Aunty_Rinum

Was there a collision?

Sorry, I seem to have put this thread in the crew swap section by mistake. Can a moderator move it? Thanks for the replies. I'm on my way up the GU now, so I'll find out if anyone complains. If there are widebeams moored online there already then not a problem.

My copy of Nicholson - Grand Union, Oxford & the South East, contains a navigational note: "BW request that no wide beam craft moor on line between here [Hemel Hempstead] and Braunston". The reference to BW shows that it's an old note, but it can't still be true, can it?

Thank you, that's helpful.

Can anyone tell me where I can buy coal on the Paddington Arm?

I have lived in three marinas, none of them were resedential, and all had liveaboards in them. The marinas were happy with this arrangement and the last thing they would want to do is discuss it with you. If they discuss it then they would have to tell you that it's not allowed, in fact there's usually a clause in the berthing agreement that it's not permitted. In reality, as long as you keep your head down, how can anyone tell that you are living aboard unless they watch your boat for 24 hours every day? If you have a postal address elsewhere but you spend a lot of time on your boat you can be regarded as a frequent visitor, which would be your answer if you were ever challenged, which is unlikely.

I'm on the Grand Union at the moment. What you say makes good sense but, as I've proved this week, the mooring eye is likely to come out before the boat is dragged down. It's a widebeam displacing about 30 tonnes.

In forty years I've never felt the need to do that. Fenders need to be secure and strong. I'm not sure how a fender being torn off could cause your boat to sink. It's all above the waterline. It was a woven rope fender permanently attached. I have fat plastic ones which come out when mooring against walls etc.

Thank you.

I lost a fender recently when it was ripped off in Teddington Lock. I'm not worried about the fender but it also took the hull fixing with it; circular, brass, with a horizontal bar. Does anyone know where I can buy a replacement?

Mine is a widebeam and that is the correct technique. There's no point in lining it up at the side if you're going through a curved arch.

Me too.

Originally the number of tuns (barrels) that could be carried, and later relating to the volume of the vessel, one ton being equal to 100 cubic feet.

Will all result in a lot of effort and scratched glass. Wet wipes are the answer. If anyone tries them, please report back.

If you're cleaning stove glass with them, they go in the stove afterwards and burn.

Yes you would have to buy wet wipes specially, like I did.

I've used all of those methods but wet wipes just wipe it off with no effort. As for leaving it on for a few weeks, each to his own. I like to see a cheery glow and flickery flames.

This may have been discussed on here before, but I wish I'd known about it before buying special stuff to squirt on the glass and then rubbing until clear for all these years. Wet wipes just take all of the soot off of the glass instantly.

On The Thames rowing coaches use small fast catamarans which look a bit like pedalos. They are motorised but don't create much wash and are exempt from the 8kph speed limit on the non tidal part of the river.

You don't see many of those on canals, do you?

I like your version, but 9 months to reply could be a record.

If you read the whole thread you would have seen that he told you it was a wind up in post #34. It didn't seem to stop people continuing with it though.

If you find that cat litter or bowls of salt are soaking up water then it means that your boat is not ventilated properly; that's why you have condensation. I have lived on boats for nine years now without any condensation problems, but have known many boat owners who are constantly stressed about damp in their boats. Without fail they keep their boats sealed up and cold. Good ventilation plus heating = nil condensation.

What freight will you be carrying in your barge?

Correct