because that's what I'm used to doing. I suppose it is difficult for hire firms to distinguish between groups of same sex people who would act in the manner you describe and a group such as the one I go with who appreciate the history, heritage and scenic splendour of canals and aim to treat other people we meet along the way in the same manner we would be expected to be treated ourselves.

I agree entirely with you. Go for it !! Should certainly bring your costs down.

I was in the predicament of the wife thinking it too expensive for a holiday she simply wasn't interested in. I still wanted to sample life on canals so I left the wife at home and me and six mates paid in £210 each for a ten berth boat which gave us a week away with a £500 beer kitty. Worth thinking about I reckon !

One company you may be missing is Middlewich Narrowboats and, I think, Andersen boats. Not technically on the Shroppie, but if I've remembered correctly, the Middlewich canal is a branch of the Shroppie (and takes about four hours cruising to get from the junction with the Trent & Mersey to Barbridge junction on the Shroppie. Our group hire from Middlewich narrowboats as the boats offer the best layout for seven blokes not wanting to share a bed with anyone ! I certainly have no complaints regarding the level of service and there is as much or little tuition as you want. For example, if you've all worked locks before then they won't go through the process of showing you unless you want to. Very friendly people too !

"Fill up your water tank and preferably put a couple of fat friends up at the front." Luckily we have access to some of them kind of friends, plus we tend to store all the cases of beer at the front so they hang round there like flies around you know what.

Cheers John, As always, good advice. I didn't realise the Leek branch was only a few hours job ! Will definitely do that on the way back. I'm aware the first part of the Caldon is a bit uninspiring as it is in the centre of the Potteries. However, I grew up about a mile from Froghall so know the scenery that way is fantastic. Will we get a 59 foot boat through Froghall tunnel ?? I'm not one of the weird sorts who doesn't like pubs - that's what our crew goes for ! I have been in the Hollybush at Denford quite a few times, and also have fond memories of drinking Ruddles on daught at the Black Lion when a mates older brother took us for a few pints when we were at the impressionable age of 14.

Planning on doing an out and back on the Caldon from Middlewich in May 2006 (not in public or school holiday time). Obviously, I've got the usual problems of late afternoon pick-up and opening times at the Harecastle to consider, so my calculations leave me three and a half days of Caldon time. Now I realise that somewhere on this forum, this topic must have been discussed before but as I'm at work and all you tax payers are contributing to my salary, I thought it best not to spend time looking for the info but just add a post in my break time. So, the question is - will three and a half days cruising on the Caldon do it justice ? Or would you recommend setting off from nearer the junction with the T&M to maximise time and fit in the Leek branch ? Thanks for listening.

I'm not entirely sure where you are picking up your boat from ? Would it be the marina in Etruria on the South side of the tunnel? If this is the case, and you can get away early afternoon, then I'd head anti-clockwise for the tunnel and see if you can get through it that afternoon. Once on the North side, there are quite a few pubs to pick from and I'd highly recommend The Red Bull. I did the four counties in a week in June, and this was by far and away the best pub, both in terms of ale and food. If you don't get away until later (3pm for instance), and you wanted a night out on the Saturday, I would go clockwise. If you went anti and where moored ready for harecastle the following morning, then it is a good two miles uphill walk to any boozer, and even then they are only a couple and they are in the rough areas of Goldenhill/Sandyford/Tunstall. Go clockwise and you should reach Stone which is altogether more pleasant. I have to say, that my preference is anti-clockwise. Not sure why this is though ! It will all depend on what time you can get away I suppose. We tried the trick of turning up early on the chance that the boat would be ready but had no joy. I would imagine though that in September, there may be more chance of an early kick off.

Well, I'm back in one piece !!! Thanks to all of you for your advice, much appreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and we managed to complete the four counties in an anti-clockwise direction very easily. We reached Stoke on Tuesday night, leaving us with three full days to get back to Middlewich ! We considered having a look down the Caldon but decided to simply slow down a bit. Having reached Stone by Monday night we were obviously way ahead on time, so it was nice to ease off a little after that. I'll certainly be back on board again soon for another go.

Well even though I'm quite a moderate drinker (12 pints minimum per session), I have an uncanny ability to be 'horribly bouncy' myself early mornings. Because I take full advantage of working flexi time (all next weeks holiday is on flexi!) I ensure I'm up and about by around 5am each morning, so whatever state I've got myself in, I always manage to wake up early. To be fair though, I did stop in bed till around 7am the other week, largely due to not getting in till around 4.45 am My captain has informed me that we shall be up and running at the break of daylight each morning, and told us we shall, under no circumstances, be travelling after sunset. We're all keen to respect people and observe any laws, so hopefully, we'll manage to get past the week without offending anyone or being a nuisance. Not sure if the American crew you saw were oblivious to the fact that they shouldn't have been travlling this time of night, but lets just hope they made it back in one piece and remained dry !

Well I'm certainly not sure .... there will be others far more qualified than myself to answer that. I just got the impression that was the more common way, having found no logs at all for anti-clockwise, but several for clock-wise.