David Mack

Its a bit like the difference between driving an automatic car and a manual. There are more things to do, and you have to do them in the right order. But it isn't difficult and you will soon learn.

I would have thought any problems from the initial build of a 2007 boat would have shown up by now. Significant issues will have been sorted. Minor niggles will be no different from those you might find on any second hand boat.

On the other hand, when you come to sell, you know who you will and will not use.

Russell Newbery DM2s and the equivalent version built under licence by The National Gas and Oil Engine Company powered most of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co's motor boats, and were more than capable of powering a loaded motor and butty. RN is still going, but I think it is years since they produced an engine from scratch. They can apparently still supply parts, but cheap they won't be. Steel superstructure but original internal wooden beams and planking. So I guess this is the wooden cabin equivalent of over plating. 5 year old survey is of little value to a buyer. No way through from main cabin to back deck, so you will have to be happy to walk round the gunwale from one of the side doors (in all weathers etc.) But it does give you a spacious bedroom without the need to accommodate a passage through.

On my bank's phone app the decimal point is to the right of the keyboard, not where it is on anything else. With the result that when typing in the sum to be paid or transferred, I usually c*ck it up. Did they mean to make it so difficult?

Or as I heard it put, in relation to additional advances on mortgages, "I think there's a lot of people driving around in their new conservatories".

Don't CRT's terms and conditions indemnify them against damage caused by their actions (or inactions)? Not that CRT were at fault in this case.

John Innes No. 2 ...

No worries! I had to check back on the CRT website, in case you were right and I had misremembered. That said, with the deferral, it might not happen until September 2021 anyway!

From https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/boating-blogs-and-features/the-boaters-update/boaters-update-31-july-2020#bridgewater "An agreement has been reached between Bridgewater Canal Company and the Canal & River Trust, effective from 1 September 2020, that gives licence holders for each organisation permission to cruise between Trust waterways and the Bridgewater Canal." But then there is a note: "3 Sep 2020 - Please note that there is a delay in implementing this change. Once active, it'll be announced in a future Boaters' Update." And nothing since. So hte new agreement is presumably still in limbo.

That involves two passages of the Bridgewater Canal between Leigh and Castlefield. So unless there is a clear 28 (I think) days between these, you will end up having to pay the Bridgewater lot for the privelege of the second passage. There was supposed to be a new CRT/Bridgewater reciprocal arrangement coming into place at the beginning of September, but I haven't heard anything more about it.