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Grace and Favour

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Everything posted by Grace and Favour

  1. We have our Kitchen Chef - - and keep it in the galley on the work surface. There's no problem using it to knead bread, (or mix batter) However, I tend to always make extra loaves when baking (to give to friends), and as it's sourdough, I tend to spend one day a week with four bowls of dough slowly proving, (normally over 6 - 8 hours) Now that tends to impinge on where we can sit during the day!!
  2. We choose not to remove a member's details when they leave, for that also removes all their posts, and also creates 'orphaned' posts/threads from other members. Whilst I personally believe that's a shortcoming in the software, that's the way it is. Therefore, when a member decides to leave, we ask that they simply stop posting, and the threads/posts eventually become history /are archived.
  3. Hi Simone, It would help if you would take some photographs and download them on here so we can see whate we're dealing with........
  4. Welcome to the Forum. Whilst I'm not based in London, we've plenty of members who are, and I'm sure they'll be along to share their thoughts with you shortly. And there are quite a few single ladies living on boats, and most will tell that it's as safe as living anywhere, as long as you use common sense, logic and take care - exactly as if you were living in an house. London has developed a marked overcrowding in some areas of the canal system in recent years, and I'm lead to believe that the CRT (Canal and River Trust) are making efforts to 'police' the system more effectively, and make sure that boats don't overstay at key locations, and that continuous cruisers (those who've chosen not to have a home mooring) follow the rules of their licence. Boating is much more time intensive than living in a rental flat, it may well take hours to cruise to a sanitary station to empty your toilet, or ti find a tap to fill with water, with a chance that if you then try to return to your last location, there's already another boat there. And, of course you can live for less than life is currently costing you, but like many things in life there tends to be a direct relationship between physical/material comforts and cost. The same is, of course, true with boating. And you need to be fairly nifty with electrics, engines, pumps, lead acid batteries and plumbing. Because unlike houses, boat bits insist on breaking down more frequently, and they're dearer to replace too. We live on our boat, though not in London. And we love it, though working and being a continuous cruiser is possible, I wouldn't fancy it - - though I know of folks who do. I guess if you have a flexible enough diary to allow for sometimes extended commute times, (and the means to pay for it), and have the time available to make sure you get back to your boat by 5 o'clock in order to run the engine/generator to recharge your batteries, (all engines must be off by 20:00 hrs) - - because your lights/water pump/bilge pump/tv etc need the power. It IS doable Pennywise, but it may well require a number of major changes in your lifestyle - - and they're not all easy ones.
  5. You may like to consider fitting tank gauges, - they are available from business such as LeeSanitation, and types vary from those that site inside the tank, and operate with variable floats that illuminate a series of light on a panel, or (dearer) systems that affix on the outside of your tank (and again send signals to a indicator panel). Both systems require 12v to power them.
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  8. Your battery charger should be able to provide about/at least 10% of your battery bank. So, as you battery bank will be 660Ah, your charger should ideally be rated at least 65A. And what about your starter battery/bowthruster battery (if fitted), you need to include those in your calculations
  9. Excel 25Kg sack £9.75 delivered from Lincolnshire Firewood Co Mixed ovoids 25Kg sack £8.25 from the same place Anthracite nuts 25Kg sack - £10:00 (I always use during the day/evening)
  10. 60' boats will cover over 90% of the network, and in my experience, a 60' boat, because of it's length - is easier to steer and handle. Having said that, a 60' boat will cost more to keep, licence and paint - but there's also the likelyhood of more usable space too. There are any number of reasons to determine the length of your preferred boat - but handling a 60' is normally most straightforward. (my first hireboat was 69' and was a dream to steer)
  11. I would not use a Dektite fitting at all. It seems to me that the company only wants to install what they want to install, and not what you want. I would get a different company/boat engineer to do the job
  12. I suggest you get a (cheapish) LED volt meter from Ebay, connect it to your leisure batteries and mount it inside your boat where you are most likely to see it frequently. When it reads 12.24v - you know your batteries are at 60% SoC, when 12.1, they are 50% SoC WHEN IT READS 12.24
  13. We traverse rivers fairly frequently. Our anchor is fixed in the bow with a winch - - which is fine when travelling against the flow. We carry a couple of 25Kg mudweights (on 20m lines) at the stern should we need them as a primary resource if travelling with the flow (not a perfect solution, but better than none I hope!)
  14. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  15. Hi Emmalouise14. Welcome to the forum. I'll send Rob your details so he can email you. G&F
  16. Change the boat name at will, let CRT & your insurers know of the new name, and buy everyone around you a decent beer. That covers all angles I think.
  17. If you mention what area the boat's in, then I expect members in that area may well recommend a good/reliable/suitable surveyor You can have a complete boat survey - or just the hull. (opinion differs on which is most suitable, though if it were a boat I was buying, I would most probably go for the full survey) Some surveyors work weekends, some don't. Survey costs may differ according to the part of the country - - (I believe that they are dearer in London - like most things) So do dry-docks, cranes etc...... So - again, if you give us a clue to the area, members will doubtless recommend operations that they have had good experience of
  18. You can get both silicone grease, and liquid silicone, on ebay, either will do the job admirably.
  19. Welcome to the forum, Redneck. As you say, you've asked a question oft asked. In truth, there are few 'private' boats that are legal to lease, for the boats require a more stringent BSS (Safety) certificate, different (more expensive) insurance, and registration as an hire boat with the Canal and River Trust. Few, if any, private boat owners will do this. However, you could approach any of the hire boat companies and ask if they'd offer a long term hire throught the winter (when they don't normally hire many craft out), or contact ETRR (Escape The Rat Race) - a narrowboat hire company that specialise in long term hire. (Though not inexpensive) To make a 'private hire' may be beset with legal complications, not the least of which may be insurance and licence validity problems for the owner - though that's not to say that such arrangements don't exist.
  20. We've a member, (Barge Sara) who drives his barge with Lynch motors. Here's a brief summary of what he uses, I suggest you use 'search' on here for more details.
  21. You could always send a sample (flake) of paint to Craftmaster - and they'll darn near match the colour for you. Of course, even if you did find a sample of the original paint, the paint on your boat will have changed (with the sun and weather) over the last 18 years. So I reckon Craftmaster may well be your best bet.
  22. This (linky) is on a well know auction site, being sold as an original Ron Hough piece. I don't know his work well enough to identify it, but someone may be interested if it is genuine.
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