kayDee

Probably because I've not done it yet. I 'dare' say I'll be wondering what the hell all the fuss was about once I've been there and done it! Kay x Thanks for everyone's reassurance on the rivers. As I've just said - Once I've been on them and experienced them, I'll probably be fine. Kay x

Mmmm, I'm still a bit spooked by rivers though... Really have a fear of getting stuck somewhere! Kay x

Hi Geoff Do you know what kind of blacking was on there originally? I've heard that some kinds don't like to be painted over with different brands - some chemical rejection or something within the two compounds? Also, that seems quite a short slot for a full blacking. You'd really want to be taking a good amount of time jetwashing all the yuck off the existing blacking before you do anything. Then, a full coat per day really to ensure its fully dried before the next coat. I'd think you'd be best with perhaps 3 coats to give it a good chance of surviving for 3 years approx. Its easy to think you can start adding additional coats while the other is still tacky but it really does need chance to fully dry before the next coat. I'm not sure about your rust question but I'd try and take it back beyond the rust, perhaps to bare metal, score it, prime it and then get some coat of blacking on but I'm far from an expert so its only a personal opinion. Good luck! Kay x

I've seen some of those weirs and they look quite scary - not something you want to be faced with in a narrowboat! Well, any boat for that matter! Kay x

Well, I've had 4-5 now! I just hover over the link first - its always some russian pharmacy or femme site! Kay x

Thanks Chris - I bet this sounds like a really silly post to the majority and I apologise for that. I'm very 'green' to cruising yet! Kay x

Thanks for that - I was sure they would be but not having experienced rivers and the like, I was a bit worried! I guess I need an anchor now too! Kay x

I must admit that sugar hadn't really come to mind, no! Still, it takes all sorts! Kay x

Hi all... I've decided that a nice long cruise might be in order for summer if the weather permits. I've been planning routes on google earth to see what goes where and I'm a bit confused about all the bits of rivers that are non-navigable but appear to not be blocked off. I've been looking at the river trent and the calder and there are lots of bits that 'look' like if you were to head down them - you'd get stuck at little waterfalls and shallows. When you're actually out on those areas, are they in some way signposted (for want of a better word) so as to direct you where to go? There are little windy areas that lead you through locks, onto the river for a bit, then there is a fork in the river with another lock and no end of little ways you have to weave in and out of. This is all well and good planning the routes on google earth but when I'm actually there - things are going to look VERY different! For a start - I can't trace the stretches of water to see if they're blocked off or not (or lead nowhere) and I was a bit confused by it all really and how to plan a decent route without getting stuck or picking the wrong branch/fork and ending up somewhere completely different! Kay x

Thanks for the additional help - I've still not had chance to check out the little thing that should be sat in the flame. I WILL check this later! Kay x

I'll second that idea too. She can then take her little garden with her when you go cruising - that's what I'm going to do when I get around to sorting out my roof and getting a few little boxes! Kay x

Thanks to everyone for their help on this. I will have a 'test' run on the next good spot of weather and see how it goes. I don't really want to mix the sand with the paint in case it doesn't go on nice and smooth. I want a really nice flat surface. I've seen attempted jobs where they have applied the sand with the paint and the surface was all over the place - they have either used too much sand with the paint or something but it looked bad! When I get chance to do it, I will take some before/after photos... Kay x Hi Leo Sorry, the avatars had to go I'm afraid... Kay x

Hi all... We want a sand antislip surface on our roof. If we mask off squares, slap lots of paint on there and then sprinkle silicate sand on, allow it to completely dry, brush excess off, repaint it all and then pull off the masking tape - is that about it? Or, does anyone recommend a better adhesive surface for the sand instead of paint? I've tried the search function to get more info but drew a blank... We spent HOURS sanding down ALL our roof before we decided on the sand - how silly was that huh? Kay x

Hi Depending on where you are, there might be a wireless hotspot near you that you can connect to? I use THIS provider and they've been okay so far... Kay x

I've been having a look on Google Earth to see if there are any quiet places located on the L&L where I can set up the tent. Just got an ace Eureka tent that takes about 60 seconds to put up! I love it! Might be fun to get on the bike with tent and rucksack and rough it for a night just to see what its like. Just have to find somewhere reasonably secluded that isn't fenced off from the towpath, as most seem to be though... There seems to be less and less places to camp out these days. I hate camp sites - its a lot more fun somewhere else away from it all and a bonus if you get some nice weather along with it! Haha to the last comment! Kay x

NEVER feed them Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae sauce, it kills them instantly... I've also heard that it then becomes untraceable in their systems so a ruling of 'death due to undetermined cause' would no doubt be issued... Kay x

And the dreaded CONDENSATION!!!!!!!! Kay x

They had to go gaggle, sorry about that... Kay x Mmmm, thinking about getting a new one rather than try and fix this one. It is old, there is no denying that - it might just give us problem after problem now... Kay x

She's gorgeous! Congratulations to you both! Kay x

Ah yes... Good idea. Will have to do it with it lit though so I can see if the little thing is in the flame. I've seen the oven one and I know how it should be positioned. If that fails, I'll have to look at getting a new cooker I think - its quite old and a bit tired anyway - like me! Ha! Kay x