Athy

A carefully reasoned post, thank you. I quite frequently say that narrowboaters (self included) are not "normal", as when you step back and look at it, narrowboating is a rather odd thing to do. In reply to your comment about my previous post, I have read that many people with extreme views - flat-earthers, adherents of peculiar religious cults, loony lefties, etc. - believe that the silent majority agrees with them but won't say so. Although, come to think of it, some such people think that they're in step and everyone else is out of step, which rather contradicts the previous idea!

Traction engines, or at least many of them, do. So, I think, did those Sentinel shunters which the L.N.E.R. had - though as most of Sentinel's output was for non-railway use, they may just have used the system from their steam waggons.

NO! Not more blasted metrication! Tumshie, I didn't think "Here she goes again" at all. It's am important part of our lives - especially as, I would think, just about everybody thinks that they are sane and normal.

Er, not as broad as that, I don't think. That would have been a widebeam.

If you keep the "distinctive" features, yes. I remember, when we were shopping for our first boat, seeing a Springer called 'Thai'tanic' which was tricked out in red and gold with bits stuck on to make it look like (I assume) an ancient Siamese warship. That one probably proved a hard sell.

Quite. I have no doubt that some people fondly imagine that they were the first to think of 'Narrow Escape' or 'Meander' as a boat name.

Roy Scot Larch ceased to offer them a year or two ago, but I think that at least two other companies stepped into the breach last year. They were probably reported in these pages, though I can't remember where.

It is your boat and how you name and present it is absolutely your business. There's a narrowboat moored near us called 'Spud'. On its side is a painting of a terrier. It turns out that Spud was their beloved pet and so the boat is named (and illustrated) in his memory. Some people may find this "naff", but that's their problem.

Er, quite so. Let me guess: they're engine parts? They're characters in 'Star Wars'?

"Do you have a big hi-fi system? Are you a fan of heavy mental music?"

Why not? If it's legal to park a car on a particular road or lay-by, what prevents a camper van from doing so?

Many people are in a similar situation to yours and keep their boat in a marina while they're abroad. Marinas are staffed and the boats are supervised. They can have work carried out for you during your absence if you so desire. In our nearest marina there's one boat whose owners live in New Zealand.

Tee-hee. Her gesture in the first photo might be misinterpreted nowadays, but it was a long time ago (1950s?)

This reminds me of the psychiatrist who said to his patient, "No, you haven't got an inferiority complex. You ARE inferior".

Quite so - and heating the water for the washing of oneself and one's clothes, for example. Mind you, if such recharging really takes all day, you may need to consider replacing the batteries ere long.