Zoro

Lovely people but every program I have seen he seems to ram something. Maybe for everyone else s safety, and to save maintenance on hired boats and the waterways structure's. maybe it is time they retired. A question I have asked a few old boaters struggling to operate a lock. Have they ever considered a static caravan?

Sadly yes they are getting more common. I live on the Leeds Liverpool.and see them quite often. The last couple of years the number of ducklings surviving are very few. I have seen the mink dragging a fish bigger than itself along the bank edge and also a adult size mallard duck. They look attractive animals and I know they have to eat. Sadly there are no native animals ferocious enough to fight back.

I used to have a boat name DELIVERANCE. How many times was I asked about the film and do I play the banjo?

When you empty a lock or a pound. It becomes a hole and holes are dangerous??? You or I would probably wear waders and possibly a life jacket. Jump in and handball rubbish out of the hole. BW now CART would never get volunteers insured to do that activity without further stringent safety measures and first fencing off the whole area to stop watchers or volunteers falling in. Knowing some of the old BW safety measures and reasons for those.CART walk a very dangerous line allowing volunteers to do some tasks even though it might look okay and the people are willing to do it. The second point. BW for many years left rubbish in the canal because they were not licenced to get rid of it.If they used a skip or put rubbish in there vehicles. they were charged commercial rates to dump it at the tip. It was considered too expensive and not good use of funds.

From memory these five or six plots of land were on the market about eight years ago. They were built with a access road and water supply. there were restrictions as to what buildings could be erected ie. one shed. They were sold !with the possibility of being used as a permanent mooring ! I haven't been past recently but there but there has never been a mooring on each plot. I do remember a dispute when one of the first purchasers upset the locals and the old BW by cutting trees and clearing the bank. before getting permission to do so. Assuming that by owning the land, making a mooring was an automatic right. If these problems have been sorted and I presume they should have by now. this could be a great mooring for someone who wants to live the good life. A permanent mooring with enough land for a chicken run, market garden orchard etc PS these are just my thoughts and memories. Im not trying to buy or sell it.

YES>YES>YES. I lived on my boat for five years. The Morso Stove was the best thing on the boat. Used carefully it used little fuel. Coal and occasionally logs. It looked good with the real fire glow and kept the whole boat warm. I also had diesel heating but hardly ever used it. Yes it will create a bit more dust/smoke but I thought well worth the effort.

As one of the previous posters Said. The paddles have been disconnected for a number of years. BW are aware. It is not lack of maintainance but for technical reasons. concerning water flow and danger from blockage. Due to that old chestnut health and safety.The gate is at the top of the flight at the end of a long pound. To get at those paddles a large very expensive coffer dam has to be built.The groves for stop planks about 10 feet above it will not suffice. Many boaters comment about it. Maybe its just a new notice.

In reply to your orriginal post. This male swan I know as SLY a play on the blue tag on his leg SL1. He is a great dad. in a previous year his partner SLJ died in the summer but instead of abandoning his signets he stayed with them and reared then on his own until they were all mature enough to fledge on their own. The following season he reappeared with the new female he is still with now. The mystery of the six signets who did dissappear suddenly has not been solved. They did not turn up at any other local sites such as Leigh Flash where many young swans in their first year congregate. Although not proved and because of their sudden and total dissappearance it is thought they were taken for meat. It would be unfair to suspect a particular group of people but there are groups of eastern european people in the wigan area who have taken birds from local parks for the table. The same group who regularly leave illegal night lines and fish traps in the canal fishing for carp for the table.

I have had one for three years now. It has never missed a beat.It was more expensive than some but it starts well.It is fairly quiet and will run everything you described.No problem.

End of garden moorers complaining Why do we have to pay? Maybe its for the water your boat is floating on. It doesnt get there by accident. And im sure you like to move your boat occasionally.

Look on Jim Shed's waterways information. Full of usefull stuff including all registered boat names.

The locks at Wigan say max 60 foot.Occasionally boats up to 64 foot do sneak through. But as said before you need to be carefull and expect a shower from leaking gates behind the steerer. Some of the gates were replaced last winter but they will never totally seal. If the guide says 60 foot and you take a longer boat through please dont damage the locks or sink your boat it will be very expensive and dont expect your insurance company to pay anything???

Nightmare as in what way? there are still 21 in the flight and it is a long steady plod up or down. There has been a lot of work done this winter with new lock ladders and if I remember correctly six new sets of gates.Did you have a problem with the equipment or was it just hard work due to the numbers?

I hope BW are going to seek compensation on a full cost recovery basis for any any all costs incurred for BW.From the driver or his insurers.

I had two seats made for the back of my trad stern narrow boat.The seats were two vintage tractor seats.which might look uncomfortable but these were designed to fit on a very uncomfortabe tractor and probably sat on by a rotund farmers bottom. They were actually shaped and comfortable. The seats were hinged so they would tilt forward for ease of getting on and off. They were attached to a length of scaffold pole with a footrest wich could be adjusted. At the base the pole was a screw thread. On the cant of the boat two recepters were welded. When in use the seats screwed into the recepters. I only used the seats when out for long periods cruising. They did take some getting used to as I did feel exposed sat fairly high up and very much at the back of the boat.But they were comfortable. I never had a problem with my tiller.I was carefull and never had a problem with mooring lines. When not in use the seats were removed and stored. A blanking cap screwed into the recepter to stop any water pooling in it. Sorry I cant find any photo's just at the moment.

The easy answer. Sail on past!

I only once had a problem changing the oil on my Beta 43 and of course it was my own stupid mistake.? I drained the engine. Took off the old filter catching the filter and drips of oil in a poly bag. I forgot to check the old filter and left the old sealing ring attached to the engine block? Thinking everything was going well I screwed the new filter on hand tight. Filled with 8 or 9 litres of new oil. (expensive, only the best for my engine) Everything clean and sorted. Started the engine and a few seconds later saw my bilge filling with oil. As we all know a little oil can go a long long way.Took me hours and another batch of new oil to complete a job that normally takes me about half an hour. We live and learn.

Do you run the risk of cancelling your mooring and then being out bidded? ending up with no mooring.

I agree with the answer yes. But it would be totally unenforceable. I like a drink as much as anyone and I accept the more we drink the more mistakes we make and the more dangerous we can become. Do we want that ? when driving several tons of boat on the canal however slowly.

I have a clarky campbell (duck) mixed in with the wild ducks at my boat. She lays one egg per day on the back of my deck. Keep feeding it you might get lucky.

I work on a flight of locks. I wont embarrass anyone by saying which. I find that people tend to make more mistakes when going through the locks late at night. ie in the dark it must be easier to miss the odd paddle, paddles not fully closed.gates that have swung back open which in daylight boaters would probably re close. There is the further potential trip hazard in the dark. I am not against the practice but people should be extra carefull and many are not.

Try looking at the futon company.they will have a website somewhere and shops in various cities. I have a oak framed futon.It makes a comfortable setee for 99.9% of the time and because it hinges along its axis ( or along the long way) it folds out into a decent double bed.It completely fills the width of my narrow boat but fits? In fact its bigger than my fixed bed.Had it about five years still good and solid. sorry I cant remember the price I paid.

The company is advertised under the name :captains pearch: BUT I baught a pair of vintage tractor seats from ebay and had them mounted on a pole with a small bracket welded to the rear deck. The seats are removable and I only fit them when out cruising long days or distances. The seats are cast iron but supprisingly comfortable.Not being unkind to farmers they designed a seat for a uncomfortable tractor and a well padded bottom.

Looking for a sofa? I baught a futon sofa bed from the Futon Co. It makes a comfortable setee/guest double bed.I have had it 5 years it is still solid well made and when new it came through my narrow boat narrow doors in peices without any problems