stripey

Seeing where you live, I can understand your travelling!

Of course, but in our own case, we're 40 miles from the nearest canal, and after a couple of years at our first marina, which was 60 miles away, felt it was worth mooring somewhere else in the country (85 miles away) as it gave us access to some part of the network we had never cruised, and that would have taken a week to reach. Our next move is this year, to pretty well the closest marina, as we're happy to revisit some old haunts from our hiring years. It's very much a matter of weighing up the plusses and minuses.

There’s nothing to stop you being a serial marina hopper.?

http://www.3ppaintcompany.co.uk/other/

Thanks, everyone! Nice and quick!!

It's a funny thing, but in fourteen years of hiring, there was never a reason for this question to be raised. Now that our lovely new boat is almost ready, I need a tiny bit of simple info, please. What is the diameter of the screw on the CART water tap? I need to buy the right bit for my hose. Thanks!

We're having one on our new boat, which is almost ready. I love the fact that you can plug it into the 12V system on the car when you are travelling to and from the boat. PS I'm going to update that picture soon!

Surely if CART want to have any legal clout behind an allegation that a boater has overstayed, then they need to take similar steps to those proposed by boaters wishing to prove that they have moved. So the CART enforcer would need to take date-stamped pictures?

That was good fun to watch - love the girls' commentary!

Spot on, and it's really nice when the boat coming the other way knows what to do!

Yes, always talk to the other crew and agree how it's going to work.

I don't just hate wasps - they terrify me. I have once destroyed a wasps' nest with powder, as it was right outside our front gate at home, and there was a real risk of getting stung. Each time I've been stung by a wasp, or bitten by a horsefly, I've got a bigger reaction, so I'm not keen to risk being stung again the time I destroyed the nest, I covered my self from head to foot in protective clothing and then did the awful deed. My heart rate was up, and I was grateful for a shower afterwards! Now, if there's a nest in the garden, I avoid the area, as I know the wasps eventually die out and don't use the nest again. But if I had one in the house I'd get a pro in. and I would most certainly do that if on a boat - no hesitation.

I'd definitely agree with this. If I couldn't get to a water point because of an unattended boat hogging the space I would reckon it was fair to move that one, but treating it as well as possible, nevertheless.

Couldn't resist adding this one - check out the (excellent) crane driver's grin (you'll need to zoom in).

She's in the water! Here are a few pictures to tell the story*. The prop was fitted at the launch wharf. I found that it was easy to rotate them using MS Paint and then saving them as a png files. Sadly, Photo Editor seems to be long gone, but thanks for the suggestion about this, Murflynn.

With hire companies, it's worth looking at the extras that are charged. Sometimes these can add up to quite a lot of money. We've used a number of different companies in our time as hirers, and I can recommend three smaller non-national ones to you, who don't add on loads of extras (at least they didn't when we last used any of them). They are all family owned. Portharb Boats, who are near Pershore, on the beautiful River Avon, all of which makes wonderful cruising, with Stratford and Tewkesbury at each end. http://www.k52n.com/ Countrywide Cruisers, at Brewood on the Shropshire Union, quite near Wolverhampton. Loads of different routes possible, especially in two weeks. http://www.countrywide-cruisers.co.uk/ Bettisfield Boats on the ever popular Llangollen Canal, quite near Ellesmere. http://www.bettisfieldboats.com/index.html You might need to combine public transport with taxis to get to these, but they are all good, and very friendly.

Compellingy logical, Bruce!

Agreed, except that eventually the owners have promised to share their story, when restrictions are lifted. I guess they could always ask a Mod to unlock the thread when that time came.

We took the Braidbar hire boat to the Caldon in April this year, and loved it (and the boat!). Visited Leek and tied up at the winding hole short of Froghall to walk to the end of the cut, as there was no way we would take a hire boat through the tunnel! What a stunning canal, and both Froghall and Leek are delights. On the way back from Froghall, we tied up for lunch within sight of the Leek arm, I couldn't resist taking the walk across the valley and down to the end again. There were just a few boats moving along the Caldon - not crowded at all, but not completely isolated. Definitely one to do again when we get our boat, but I still don't think I'll try taking it through Froghall tunnel! Edit - having just seen Ian's post - we even saw trains at that time, as in addition to the scheduled services they also run quite a few for schools. we were just pulling in for lunch at the Boat Inn by Cheddleton Station, and heard an engine whistle! Probably worth giving the CVR a ring to see what's on and when.

Can't see the picture, Dave.

Easy one - get the dog to go ahead or keep it by your side. If it wont do that when it's told, then it should be on a lead.

Plus points about Standedge - it's a unique experience; the entrance at Marsden is stunning; the CRT shepherds are first class. Minus points - it can be a bit fumey, and the boat will take a few knocks

We've done the HNC west section, including Standedge, and loved it, although there's a good deal of work involved! If you are moored at Marsden for a day, there's a fabulous walk over the top on the horsepath. If you then go as far as Greenfield, you can get the train back to Slaithwaite, (so you rush through Stanedge in a few minutes), or even Huddersfield, and walk back to your boat from there.

Well spotted! All being well, the launch at Braidbar will be at the end of this month, and the boat will be ready in January.

Tim Tyler - Thanks! Tim Tyler is the builder.