AG2

Just completed a 2 month trip and it’s common practice now for people to moor at winding holes, lock landings and water points. If you have a wide beam you can moor on tight bends, at bridges and where vegetation obstructs the width of the canal. came across one that had moored in a winding hole for a couple of days. Whilst they went off on a train. (might have been an emergency I don’t know) it’s just the norm and something you have to work round using some of the suggestions already posted.

Last Week Merchant was tied up at Staines on the inside. I don’t think Chris operates her any more and she might be in the hands of new owners.

On the subject of getting fuel at marinas. We are doing the Thames Ring At Windsor Marina the diesel is £1.49 at litre. Petrol is £1.90. The pump out was £18. No comparison to the 90p/98p from the fuel boat on the GU.

The K&A is very pretty but can be hard work at times. If you intend to visit Limehouse check with the hire company. Their boat license usually covers the Thames as ABC have gold licences on the Aldermaston boats. They may insist you go via Brentford & Paddington as the Port of London have put restrictions on hire boats using the tidal section from Brentford to Limehouse. If London is high on your list you could always get to the Thames and do a day trip by train. The clipper boats do a day hop on hop off roamer ticket so you could get a boat fix that way. whatever you decide have a great holiday.

Still removing the wide beams at Crick. Great to see the mobile crane at work.

The EA volunteers lock keepers are trained and signed off to work on their own whilst the duty lock keeper takes a lunch break or goes to the weir. The duty lock keeper can leave the site for their 1 hour break if required. At the end of the day it’s down to the training of all volunteers and ensuring that they know what they can and cannot do. It’s been great reading the thread and the different views in the posts. With regard to having 3 narrow boats abreast in a lock it’s great to watch the reactions of everyone when you have a couple of rows of 3 abreast especially if you add some GRP boats & a few rowing boats to use all the space.

Just to add £13 for 2 pasties, £3.50 for a ice cream and if beer is your thing £5.50 a pint.

I used Calcutt wet dock in Sept 2021 for 4 days in came to £140 including power. Had to be a bit flexible with the dates but they found slot and We stayed on the boat. Yelvertoft has a good set up with hard standing and a building that can accommodate boats. Not sure of cost of if you can stay on board but might be worth a call.

I try my hand at a bit of cut & paste from the 1993 Thames Bylaws. That are on the Gov website. Might be of interest Use of vessels with sanitary appliances 66 (a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (c) below no owner or master of any vessel shall keep or use or knowingly permit to be kept or used on the river any vessel provided with a sanitary appliance of such design that polluting matter normally passes or can pass into the river. (b) Where any vessel is fitted with a sanitary appliance, such appliance shall be so designed, constructed and at all times maintained as necessary to prevent any such passage as aforesaid. (c) The master of every vessel present on the river, at the date of coming into force of these Byelaws, and of every vessel on the river on or after such date, if such vessel is fitted with sanitary arrangements or appliances so designed or constructed as to permit the passage into the river of polluting matter, shall without undue delay give notice to the Lockkeeper at the lock nearest to the vessel’s point of entry to the river or to any Officer of the Authority specifying the nature of such arrangements aforesaid. The master shall also, upon being requested by such lockkeeper or other Officer of the Authority so to do, afford such Officer of the Authority facilities for the taking by him of such steps by way of sealing or otherwise as may be reasonably necessary for preventing the passage into the water of polluting matter from the vessel so long as the vessel remains on the river. So long as the vessel remains on the river, no interference or alteration shall be made with the sealing or other steps so taken as aforesaid except with the approval of the Authority. (d) No person shall discharge polluting matter into the river from any vessel or from any sanitary appliance used thereon.

AB Tuckey is an established boat transport haulier with 40 years experience. I have seen them in action delivering boats to Crick. Might be worth a call for a quote.

Thanks for the explanation I was going to ask about MIC. Every day is a learning day.

If I remember the video the lady took the boat to a yard for blacking. The defects became apparent when the hull was jet washed and it went on from there. I’ve not been able to find a link but it was a YouTube clip.

Having a walk by the top lock now and boats are going through. The CRT man says the locks are open and he had the padlock in his van.

We stayed there two weeks ago. There was plenty of room on the tow path moorings on the approach to the basin.

I went with a company called onboard solar for a supply and fit option. Their website had lots of information information re planning for solar.