kevinw

Just back from the trip. Wonderful time with good weather for most of it. Watford locks were a bit of a hold up - we've been through several times, but never in school holidays, but got through Foxton without hardly any delay. We found many of the locks on the Soar to be difficult with gates that wouldn't stay shut and the section between the large park (Abbey Park?) and Space Museum was full of rubbish; empty drinks bottles, beer cans and takeaway food boxes mostly. River Trent was an experience; it's the only opportunity we have to run the engine at full power for 2 or 3 hours or so between locks. The moorings on the river are typical commercial waterway affairs and not very friendly towards narrow boat paintwork. Nottingham is a great place to visit by boat as well. Coming back on the T & M, we thought we'd moor at Alrewas. Not a hope! Not even space for a 20 foot boat, let alone a 70 foot one. No space at Fradley junction either (is there ever??) and so it was almost to Streethay before we stopped at our normal "secret mooring" on that stretch. Thanks to all who gave us the advice earlier this year. Kevin

We did this same trip some years ago as first timers on the river. The lock keeper at Teddington is very helpful. The river was very calm until we reached Brentford, where we were suprised by how rough it became (since heard thic called the "Brentford Bounce") - maybe it is better to continue downstream a little, make a 180 degree turn and turn right into the River Brent / GUC entrance. Kevin

We sold our previous boat through Whilton. Expecting it to take a few month's to sell and needing the funds to finance the current one that was being built, I phoned around a few brokerages, explaining what we had to sell and the price that I had in mind. I'd done my homework on pricing first, so had an idea of what the boat was worth. The upshot was that the boat went to Whilton on a Saturday, before the week was out they called to say they had a buyer and withn 10 days we had payment in full. They did us a special low commission rate as well as they had recently sold a similar spec boat and had a couple of disappointed customers who I guess they were pretty sure they would sell the boat to. Kevin

We've got a Zanussi studio washing machine on our boat, bought because at the time, we couldn't get a Candy. Electrics are all Mastervolt: Charger, invertor and Generator. The wiring is such that the washing machine will only work from the shoreline or genny, although I can rig it to run off the invertor just by plugging in elsewhere. The genny is a Mastervolt 3.5kVA job with a "digital diesel" control, so we can get all sorts of statistics from it. We've found that the washing machine needs the genny to be set to run at 3000 rpm plus or minus almost nothing for the washing machine to run properly and so suspect it is very sensitive to frequency drift and possibly waveform harmonics. No longer have a means to look at waveforms, but I suspect that the output waveform of a generator isn't much cleaner than a MSW invertor. Our washing machine runs perfectly on the invertor if required, but it isn't exactly an efficient way of using it. I think the trick has to be to find a machine that has a mechanical program controller and doesn't have a thyristor control for the motor speed. Hoover Keymatic like my mother used to have? Pity the genny doesn't have a closed loop feedback engine speed controller rather than relying on a mechanical stop on the governor as I'm sure this would sort out the frequency drift with added load problem. Kevin

I supose a voltage drop is a potential problem?? There is a company called Frosts www.frost.co.uk who sell an aerosol of stuff to spray over terminalts to protect them. It also has litmus or similar in it and turns red if you are unlucky enough to have a crack around the terminal posts (for example, if someone has used a hammer to fit the terminals). Mainly intended for cars and lorries, but I;ve used it on my boat batteries to good effect as well. Kevin

Our very first day on a boat was on our honeymoon. We're still married 30 years later, so at least one of us has a sense of humour. Left the boatyard on the Thames, crashed straight into Chertsey Bridge. Took 3 or 4 attempts to get into the lock and more or less got the hang of steering by Old Windsor where we tied up for the night. Lost all the elctrics - as I removed the mooring stakes, I moved the electrical master switch. Then, time for a cup of tea, made with fresh leaves, not teabags. Didn't realise that the wate from the sink went overboard, so tipped sent tealeaves down the sink - whihc immediately blocked. Removed pipe from under the sink and got covered in a sinkful of water and 3 spoons of used tealeaves. Weather was dreadful as well, although it did only rain twice in the week. Once for 3 days and the second time for 4 days. Kevin

there are a couple here http://www.valley-rambler.co.uk/canal/jasmine.htm

Having been born and brought up in the area surrounding "Tarrant", it was good fun to watch it for all the continuity gaffes - there were routes through Southampton that I never knew existed and have never found! My daughter, who is now 26 called the program "always there" as there was a song released of same name set to the theme tune Kevin

3 Boats, starting in 1997. "Swanmore", 57 ' Colecraft shell, fitted by Cowroast Marina at Fenny Compton, showboat in 97 Braunston Show. Built 1997. Sold because we wanted more space "Vigornia", 65', Liverpool shell, fitted by Bridgewater Boats (I think). Cheap boat, expensive fittings. Built 1997 "Jasmine", 70', non-standard Reeves shell, looks a bit like a Norton Canes boat, RN DM2 engine, "all mod cons" in the front; strictly trad from the engine room back. Fitted out by Bluehaven in 2002. plus toy yacht, lost at sea (Canoe Lake, Southsea about 1967) Kevin

Thanks, everyone - I think that's a plan! We've done some scary river bits in the past - Severn between Tewkesbury and Gloucester on a Spring tide and the Avon in flood (stuck for 3 days as it was closed to navigation and an effort when re-opened), so familiar with the ways of rivers. The Ashby's nice as well, I agree - we were up there last summer for the RN Register bash. I think we all dredged it a bit in places! Kevin

Thinking of doing the usual 5 or 6 week gentle cruise again this summer, late July and all of August. One thought is to start from Brinklow, down to Braunston and up through Leicester, eventually to the River Trent and head to somewhere like Newark, returning via Trent & Mersey canal to Fradley, Coventry Canal and then back to Brinklow. In the past, Leicester always had a bit of a "reputation" and the advice was generally to stop around Blaby overnight and make a long day to get through the city and out to the north. Have things changed much, or is it still not a bright idea to moor up in the vicinity? Where are good places between say Market Harborough and the Trent Junction (pubs, scenic bits) And whats the River Trent like - in terms of scenery, and places to stop? We've done plenty of rivers and have a marine band radio. I'm a bit puzzled looking at maps around Nottingham - it appears thatit is neceesary to go along the Beeston canal into the city centre as the weirs on the river don't seem to be locked. Any advice or pointers much appreciated Kevin

We have the same installed on our boat. I light it with the 50cc of meths and the diesel turned off. Once the meths is burning in a stable manner, I turn on the diesel with the regulator at the lowest setting and keep it there for about 45 minutes. Then turn it up one "notch" at a time leaving it for around 30 minutes at each setting. I've found that if I turn it up too quickly, I get the explosive effect - it will eventually blow itself out and the dielse will just vapourise without burning - filling the stove with white smoke and creating a nice plume of smoke out the chimney flue. I've found that if I then turn off the diesel and wait until the smoke has dissapated, I can then throw another match in, turn on the diesel at the owest setting and the stove will come back to life. When cleaning, I've found it helps to remove all the "coke" that builds up on the bottom of the pot and wipe out any remaining diesel before relighting it. I don't think ours has gone above number 3 on the regulator (out of 5) - even with a full length boat and running 2 radiators off the back boiler, the stove creates so much heat that we usually need to open a window to dump the heat - even with snow on the roof. Kevin

OK - I'll now admit that I am also allegedly an engineer (according to the certificate on the wall here at home), but have learnt the very hard way to stop taking things apart to see how they work because I can't always get them to work ever again!! I usually find the cover that is retaining a spring, or the bolt that is certain to be located into a captive nut, but isn't! The story is I got moved out of Engineering into sales to prevent me from doing too much damage. I *thought* that control was related to the hot gas flow around the oven based on its position - thanks Richard for confirming. And yes, the oven jacket does get coated in soot if burning low quality smokeless or ordinary coal. We've not really ventured beyond baked spuds or a pan of soup, but the oven does the spuds much better than the microwave - esecially if wiped over with a bit of olive oil first. Not sure when we'l be on the boat next, but will have a play with the control and see what effect it has. I seem to recall from my childhood that there was a standard recipe for a cake that was used to calibrate ovens! Kevin

We've got a Premier on "Jasmine" and use it regularly. Keeps the steerers legs warm in the winter and cooks a brilliant jacket spud. Ours also came from Midland Chandlers and like others have said, no documentation. I've found by accident that there's an adjustable vent at the side of the firebox - I keep this fully open to get a decent draft on the fire. There's another vent lever on the top, over the oven. Have never figured out exactly what this does, so leave it half way. I light ours with a firelighter, a few bits of kindling and coal or smokeless. Just a matter of setting light to it and leaving for 10 minutes or so - never fails to work. Then I just fill the firebox with coal and forget about it for a few hours. The ashtray seems to spill, like it is too small for the grate, so it gets cleaned out with a small shovel every few days when in constant use. Also, when being lit from cold, I check that there's no ash on top of the little shelf that you can just about reach when removing the vent in the base of the chimney. If allowed to build up, I've found this will strangle the fire and all that happens is the back of the boat gets filled with smoke. While all this is going on, I light the Lockgate "Squirrel" stove to warm the rest of the boat. Premier in the boatmans cabin, diesel Squirrel in the front warming 2 radiators off a back boiler and we have more heat than we need to keep a 70 ft boat warm. I did once find a web site with details of the manufacturer, but should have bookmarked it at the time! Kevin

Allegedly, it was a farmer close to an old ship to shore radio station in Dorset. He was duly hauled up before the local Beak charged with theft from the GPO (so it must have been back in the days when the post office controlled everything to do with the phones and radio transmissions), but was found not guilty on a technicality that as the signals were being transmitted, he was just receiving them, but in a rather unothadox manner. Being gracious loosers, he was then prosecuted by the Postmaster General for contravening the Wirelss Telegraphy Act, 1949, by receiving transmissions for which he was neither licenced nor the intended recipient. Kevin

During events in Portsmouth Harbour the cross channel ferries often give 5 short blasts to sailing boats. I always thought it meant "I'm bigger than you, get out the f'ing way!" Kevin

We/ve got a Kerstan dish mounted on a tv aeriel pole connected to the cratch board and a Pace minibox receiver. I've replaced the LNB with one I found on Ebay - lowest possible noise, I think .2dB - and also use a sat finder with an analog meter, rather than LED's. Using a compass to first get the general direction, I can usually get the whole thing set up in a few minutes and is then immune to the boat's usual movement when moored. I think my replacement LNB cost a fiver and the sat finder was less than £10. The Kerstan dishes are quite small, so not so sensitive to movement, but you get less gain (hence the upgrade of the LNB). I originally used a mag mount, but found this very hard to get both azimuth and elavation correct, hence the move to a fixed pole on the front of the boat. We've found that as long as you can get more than 25% signal strength and quality on the set up screen, all works fine. Also, if you use a magnetic compass to set the general direction, you'll probably find that the amount of steel in the boat has a huge influence on the compass. Kevin

Well, we made it onto the river. Currently moored outside the Kings Head at Wadenhoe, waiting for opening time for a pint and dinner! Very attractive river - feel a bit foolish having set up the anchor to discover just how slow the flow is! Full length narrowboats are obviously a rarity on this river as we've been asked at almost every lock "how long is it?". Mooring has been difficult as they are few and far between, but other users have been very helpful and closed up, or even moved to make space for us. There is still some weed about, mostly downstream of Billing not been down the weedhatch yet, but needed to clear the prop a few times. The weedboat is currently moored up at one of the locks, looks like it has been in recent use. Most weedy stretch was the Northampton Arm of the GU - felt like "The African Queen" in places. Very badly overgrown, shallow and branches in the water. We were intruiged to see the football ground at Rushden & Diamonds - looks like there's been a serious falling out between the football club and the Environment Agency. Will probably turn around tomorrow, or Wednesday to head back. Kevin

We've moored around that area for 12 years, so a few things we like: Buckby Locks - allegedly home of the Buckby can, the thing that working boat families kept their drinking water in Braunston tunnel - has a very distinct S bend in it. Two full-size boats will always pass on the apex of the bend, which is usually quite amusing. Braunston - Major junction, lots of canal activity. Ensure you have the camera to hand as there is lots to see. Napton Locks - again picturesque with the windmill on one side. Folly pub is interesting - full of old farm relics. Not been in it for years, but at one time, all they sold by way of food was pies. Top Pound. Long, very twisty with at least one "hairpin". Watch the T V transmitted mast at Wormleighton - it will change around all points of the compass as you cross this pound. Fenny Compton "tunnel" - narrow length where the tunnel has been opened out with passing places hidden amonst the reeds. Claydon Locks - again, a pretty scene. The bygones collection in Claydon is worth a visit, if it is still there. Croperdy - typical Cotswold type village. Watch your timing as it is very busy around the festival and not a chance of getting a mooring at that time. Banbury - usually lots of mooring, good place for victuals. Mixture of modern and traditional shops. Aynho - first bit of excitement as you cross over the River Cherwell and go through the diagonal lock. Just after is Nell's Lock - very low bridge on one side. Upper and Lower Heyford - now peacefull (other than being close to the railway), but once the base for the USAF. Generally, it is a very nice route - it can be busy and the top pound is a bit shallow in places, especially on the bends. The locks are light to work and mostly not deep, except for Somerton, whichis one of the deepest on the system at about 12 feet. The canal follows the River Cherwell for muc of its length and with the section down to Banbury being surveyed by Brindley, you can be sure of a complete avoidance of straight lines. The lift bridges are easy to operate and there's more clearance than you think there's going to be. South of Banbury, it's all single gates and some of these can be quite heavy. The railway line follows close for much of the route and this can be noisy. We used to moor at Fenny Compton - the lightweight passenger trains were nosiy, but the heavy coal trains could be felt through the water. Also, over certain stretches, the M40 is close and so that can also be heard. If you do get to Oxford, it might be worth going onto the river via the Dukes Cut and then heading downstream, turn back onto the canal at Osney. It'll cost you a day's river licence, but is a contrast to the canal. But for scenery, I don't think it can be beaten. Kevin

Thanks! I had visions of the hinge casting breaking off! Kevin

Strictly speaking, it's a Lockgate stove, but it started live as a Squirrel before being converted to burn diesel. The rope seal on the door was a bit tatty, so last weekend, I removed the old rope and replaced it with new 8 mm seal rope, as recommended by a large chandlers in Braunston (and since confirmed with a parts list I've found on the web). The problem is, having fitted the new rope and forced it into place with a suitable blunt screwdriver, the door is now almost impossible to shut. This is the third boat we've owned with a Squirrel stove, but the first that has needed the rope to be replaced. Is this something that will eventually fit properly, or have I made a lotal mess of doing such a simple job? Any advice welcome. Helful advice **especially** welcome Kevin

Many thanks to all for a quick and helpful response. Looks like a worhwhile trip - may see some of you along the way! Kevin

Next week, we're planning on a couple of week's out on the boat. Not having our fill of rivers this year, I'm thinking of a trip on the Nene, probably as far down as Fotheringay for no other reasons than I've seen pictures and it looks nice. Boat is a full size modern thing with a Russell Newbery DM2. We've done plenty of rivers (Thames, Severn, Warwicks Avon, Weaver), so not fazed by flowing water - just wonder whether the Nene is worth going to, especially with the trudge down the Arm to get there off the Grand Union. I know I'm going to need to buy an EA licence for a week and get the anchor out of the locker for the week, am I going to need anything else special, like windlasses or padlock keys? What are the facilities like, especially moorings and water points? And finally, are there any "must see" or "keep away at all costs" sections? Thanks in advance..... Kevin

Not just Brummies, we Hampshire Hogs do it as well. Some I can understand - Hagley Road does go to or through Hagley (doesn't it?) so "the" Hagley Road makes sense to me. The road joining Havant and Waterlooville, in deepest Hampshire, is called "Hulbert Road". But no-one refers to it as that - it is always "THE" Hulbert Road, as in "go along the Hulbert Road". Except to confuse matters further, it isn't pronounced as spelt - it is always "the Horbert Road" Kevin (nb sensible boat question follows in next positing before being banned for being totally off topic)

We've had three boats. First had a simple dump through sat on a small tank which needed a pump out every week (2 adults, 2 children at the time). We found it essential to ensure that the tank was pumped out and flushed if the boat was to be left for week or longer. Second boat had a cassette, caravan style. Horrible thing, would never under any circumstances have one again. It always leaked (just a small dribble - but enough) at the bowl / cassette joint and so left a smell through the boat, plus needed regular emptying. We had a few spare cassettes to extend range between elsan points, but a seriously unpleasent job when the cassettes needed emptying. Especially when allowed to "ferment" for a day or two Current boat has a vacuum system. Ceramic bowl, combined vacuum generator / pump and massive remote tank filling the void below the boatman's cabin. Absolutely brilliant, wouldn't go back to previous systems. We don't live on the boat, but do spend long periods of 6 to 8 weeks at a time. Toilet end is a Sealand with the foot lever flush. Flushed after every use (sometimes more than once!) now with just the 2 of us on the boat, we can easily go 4 or 5 weeks between pump outs. A level gauge would have been useful. With a large remote tank, it is sometimes possible to forget how long its been between pump outs. Current system supplied by LeeSan, including thier charcoal filter in the air vent. We've never had any problems with them - happy to sell us just one filter over their trade counter. Kevin