monkeyhanger

They still have music at weekends.

There are a lot of moorings on your left soon after you leave the last lock just before Chester city centre--near Waitrose. I moored outside "The Lock Keeper" pub three weeks ago on a Friday evening and spent a quiet night there, despite being literally yards from the city centre. Depending on the time of day you arrive, you may prefer to go down the Northgate staircase and find a mooring in the basin below, which I found to be preferable. Try not to moor too close to the "Telfords Wharehouse" pub if you want a quiet evening. No problems there, just lots of people sitting outside the pub chatting and enjoying themselves in the sunshine. From here it's a 10 minute stroll into the city centre.

When I spoke to the guy on Monday he had a phone in his hand.

I would have thought that, if you have a thermostat fitted, the engine temp control lever should be in the maximum open position. The thermostat will then regulate the temperature for you. That's what happens on my JP anyway. If you are restricting the water flow with the temperature control valve AND a thermostat, I would think that you would stand a good chance of overheating your engine and causing the symptoms you describe.

This summer I intend travelling north to Chester in early June and being at Braunston working boat festival on my return trip south. My route will (obviously now because of the Middlewich breach) involve the full length of the Shropshire Union canal, and a trip through Birmingham.What route would readers suggest I take through Brum, and which safe overnight moorings would you suggest? I might add that I am 70 years old and likely to be single handed. Before people suggest the Coventry/ T&M/ S&W as being easier, I'll probably take that route in one direction, either north or south, but not sure yet.

That's not "Iberia" is it?

I have an Allen boat. Ths cabin sides are a little bit wavy in places but the gunwales are dead straight. Having watched mine being built, and the technique they used to get the hull sides straight, I'd be surprised if yours actually is an Allen, unless it's been very badly mistreated.

All sorted now. The tug steerer managed to get the barge into the basin past the moored boats. Job done. Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone know the owners of the two fibreglass boats moored to the railings on either side of the entrance to Kingsland Basin on the Regents Canal, please? We have a 70ft barge and tug arriving Wednesday morning to remove old mooring pontoons and the barge needs to span the entrance to the basin and moor exactly where these two boats are at the moment. I have knocked on the boats this afternoon to inform the owners but no one was in.If they are still there tomorrow we'll have to moor alongside them to allow the lifting to take place. The barge should hopefully have completed the job and be gone by the afternoon.

I'm looking for recommendations for a gas engineer who could service a Morco instant water heater and also a Paloma one.The boats are on the Regents canal in Hackney. Many thanks.

Dunstable boat club has a slip where you could get your stern up. There's a leaky pound about 3 locks down from Cowroast which often empties overnight. Winkwell dry dock if you don't want to use the one at Bulbourne.

We are considering a weeks family holiday on the Canal du Midi in April. There will be six or seven of us. I'm looking for recommendations of Hire companies, start points, best way to get there, and any do's and dont's. My wife and I have visited Carcassonne before, and we'd like to take the rest of the family this time. Thanks , in advance, for any information.

Lee San will probably sort you out.

I would use etching primer on the galvanised part and rust killer on the rest. Then give it a coat of Bonda primer before applying your undercoat and finish coats.Paint doesn't like to stick to galvanised coating. I you take a chance and omit the etching primer, you will quite possibly find that you have to go back to square one in a couple of months.

I have Fernox Alphi 11 in my boat central heating system as an antifreeze, which, as I don't live aboard seems a sensible idea. When I phoned Fernox to find out the lifespan of their product, I was told its life is indefinite. Does anyone else use the stuff? Would it be a good idea to change it once in a while? It's not exactly expensive at £33, but I could do without the hassle of changing it at this time of the year if it's not necessary. Any thoughts?